Hollingsworth Horses — Local services in Custer

what an incredible experience! this was my first time horseback riding since age 9 and it was my boyfriend’s first time ever on a horse. courtney, our guide, was so sweet and reassuring and made sure we were both super comfortable on our horses before we began. we were paired perfectly with horses that fit our comfort levels and neither of us felt uncertain or uncomfortable at any point in the ride.

the no nose-to-tail was a big draw for us and really makes the experience feel more authentic. we had plenty of time to stop for some great photos (thank you courtney!!) and make sure we were comfortable along the way. i even got to try trotting which was super exciting and definitely not something you would get from a more touristy riding experience!!

i’ve always been a little nervous to try experiences like these because of the animal rights issues that can come with working animals and tourist experiences. i am a big animal advocate and i would never want to give my money to an establishment that isn’t putting the animal first. that being said, this place surpassed all of my expectations!! the horses are so well cared for and are not over worked in any way. the horse i was paired with (poco!!) was in his later twenties and there were other older ones on the property as well. the horse my boyfriend was supposed to be paired with had a small cut on his side from brushing up against the fence and so courtney made the decision to give him a break for the evening. it’s so clear that these animals are loved and deeply cared for and that’s shown in their huge living space and in the way they are treated. if you’re like me and have long been seeking animal experiences that don’t violate your activist morals, this is the one.

this place is well worth the price and i can’t recommend it highly enough. we will definitely be back the next time we are...

Wow. What an experience. Hands down the BEST place I have ever been to "trail ride". My husband and I visited the Custer area for our first wedding anniversary. I grew up around horses, inherently becoming a "horse girl". Because of this, he humors me on vacations and always treats me to horseback riding. I made the reservation with Christie who is very personable and offered to do a champagne surprise on the trail for an anniversary celebration. A few days before we planned to ride, some rain was forecasted. I called Christie again and we were able to move our reservation without any issues to later in the day. When we arrived, there were three wranglers there to help us and introduce us to our horses. My husband has only been riding one time, and they paired him with a very kind and gentle horse, Maze. He was able to mound and ride in the round pen and get a mini horse riding lesson to get comfortable before hitting the open pasture. Lynn was our guide for our ride- which consisted of just him, my husband and I for two hours. It was so refreshing to have a private ride, with no agenda. We were able to ride freely, stray off the trail, and walk and trot as we pleased. About halfway through our ride, Lynn showed me where to go and I was able to surprise my husband with champagne on top of a rocky overlook and have a 30 minute time span alone to just appreciate the views and the horses. Overall, it was an AMAZING experience. If we are ever back in Custer, we will make sure to stop again. I cannot say enough good things about...

I took my mother to ride while on vacation. Our wrangler/guide Val was a joy to meet and ride with. She quickly matched us to horses that were sized for us and equal to our riding ability. My mother who has been riding for decades rode Checkers and I was on a beautiful Belgian Quarterhorse named Brown Sugar. Both horses were great. Easy in the saddle but not trail horses. You had to ride them and let them know what you wanted from them. They were both quick to respond to the rein and a real pleasure. We explored the entire ranch. After riding with Val for an hour, we were on our own to explore and enjoy everything the ranch and our mounts had to offer for the next two hours. While riding, I lost my lucky baseball hat somewhere. It apparently fell of the pommel. I mentioned it to Val. She, along with fellow wrangler Ali, said they would keep an eye out for it. Two days later I got a message saying that they found it and they would send it to me. Talk about service. Thank you ladies! From Kristi and Kristin in the front office, to the wranglers, to the horses, and finally the ranch; this is a great place to get out and enjoy the pleasures of riding with friends or family. I would definitely recommend Hollingsworth to anyone who wants to ride, not just be a passenger. Thanks for the...