Of course you should have additional inquiries! You are planning the ultimate vacation activity. We’ve compiled a list of common questions…and not so common questions that we get asked. You can also call us directly to get any additional questions answered.
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Rusty Spurr Ranch is located an hour or so from Breckenridge, Winter Park and Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the most beautiful place EVER. We are 2.5 to 3 hours from Denver ON A GOOD DAY. That means it usually takes longer from Denver as accidents, traffic and natural disasters can close Interstate 70, especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and holiday weeks. We are 4 miles south of Kremmling, CO off Highway 9. Turn east onto County Road 387 and we are 4.5 miles up the fun, winding gravel road. It’s not a racetrack so slow down and drive smart and you will stay out of the ditch and avoid hitting the free-range cows. We include easy to follow directions in every confirmation email for your convenience as well as posting them on our website. Oh! We need to talk about parking so remember that many cars will need to fit neatly in our small parking area. Please pretend that it’s like NYC and use every inch of space sparingly…you will be rewarded with free parking like the good old days.
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Due to our small staff and limited resources, we do not offer any guest transportation to and from the ranch. Because we are located in a rural area of Colorado, there are no public transportation options such as busses, trains or taxis. Uber or Lyft might be an option however it most likely will be very expensive. Most guests are vacationing with their own vehicle or rent a car to explore Colorado.
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Because we care about safety, we do not recommend our rides for most mentally or physically disabled adults or children. Please note that neither our horses nor our guides are certified in equine therapy. It is VERY important that you consider this fact before booking with us and we’d be happy to discuss your particular situation to determine feasibility or refer you to a local therapeutic riding stable. We understand this is a sensitive subject but we would hate to disappoint anyone who showed up to ride and didn’t realize that we cannot safely accommodate their needs. Just because the person has successfully participated in therapy riding in the past does not mean they can independently and safely ride one of our non-therapy horses out on our rugged open range environment. Our job is to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone on the ride and when a guest requires constant one-on-one attention, it affects the safety and experience of the other guests in the group. If you neglected to inform us or were not honest regarding the disabled guest, we will still have to charge you for the time slot you reserved even though the guest isn’t able to ride.
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Because you are booking a time slot that another guest cannot use, we must have a strict cancellation policy. You and any kids should be fit enough to ride a horse both mentally and physically. We don’t offer refunds if you get scared, panic, or are too stiff to mount the horse or sit comfortably, or if you exceed our strict weight limit and weigh more than what your reservation stated. We also do not give refunds or partial refunds to guests that do not complete their activity. If you cancel 48 hours or more before your ride time, we will refund 100% of the booked activity. If you cancel within 48 hours of the scheduled ride, you will be charged 100% of the booked activity. Note: Groups of 9 or more have a NON-REFUNDABLE 50% cancellation charge anytime after booking as large groups reserve many of our resources and are harder to fill last-minute. The remaining 50% is non-refundable within 2 weeks of the activity date. We cannot accept travel delays, changes in plans, illnesses, hangovers, traffic jams, family arguments, moody teenagers, lack of sleep, or any other reason within 48 hours of your ride as a reason to not pay in full for the booked activity you missed. We love good stories and will post the best one each year but alas, we still need to pay our staff and feed our horses.
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The maximum weight our largest horses can carry is 230 lbs (not every horse can carry this much) and all riders must be under a Body Mass Index of 34 to insure horse and rider safety. Be advised: a rider who is under 230 lbs may still be unable to ride if their height/weight ratio is too high. We weigh riders privately at check-in and if any rider exceeds their stated weight on the reservation, they may not be allowed to ride. NO REFUNDS are issued under these circumstances. It is your responsibility to know your current weight AND BMI before arriving at the ranch to avoid any disappointments.
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We are our animals’ care takers and advocates. We take this role very seriously. They cannot speak for themselves so we must pay close attention to their welfare.
