andy's trail rides

Andy's Trail Rides is definitely worth your time. The experience MADE our honeymoon, we went on the 2-hour ride and the scenery was beautiful. It is definitely not the typical head to tail trail ride and that's why we loved it. Also, my husband is not very experienced in riding and Andy gave him plenty of direction and advice so that it was a pleasurable ride for both of us. Excellent ride, we will be coming back every time we get to the Black Hills!

We are experienced riders who have done trail rides all over the U.S., and this was by far the best trail ride we have ever been on. We did the 4 hour back country ride last Tuesday, October 7, and it was amazing. The scenery was beautiful, the guide Emma was very personable and knowledgeable, and the horses extremely well trained. We walked, trotted and galloped, depending on the terrain and conditions. The horses were having a blast and eager to go. Andy will personalize your trail ride and has rides for beginners up to advanced. Just let him know what you need, but when he says the ride is for advanced riders, he means it. His prices are also very reasonable. We've visited the Black Hills several times, but this was the best time we have had there. We would definitely call him again if ever in the area.-Pat K., California

We just went for an amazing ride at Andy's Trail Rides. Becca took us out on Sunday morning, Sept. 28th 2014 Best trail ride I've been on EVER. Amazing scenery, we got to see some wild life .hear some coyotes and it is not just a flat trail. Up and down some amazing trails. I would suggest going to Andy's when you are out by Lead , you will not regret it. Amazing!!! We had a 10 year old girl and an 81 year old with no experience , Becca and Andy were both considerate to their needs. The horses where well fitted for the riders. I can not say enough good things about this trail ride Just FANTASTIC

I have been on several Trail Horse rides; aside of a wonderful Memory visiting 'ThunderBird' riding stables in Norman Oklahoma, a horrible memory of being suited with a 'Fatigued' horse having asthma in Hilo, Hawaii, 'Andy's Trail Rides' was seriously so memorable, a two hour unstructured ride -No Nose to Tail here folks!!! He even allows galloping?? You bet-cha.... He even waited for us. We were late zooming up to his place as a last-minute decision to fit in an Xtra activity before leaving South Dakota Black hills, I called him to let him know if we didnt make it by time go ahead without us, when we arrived, he and the other Couple were visiting in the Barn until we showed... Thank you Andy!! The Calif girl (SkyDancer)

My friend and I wanted a trail ride experience during our Black Hills visit. My friend is a seasoned rider but I haven't been on a horse in 40 years. Andy matched a horse to each rider perfectly. Our group was small, 4 people, and not only did we ride the trails but for a while it seemed like we were blazing our our trail. In addition this was not just a nose to tail ride, those with a little experience were allowed to gallop, I did myself and by the end our 3 hour ride I felt like I was a natural born rider. I never write reviews but enjoyed this experience so much felt compelled to tell others that this is the ride to take.

Our 1-hour ride at Andy's was a highlight of our long weekend in the Black Hills. Since there weren't any other riders, my husband and I enjoyed the luxury of a private guided ride up the mountain, led by Andy himself. I had ridden several times before but my husband had not, so Andy chose horses that matched our experience. I rode Boo-Boo and my husband got Trigger (turns out they're Morab brothers). The horses were great -- they had been trained in both English and Western styles of riding and were very responsive. As my grandma would say, Andy is "like an old shoe" -- super comfortable to be around and very easygoing. He frequently checked to make sure my husband was doing ok and gave him pointers along the way. There was a stretch where we got to gallop, which I wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed! And my husband did great with Trigger. During the ride, Andy shared really interesting information about the area and about his ranch. He leads sleigh rides in the winter and has some beautiful large draft horses (one of which is bigger than the largest Budweiser Clydesdale!). We stopped at one point for a spectacular view of the hills and Andy took our picture, which may end up as our holiday card this year. It was a wonderfully memorable experience and we'll definitely go back for another happy trail ride!

We visited the Black Hills for a few days, and the one thing my husband really wanted to do was go horseback riding. On the other hand, I am not an adventurer by nature, and really did not want to go. I found Andy's on Trip Advisor, and even though the ratings were great, I still wasn't sold, and was secretly praying that he wouldn't have rides available when we called at the last minute. He did, though, and so we headed off to his stable. We were joined by one other couple with similar riding skills (one experienced, one not so much). Andy put me on a horse who regularly carries little kids. The five of us headed out on a two hour ride. Andy regularly checked on me and gave me lots of pointers and assured me I was doing great. He gave the most experienced rider the chance to lead on the trail while he followed with the rest of us. The horses were great and knew the trails well. There were plenty of steep hills to go up and down, and I will admit I wasn't sure I could handle them, but Trigger knew what he was doing and we made it just fine. The trails were beautiful and the two hours went quickly. I would recommend Andy's to anyone, especially someone who is unsure they can do this, because Andy will do his best to show you that you can.

