Smoke Tree Stables — Local services in Palm Springs

I called them because I accidentally booked the wrong day and they switched me over, quick and easy! The confirmation email was clear and concise about what they recommend wearing, their safety requirements, where to meet and what was going to happen. Spot on.

We arrived at the Stables which were clean and organized. The horses looked healthy and very well taken care of. We got fitted with our cowboy helmets and were instructed to hop back into our cars and follow them into the park. We bypassed paying the admission fee to enter.

They were very communicative on how they wanted us to approach the horses, wait to be assigned, wait for someone to assist you mounting the horse and simple instructions on how to steer/stop. If you're a beginner, rest assured, you do great!

We brought our 7 year old daughter, it was her 2nd solo ride so she was comfortable and excited. They placed 3 of their employees/guides in between the group so they were chatting and providing instruction and managing expectations of the trail throughout the ride.

The trail provided an excellent variety of scenery, it went from desert landscape, different rock-types that made larger hills/landscapes that changed from round boulders to flat smooth slabs, we crossed through several streams (I'd like to say at least 4-5), hills that were covered with some type of greenery (granted it may not be green mid-summer), and ended up winding up a mountain/peak that may not have been as pleasant if we were walking ourselves (haha) and back down again. The terrain/trail is mostly sandy/dirt but there were rocks embedded in the dirt which could prove challenging for humans, let alone these beautiful 4 legged animals, but they managed to make it a smooth ride nonetheless!!

We passed a ton of hikers doing the same trail and they were all so curious/envious of our ride and a lot of them asked if we liked it/recommended it- which I do!

This was the perfect length, it wasn't too short, leaving you wanting more and it wasn't too long where you were getting fatigue/achy/uncomfortable.

We did the morning ride and the weather was perfect (March) and it left us more than enough time to have a little picnic lunch. We took the opportunity to do the same trail on foot, just stopping at the first stream and playing around with the rocks and snapping some family photos before heading back home. The only downside is the trail has horse poop throughout, from our horses.

As we were leaving, they were brining in different horses for the 3rd group of riders, which again, made me feel like they care for their horses.

We were sure to tip our guide 10%, as we tip all of our guides on our vacation excursions. I highly recommend booking, it was enjoyable,...

The horses and scenery were incredible, but unfortunately one of the guides was unpleasant with my 11 year old daughter. She initially got frustrated over a helmet which they provided that was too large and the adjustments were broken, acting as if it was our fault that the helmet was unsuitable. The problem was resolved when the guide brought a new helmet. Once under way things improved until near the end of the ride when the horse became increasingly stubborn, refusing to move and eating dung off the trail. The guide berated my daughter for not being able to control the horse, telling her “you're ruining everything”. I chose not to speak up as to not further draw attention to the situation and embarrass my daughter, but watching this was infuriating. To my daughters credit she did not let this ruin her trip and recognized it for what it was, an adult behaving extremely inappropriately toward a child. Smoke Tree Stables clearly says the rides are for all skill levels, so there's really no excuse for this. I gave them 2 stars because the facilities were clean and the horses appear to be well looked after, but I could not recommend this place for children.

In rebuttal to the owners reply: “You're ruining everything” was exactly what came out of the guide's mouth. Both my daughter and I heard it very clearly and discussed it at length on the drive home. Furthermore, the reins were not "dropped". My daughter was using them to raise the horse's head and kicking her heals as instructed. The horse was intent on having a poop snack off the ground and jerked the reins out of her hands with enough force that they flew over it's head. If she had held on she would have likely been pulled off the horse. This was her first time ever riding and she was doing her best. I also disagree with the reply that "The guide to her credit quickly jumped off her own horse..." The guide was no hero. She spent most of her time having a loud and obnoxious conversation with the elderly couple behind us ignoring the rest of the group. She begrudgingly got off her horse to help my daughter, which is when she made the offending remark. Lastly in regards to the helmet, of course we're glad that the guide did her job and switched it out for one in working condition. The issue was her...

We arrived 30 minutes early, as suggested on their website, and in anticipation the stables would be busy given the holiday. From the moment we arrived we were greeted with smiles. I wish I knew the name of the gal at the desk. She was very friendly and able to easily answer every question with ease. Within minutes of arrival our liability forms were signed, we were issued our gear and eagerly waited to be in the saddle. Another friendly face approached us. He asked of any previous experience, which we both said, “it’s been a while.” Horses were brought out and we were matched to horses. Individually, we were given assistance to get on the horse then given explicit instructions. Alex and Joy were our guides. Alex led the group. I was in front so I had more interaction with Alex. Alex was awesome...he pointed out things I would’ve never seen on my own. Clearly, he knows the trails. He also took personal interest in us which made it a more personable ride. I could hear Joy in the back talking with other riders in our small group. As a team, they made sure all riders enjoyed their time. The ride was S M O O T H. The horses were all very calm and followed direction well. When we returned to the stables, Alex took pics of us while still on the horses to commemorate our time then provided assistance during dismount. We will back again! 15 years in the desert...I can’t believe this was my first time. THANK YOU for making this such an...