Because they are living individuals, every horse’s weight carrying capacity is different. Many factors such as age, size, physiological attributes (conformation, bone size, etc), past injuries, work load, terrain etc. all play a role in how we determine what a horse can do. Sure, many horses can perform their duties in excess of these limitations in the short-term, however the negative results are cumulative and result in early degradation/degeneration of their bodies, specifically their joints. We have seen early onset of arthritis (particularly in the coffin and pastern areas) as the result of excessive work loads. For our horses to maintain a long, healthy work life and the ability to live out their days in comfort, we take our responsibility not to overload them very seriously. Remember, our horses work 5-6 days a week in a mountain environment. Making comparisons between our horses’ limitations and those of a privately owned horse is not fair as few privately owned horses are asked to work as frequently or in the same terrain as our horses. -
Once, yes. Daily, no.Our starting guideline in determining a horse’s capacity is the 20% rule. This states that no horse should carry more than 20% of their weight. The average quarter horse comes in around 1000 lbs so that would be 200 lb capacity. Then we have to evaluate the individual aspects of the horse. Is his back long or short? How heavy/light is his bone structure? Are his feet large or small? Does he appear uncomfortable after a day’s work? Does his back get sore? Then we also take into account our many years of experience (over 24 in this location alone!). Our experience was that, before adopting these limitations, our larger draft cross horses were experiencing a much higher rate of early onset arthritis and other lower leg joint complications than our other horses. The expense of purchasing draft-cross horses has also limited our ability to acquire more of them.To put it in human terms: 20% of a 180lb man’s weight is 36 lbs. Most men of this size can carry considerably more when asked to, but if they did so 5+ days/week for their entire working career most would almost definitely begin to experience physical degeneration. Now, if you’re comparing an 18 year old 180 lb man’s carrying capacity and a 50 year old 180 lb man’s carrying capacity, it would be safe to assume that the elder of the two’s capacity would also be lower. Especially if he has worked a physical job his whole life, sustained a few injuries etc.
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No. These policies are the result of being asked to make exceptions on a daily basis, which basically negates the intended protection of the policy.
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We assign horses to riders based on the information they’ve provided. If your actual weight deviates significantly from your stated weight, it is likely that the horse we’ve assigned to you is no longer appropriate. During our busy season, most of our horses are assigned every day, so we can’t just come up with a larger horse at the last minute. If they are assigned the day off, they require the rest and we will not take that away from them. We also have a BMI limit of 34 (Body Mass Index ratio of height and weight) so even if a guest is under 230 pounds, their height/weight ratio might exceed 34. A shorter, stockier person has different balance and physical challenges that a taller, stockier person. Therefore, in the name of safety for guest and horse, we cannot accommodate riders with a BMI over 34.
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You are in luck! We ride rain or shine. We provide raincoats on every saddle so we are prepared for the changing Colorado weather. Many of our guests have returned from their ride and said it was the best ever. Rainbows and glittering forests are missed on all those sunny day rides. Your trip may be delayed up to 60 minutes for thunder and lightning to pass. Rides already in progress might be cut short for major lightning and will not be issued refunds. It is up to the Rusty Spurr Ranch to cancel due to any weather concerns. If we do choose to cancel before a ride has left the corral, we will refund 100% of the activity. Please remember that the weather forecast is often wrong and has ruined more vacations than the weather itself.
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Of course, because horses are not bicycles. We can take children ages 8 and older on trail rides and 12 and older on cattle drives. We do not take minors under 13 on trail rides without an adult nor do we take minors under 15 on cattle drives without an adult. As much as we love cookies, we cannot take bribes to allow underage children to ride, even if they own a horse and qualify for the Kentucky Derby…liability insurance writes the rules. Unfortunately we do not have trips for children under 8 years old, however we do have a comfortable cabin with indoor and outdoor picnic tables when an adult needs to stay behind with the younger children. They can explore the outdoors, go for a walk, play horseshoes or try their hand at the roping dummy.
