Breckenridge Stables — Local services in Four Corners States

A Disheartening Experience at Breckenridge Stables: Neglected Horses and Dismal Conditions

I recently had the unfortunate experience of visiting Breckenridge Stables, and I must say it was horrific. From the moment I arrived, it was evident that the horses in this establishment were living in deplorable conditions. I feel compelled to share my experience so that others can make an informed decision about what stable you choose to visit while in town.

Prior to even exiting my vehicle, it was immediately apparent that the horses were suffering. Their physical appearance was a stark reflection of the neglect they endured. These once majestic animals were now mere shadows of their former selves, exhibiting signs of depression and ill health. Their dull, dirty coats, drooping heads, and sunken eyes were testament to the lack of care and attention they received. There was not a horse on the site that showed a single iota of spirit and there was absolutely no socialization between the animals standing a mere foot or two apart from each other.

The most distressing aspect of the stable is the complete absence of any pasture area for the horses. Instead, they are confined to a muddy paddock, where they are forced to stand in mud and feces all day, every day. The lack of proper drainage in the paddock exacerbated the situation, further compromising the horses' well-being. It was heart-wrenching to witness these magnificent creatures trapped in such an unsuitable environment.

Adding insult to injury, the stable offered what I would call a "pack-train" type ride. The same route day in and day out, devoid of any stimulation for the horses, just following the leader in an endless, mindlessly numbing loop. The amount of traffic this establishment sees, as evidenced by the hundreds of reviews and prime location, means these animals are kept saddled, bridled, and tied to fences in rows for the entire day so as to be prepared for the next round of patrons. It was a distressing sight to see these animals, already suffering, subjected to even more physical and emotional strain. It was clear that their welfare was of little concern to the stable owners.

As an animal lover, it was truly disheartening to witness the abysmal conditions at Breckenridge Stables. Horses are graceful, intelligent beings that deserve love, care, and respect. It is incumbent upon us, as responsible equestrians and consumers, to ensure that the places we patronize prioritize the well-being of these magnificent animals.

In conclusion, I strongly discourage anyone from supporting Breckenridge Stables. The conditions I encountered were a far cry from the compassionate and nurturing environment that horses require. There are numerous reputable horse stables that prioritize the welfare of their animals and provide them with the care they deserve. Let us choose wisely and demand better treatment for these loyal and...

I am not one to normally leave reviews, but after my experience today I am feeling slightly obligated. I am here in Colorado for my sister’s bachelorette trip. We had our group of 10 and then two more groups of 2 people. We had booked an 1.5 hour trail ride. The first 30-45 minutes of the ride I was having lots of fun. The views were amazing and I was enjoying it. However, the last 30-20 ish minutes of the ride was where it got bad. My horse was Montana and there had been a few hiccups in the beginning but nothing really significant. The last part of the ride my horse must have had a change of heart and things got dicey. He ran me into multiple trees even though I was pulling his rains and trying to avoid the trees. He DID NOT care. He was using the trees to itch his back because of flies. My left knee is pretty banged up and my right is too. The guide at the front of the group was just not very nice to me. She blamed me for the horses behavior and essentially told me I wasn’t controlling him enough. Even though I was doing the same thing as the guide and my friend in front of me. At one point he stopped, turned his head to itch his back with his nose, and then sat down while I was on him. I had to jump off because he was about to lay on my legs, fully. It was terrifying. I jumped off and scraped up my left arm pretty bad and had dirt everywhere. The guide blamed me, again, and essentially told me he laid down because I wasn’t controlling him enough. I was embarrassed and really just wanted to go home. I bravely got back on the horse and tried again. I had tried to explain to the guide that the horse was having a mind of its own and I was trying. She then got condescending and said “well he has had multiple kids ride him and he’s always fine.” After that I was just trying to make it home. He still ran me into 2 more trees even though I was pulling his rains. Each time the guide blamed me and was just rude. After the ride, my party and I had talked about some inconsistency's. 1. They went over the simple rules, but never the “what if” rules. Like “what if my horse does this…” or “what if my horse doesn’t _” 2. The three guides with our group weren’t on the same page. 3. The ride was fun and simple for the most part, but it definitely was not beginner friendly like advertised. Most of our group had horse experience (including me) and the guides took that to mean we all had horse experienced. They were very nonchalant and didn’t seem too worried about misbehaving horses. And my horse was not the only one misbehaving. We had horses not wanting to move, one bit my friends knee, and horses not wanting to be around others. Overall, I’d rate this experience a 1 star. My knees are bruised, my arm is scratched up, and I am just in disbelief by the way I...

Stay away! We were very excited to book our trip after a 10 day trip in Colorado. Our kids, ages 5, 6, and 8 were very excited. We read very mixed reviews on Trip Advisor, but figured we'd give it a try. We received an email the day before stating refunds only given because of weather and horses do not go out in thunderstorms. We arrived to a storm on the mountain. It was lightly raining and thunder outside. The staff went over safety procedures making sure everyone turned their phone to silent as noise sparks the horses. I asked if the thunder in the background was an issue and they said "oh no, we go out in this daily". Feeling concerned, but still trusting the staff, we began to load our kids on the horses. A group of about 10 people were ahead of us on the train, already on the horses, waiting for the last 10 of us to be on a horse. As they loaded our children, a horse came running back to the stables. Staff started whispering to one another. Feeling concerned, I asked the staff what happened. Did someone fell off a horse? The response I received was "we are not sure. the individual is incoherent. we called an ambulance. Let's get your kids on these horses? Who is next?". Stunned, I said "wait, we need a minute!". We asked if we could receive a refund for the ride ($450 for our family) and the response was "we do not give refunds but you can try emailing the owner next week". I could not believe the lack of professionalism and lack of care for the woman just laying on the side of the trail incoherent. They were going to just walk us right past her with thunder in the background to make money that day. At the very least they could have paused the ride until she received medical attention. We chose to take our kids off of the horses and call the slope to see if they were operating for our kids to do the alpine slide. We called immediately and they were shut down because of weather. Why on earth would Breckenridge be taking unpredictable animals out in this weather when the ski slope was closed because of weather?!? We did contact the owner the following week who returned our money, however after sharing 2-3 paragraph email we received no response other than you'll receive a refund. There was no apology. There was no "I need to address this with my staff". There was no "we will be making changes, thank you for telling us". This company only cares about making money, not for the lives on the horses. Stay away! It is NOT worth the risk of your life to ride one of...