In addition to our trail riding and wilderness packing program, riding instruction is offered as part of your normal riding holiday at Marble Mountain Ranch. We teach a Western "Mountain" riding style drawing curriculum from Sally Swift's "Centered Riding", from Cherry Hill's "101 Arena Exercises" and from our experience as outfitters in a wilderness mountain setting.

Mountain trail riding poses some unique challenges and offers horse and rider some spectacular rewards. Our arena program is aimed at helping novice riders gain confidence to join us on some of these wonderful horse riding opportunities. In the arena, you will learn the proper seat, the necessary cues for Western neck reigning, and learn the capabilities of your horse as you navigate our practice trail challenges while in a controlled arena or round-pen setting. We convert classic gymkhana into Western "Trail-Khana" with challenges that mirror our trail landscape. The school horses are stable, well trained and comfortable both in the arena and on the trail. Our school horses nicely match the size and comfort levels of a broad range of new riders and include ponys, small horses, and full sized quarter horse stock.

 Once you have mastered the skills required to properly cue your horse, and to stay centered in the saddle, we venture out of the round-pen and arena and include level ranch perimeter trail rides that are closer to our ranch home base. Our intermediate riders gain further instruction on riding at the trot and the canter. We strongly recommend helmets for all riders, but require helmets on all advanced level rides moving at a trot or faster, and for all youth under the age of 18.

Our equestrian program is based on stock that is bred and trained by our staff and family so that we know intimately the personalities and traits of our horses. Here are some of the horses in the dude string that you will meet on your trail riding holiday.

Horseback riding on mountain trails requires participants with proper attire and some minimum physical conditioning. Accordingly, we ask that you allow us to candidly assess your skill and conditioning as we plan the particulars of the rides you will be joining. Please come dressed with long pants, sturdy shoes or boots, a hat and no large or expensive jewelry.  We encourage all riders to wear a hard hat. We allow adults to choose the option of wearing a hard hat on walking rides, but require all minors under 18 years to wear an equestrian helmet.  Sorry, riders must weigh less than 240 pounds and be able to get on and off their horse unassisted to participate in advanced rides or in rides departing the ranch home base.  Safety is our prime directive in guiding you to an enjoyable and safe equestrian vacation.