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Nope. NO dogs are allowed on the ranch. We love dogs and hate to see them left in a hot vehicle so don’t plan on it. We DO NOT have shaded parking. Non-ranch dogs pose a safety risk around horses and our own territorial ranch dogs, plus they can bark and ruin the peaceful experience for other guests. You can book doggie daycare in Dillon at the Dog Chalet at 970-262-9076.
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No, we value your life as much as the horse’s. We do not promise anything faster than a walk on our rides (including private rides) due to the rugged terrain, the workload of the horses, and the many guests that bluff about their riding abilities. However we DO encourage our guests to spread out and ride off-trail wherever the terrain permits. It is not a strict nose-to-tail type ride unless you prefer to stay in line.
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Due to changing food service regulations, shortages and Covid-19 protocols, we are no longer offering food service meals up at the ranch. We will be selling basic pre-packaged snacks and drinks in the gift shop should you need something. Please feel free to bring your own picnic meal and utilize our indoor or outdoor seating provided to our guests free of charge. We also have numerous restaurant options in our nearby town of Kremmling.
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The more, the merrier! We are thrilled you found that many people that agreed on the same activity! Groups of 9 or more need to call the Rusty Spurr Ranch at 970-724-1123 to book their activity and 100% of the cost is paid at the time of booking. There is a 10% included gratuity for parties of 7 or more. Groups of 9 or more have a NON-REFUNDABLE 50% cancellation charge anytime after booking as large groups require more planning, reserve many of our resources and are harder to fill last-minute. NO REFUNDS for groups of 9 or more will be given within 2 weeks of the activity date. This is because you are reserving a lot of our time slots/resources and we want to make sure you aren’t kidding.
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We do not typically offer any discounts for group bookings or special occasions however we sometimes run specials for the shoulder seasons May 15-June 15 and August 20-October 1. For groups of 7 or more guests, we add an additional 10% guide gratuity at the time of booking.
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We often sell out during peak season so booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance will give you more dates to choose from. During the shoulder seasons, we can often accommodate last minute bookings the day before but there is never a guarantee. If your schedule limits you to only one day and time, you should definitely book at least a month in advance.
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The state of Colorado does not require helmet use. Our insurance mandates children 8-12 must wear a helmet when riding. We provide riding helmets at no cost when you check in however as we can have limited helmets depending on demand, the 8-12 year olds will get preference.
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It’s really not a fashion show so keep in mind that you will get dirty, your low-rise jeans will get even lower when you sit on a horse (think plumber crack), your tight jeans will get even tighter when you straddle a horse (they actually rip where the sun doesn’t shine), and high heels of any kind sink in the dirt and make you trip. We recommend long pants and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes such as sneakers or cowboy boots. Absolutely NO spurs, even if you are Wyatt Earp. Hats should pass the windy day test. Sports bras are a wonderful invention. No shorts unless you want to get chapped skin and scratches from the forest. Absolutely no high heels, heavy-treaded hiking boots, clogs, shoes without heel protection (Keens), or flip-flops. Bring a light jacket or additional layer in case the weather changes. We provide bright yellow raincoats on every saddle so no one feels left out.
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What do you want to lose out on the ranch? Keep in mind that we are not responsible for any items lost on the trail such as phones, wallets and keys. If you bring your phone, it is at your own risk. We recommend leaving wallets and purses, or items you will not need on the ride, in the car. You can leave keys with the office staff (they prefer horses over cars so your vehicle is safe). A locksmith is several hours away or totally unavailable anytime you need one. Bring a small to medium sized water bottle, not a Big Gulp, that can fit into the saddlebags we provide and a snack if you think you’ll get hungry. Absolutely NO firearms, alcohol, cigarettes, cigars, vape pens or drugs on the ride- if this is violated, you will be kicked out, shunned, ridiculed and never allowed to return again.
