Build riding skills with a private horseback lesson in Colorado Springs
45 minutes
Private lesson, Helmet
Learn the basics of horseback riding in a private lesson with an instructor. Get comfortable handling your horse while you practice core skills and care.
Closed-toe shoes are required. Long pants are recommended. Helmets are required and will be provided.
Cancel or change at least 48 hours before the scheduled lesson time to avoid full charge. The booking fee is non-refundable on partial refunds.
Wear closed-toe shoes (required). Long pants are recommended.
No. Helmets are required and will be provided.
Yes. You will follow a safety briefing before riding.
Academy Riding Stables 4 El Paso Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Trail rides through Garden of the Gods with this crew are consistently delivering the kind of experience people talk about long after they leave. Guides like Morgan, Matthew, Jaiden, and Jeremiah come up by name again and again, praised for being knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely fun to ride with. Several reviewers noted how naturally guides balanced sharing information about the park's rock formations with simply letting riders soak in the scenery. The logistics are straightforward and well-organized, from booking to the safety briefing and helmet fitting on arrival. Beginner riders show up nervous and leave raving, while experienced riders appreciate that the horses are calm and well-trained. One reviewer brought a group of 32 and felt the whole operation handled it smoothly, which says a lot about how the staff manages different group sizes and comfort levels. One-hour and two-hour ride options both get strong marks, with the two-hour ride offering a bit more time to settle in and enjoy the views. A practical tip from one reviewer worth passing along: wear jeans rather than leggings. Overall, this is a well-run operation staffed by people who clearly take pride in what they do, and it shows in just how many guests leave wanting to come back.
Very smooth process from booking to going home. Buy your tickets, sign the waivers, show up, go through safety briefing/instructions and get your helmets (thankfully well kept and did NOT smell or have any residues), find out what your horses name is, get on the horse, stirrups get adjusted as necessary, then you take off. Our tour/trail guide was knowledgeable and loud enough to be heard from 3 horses back for sure and checked in frequently every so often to make sure all was well. The mounts were very well behaved and need little to no guidance from the riders, not surprising of course since they do this regularly. I'm an experienced rider, but the 3 of the other 4 people riding had never gone horse back riding before and found the experience worthwhile and were very appreciative of the whole thing. 10/10 recommend for everyone, beginners and experts. While it is a walking only, single-file ride, the trail and views are interesting and varies so you won't get bored either.
Cecilia L
May 13, 2026
Very smooth process from booking to going home. Buy your tickets, sign the waivers, show up, go through safety briefing/instructions and get your helmets (thankfully well kept and did NOT smell or have any residues), find out what your horses name is, get on the horse, stirrups get adjusted as necessary, then you take off. Our tour/trail guide was knowledgeable and loud enough to be heard from 3 horses back for sure and checked in frequently every so often to make sure all was well. The mounts were very well behaved and need little to no guidance from the riders, not surprising of course since they do this regularly. I'm an experienced rider, but the 3 of the other 4 people riding had never gone horse back riding before and found the experience worthwhile and were very appreciative of the whole thing. 10/10 recommend for everyone, beginners and experts. While it is a walking only, single-file ride, the trail and views are interesting and varies so you won't get bored either.
Cecilia L
May 13, 2026