We had a variety of skill levels, but were all oftentimes bored with regular trail rides where the horses are lined up and walk the whole way. We chose Andy's because we wanted a more personalized, advanced trail ride. Our guide, Cody, helped us to choose horses for our skill levels and we went off on our scenic two-hour ride. Cody was great and kept us entertained, and our horses were very skilled on some challenging trails. We got to trot and run a bit, which was such a nice change! We were sad to leave.

I have been riding for a long time but my parents have very little experience except when they were younger. The reason I chose Andy's in the first place was because you are allowed to gallop which I was super pumped about! Our guide was super cool and let my dad and I gallop while my mom was able to just walk. We took a 2-hour ride so there were 2 places where we could gallop and it was awesome. The rest of the ride we got to go through trees and over rugged terrain in the Black Hills, which led to a fantastic view so bring your camera! Our horses were very cooperative and well behaved. We can't wait to come back to Andy's Trail Rides!

My daughter and I went. I am heavy (300 lbs). He had a big horse for me, a smaller one for her, and Andy took us on the most amazing 4 hour trail ride I have ever been on. Daughter is experienced and I am not. We both had fun and he was super helpful in leading us, showing us how to work with the horses, and talking about the area. He was such a polite gentleman and truly a wonderful person. I would note though that the trial ride left from a different location then the stable's address on their website. Also, if you pay with a credit card, its easier to pay ahead of time since he didn't have his CC machine with in the truck. He was able to call it in to his office but just an FYI for easier payment later. We did mountains, and water, and trails, and trees. It was great. Not like a trail ride at all, more like a trek for those who are or are not experienced. It was awesome! Plan to do it again next year for sure!!!! Our ride was 4 hours and very fun but I was tired at the end :-) We did do a stop for lunch at an old hideout. It was cool.

Andy's Trail Rides is one of the best trail ride experiences we ever had. He offers several packages and each likely uses a different set of trails. I can tell you about the 4-hour ride:First off, Andy is not a summer student, leading pony rides in a huge operation. Although we only met for the first time, he strikes me as a no-nonsense person who is a true horseman. He is forthright, courteous and professional. Based on our riding experience and what we'd hope to see, Andy recommended for our family of 5 (kids ages 6, 8 10), the ideal ride. After booking a 4-hour in advance, we met as planned at Whispering Pines Campground near Silver City, SD, then drove a few miles to a more remote departure point at the trailhead. Despite being one of the most frantic times of the year (Sturgis Rally & horses don’t mix that well) and having to tend to a sick horse, Andy and guide, Rob, put everything together just right.We met Rob at the departure site who took the five of us out for the day. Rob was the perfect guide for us. He is gentle and soft spoken, very patient and he knows how to pace the ride, allowing us to go faster when we were up to it & the terrain allowed but while always preserving safety and staying within everyone’s--including the horses--comfort level. He knows well how to match the rider and horse and changed rider positioning at different points along the trail. As such, the horses were all well-behaved. But on this trail you do need to be able to ride, not just sit. Trail geography is highly varied; up, down, turning, water crossings close to twenty, narrow bridges, jagged rocks and keep your watch for branches. The ride challenged us certainly, but by watching and listening to Rob, we all improved our skills. This allowed us to fully enjoy one of the best trails ever. The scenery is unmatched—truly stunning. Wow! We learned of local history; outlaws, rail lines and mining operations long since vanished. The trails are shared by other campers and hikers but for the most part, you’re out there alone and just quiet. We packed a light lunch and took a break in a rocky cavern called Robber’s Roost. The kids thought this was great. There are plenty of outdoor bathrooms everywhere, and lots of free parking for the horses;). Then we mounted up and did the return. Just incredible. Thanks guys!

Great tour guides, who were able to get us in at the last minute. The horses are beautiful and so is the scenery. My 12 year old daughter wants to run away and work/live here the rest of her life.

Great trail ride in the Black HIlls. Scenery and view was spectacular. Horses were well tempered...even Pedro the mule! This was a very nice end to our stay in the Black Hills. Highly recommended.

Our inter-generational group was looking forward to this ride since it is the only place we found that would let kids younger than 6 ride (on lap). We had reservations scheduled for 9:00 and showed up a little early. There was no sign so we were not sure we were in the right place since no one was around. We waited and waited. Sometime after 9:30 the previous trail ride returned. We were told they didn't have enough horses so we had to wait for Andy to bring more. Supposedly he got "stuck in traffic". When Andy finally showed up he was crabby & rude. We got started on our ride about 10:40 (1 hour & 40 minutes late)! The ride and girls leading were nice. Andy loosened up a bit on the ride.After we got home we realized that we were overcharged! Even though we had given a deposit when we made reservations, we were charged the whole amount! We are waiting for the deposit to show up in the mail.Our group also went on another horseback ride while in the area (Hill City) that was MUCH more professional. I would recommend you choose a different place than Andy's.

Had a beautiful day/ride yesterday! Went out with four of our grids, ages 2-7. The two trail guides Becky & Jill were absolutely fantastic with our group of 10. Well behaved horses and marvelous scenery made for a great time. Pricing was just right!! Sorry to hear others did not have a good experience. Sounds like the common denominator is Andy. Keep the hired help there and all will be fine.