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Absolutely! Your guide will take a photo of you and your group with a beautiful background at some point during the ride using your camera. If you choose to use your cell phone as a camera, that’s all it gets used for. Please do your family calls, business meetings, and social media posts after you get off the horse. Seriously, we have a lot of these type of offenders and it ruins the peacefulness of the ride. Large lenses and cameras usually will not fit into the saddlebags.
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We offer 2 and 3 hour private trail rides that can be customized according to what the guests want to see and experience. Keep in mind that regardless of what trail ride you choose or your riding ability, the horses are limited to walking as they are asked to climb up and down steep mountains and ride through thick forests. If you have a special idea for your riding experience, feel free to call us and we can discuss feasibility and options.
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Lucky for you, we chose the most beautiful place we could find. The trail rides start around 8,000 feet in elevation and go through wildflower meadows and aspen groves as they meander through the ranch. As it is a mountain trail ride, you will go up as much as you go down. There are no cliffs or drop-offs and our horses are very sure footed. You will definitely see gorgeous mountains as we are located on one. We’ll even throw in a snow-capped Continental Divide, the Gore Mountain range, and if you’re lucky, maybe some wildlife (not your family).
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Nope, just the pioneer toilets behind any tree if you have an emergency. We have several porta-potties near our check-in cabin that are cleaned daily so don’t think music-festival pits of despair.
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We have 10,000 acres to ride on and we know the best places to take our guests where they will get to experience the wildflower meadows, sage covered hillsides, aspen groves and mountain vistas. On private rides, our guests can certainly discuss any specific requests with their guide and if we can accommodate those, we are happy to do so. We will try our best to accommodate requests on public rides but with other guests in the group who might be new to the ranch, we want them to see all of the amazing places and get back to the corrals on time.
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As fun as our rides are, we do not recommend that guests participate in a morning and afternoon ride on the same day. Mountain horseback riding really takes a lot of energy and we want you to enjoy every activity you sign up for and not be exhausted and overly saddle sore. In our past experiences, any guests that booked morning and afternoon same day activities wished they had spread them out over several days. We have numerous guests that are staying in the area and ride with us on multiple days, but only one activity per day.
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No, we do not offer any lodging on the ranch as we are off the grid. However, our small community of Kremmling offers several choices within 20 minutes of the ranch. Check out www.kremmlingchamber.com for lodging suggestions.
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Unfortunately we cannot allow outside horses to join any of our activities due to possible disease transmission and upsetting the ranch herd dynamic. We have amazing horses to suit every ability and we wouldn’t want to make them jealous of a new kid.
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Horses are like people in the sense that you wouldn’t want to share underpants. Each of our horses is specially fitted with their own set of tack to ensure they are comfortable and free of any pressure points. Plus, we need to know that all tack is in safe, clean, working order and up to our standards.
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Most guests have told us stories of riding at other stables where the guides were young and inexperienced with horses or the condition of the horses, tack and facilities were in a poor state. Unfortunately, this is somewhat common in the industry and creates less than positive experiences for everyone involved. What makes the Rusty Spurr Ranch different is that we focus on hiring mature and professional equestrians as guides, our horses are extremely well cared for and trained, and our attention to detail from start to finish ensures a fantastic guest experience. Also, unlike other riding stables, you get the duration of the ride that you paid for. We do not start the ride until AFTER you have gotten on, received instruction, and leave the corral. We feel that it is unfair to charge guests for non-riding time. In addition, we allow our guests to ride off the trails wherever the terrain permits so it is not your typical “Nose-to-tail” single file experience.
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We have a minimum number of guests to take a ride out because it is not profitable for us to send one guest out with a guide. Hence, we have minimums for our activities which is typically 2 guests signed up. Then we require a minimum of 4 guests, on any combination of activities, to open for the day.
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We offer gift cards for purchase on our website under the “Book Now” button or the “Activities” page. These can be purchased in any amount and redeemed towards any of our activities. The purchaser can have the gift card emailed to themself to print and put in a card or they can email it directly to the recipient. The gift card expires 5 years from the date of purchase.