grindstone stables

Our visit was actually in September 2012, while stationed at Ft. Bliss. We too,were caught offguard by the "cash only" of this establishment, but luckily they took checks! I haven't regularly ridden in years...and found the staff helpful and courteous when it came to having a horse selected for me and my husband. Granted, this ride was a typical "nose to tail" ride for those with little or no experience...so those who are bonafied expert riders who want to gallup across the plains or mountain, forget it. The owner/wife were polite and professional, the staff helpful and knowledgeable about the area. The views from the trail were OUTSTANDING, and the staff willing to assist with pictures before, during, and after the ride. Enjoy!

My 8 year old and I absolutely loved riding horses at Grindstone. The wranglers were all amazing and helpful. They picked the perfect horses for everyone. The views were beautiful as well. I would highly recommend them.

These Cowboys and Cowgirls were knowledgeable, funny, and help put inexperienced riders at ease. I grew up around horses, however I didn't ride very often. They were quick to pick me a very calm, and beautiful horse. I will be going back for sleigh rides in the winter. Highly recommend these fellas.

We went up to Ruidoso and spent about five days, we went about everywhere and the Grindstone Stables was probably our favorite. The horses are super friendly and beautiful they have lots of color and lots of paints! :) Gorgeous view of the pines and outdoors like you can't believe! The people there are amazing super sweet, funny, caring, etc made the trip worth while!! Thank you!

My family recently took a trip to New Mexico and spent a day in Ruidoso. One item on our list was to horseback ride, and using Yelp, we found Grindstone Stables. We arrived without a reservation to find they were fully booked for the day. Instead of turning us away, they asked us to wait a few minutes to see if the next reserved group showed up. Well, sure enough, they showed up, but the Cowboys said they had enough horses ready to go. So, we went on a great trail ride. My 6 year old had a blast on her own horse, and my 9 year old was in heaven... The trail boss and cowgirls were extremely nice and very talkative with our girls, making the ride thoroughly enjoyable. Super nice people, professional, and courteous.

Riders in our group ranged from 9 to 75 and everyone enjoyed it. The staff was friendly, prompt and helpful. Plenty of horses for riders of various skill levels. The wranglers led, trailed and rode beside the group and even took our camera and took great photos of everyone in the group. The ride is an hour long, which is just the right amount of time. The ride is up a hill through the trees and then back down, so the views are great. Even though there are some steep climbs and decents, I did not feel like I was going to fall off. A great time. Maybe a little pricey? But, everything was great, so you get what you pay for.

The staff is helpful and worth every single penny! The mountain view of Ruidoso is beautiful on the horses. A really neat experience for the whole family!

Our extended family had a great experience at Grindstone Stables!There were 12 of us, ranging in age from 4 to 50 years old, most with no previous riding experience, and we all had a great time! The staff were super friendly and welcoming and helpful. They were even able to help with a last-minute change in our plans and accommodate a request for additional horses. The price was a great bargain! You pay a flat rate per horse, in cash, and give the guides tips.Our wranglers were fun company on the trail. The horses knew their business and calmly helped us beginners. The scenery was great, and the temperature in Ruidoso was very nice for a summer afternoon ride. We will definitely come back again!

My family and I arrived to the stables and we were a bit worried because it had been raining all afternoon and we weren't sure if we would be able to ride the trail. Grindstone riders were very happy to see us! They picked out horses for us and we super nice! We had a reservation for 9 horses but the day before we added 3 more. So they were pretty flexible about that which was really great for us. For those of us who have never ridden a horse before they gave us a quick lesson before we started the trail. May I also mentioned we had a 4 year old amongst or midst. Our wrangler/trail guide Crystal was SUPER patient and very sweet to my baby sister. It was very much appreciated. Crystal our trail guide did an awesome job taking us around the trail. She made conversation with us and took some time to learn about our big awkward family and we learned a bit about her as well. I think that made the ride fun as well. We had two other guides riding along with us and they were super friendly and cheerful. It was an awesome experience and the riders and stable hands were all extremely nice, friendly and patient with us. With 12 people it could be a handful but Grindstone Stables did an excellent job. I definitely want to go back again and make it a tradition. Also goodluck Crystal at your new school in Roswell!

We had a large group of 12 and they did an awesome job with us. They were all really nice and personable. The scenery is amazing! A must do!!

My boyfriend and I came here on March 30, 2014 to try horse a k riding for the first time. We had a blast! The horses were amazing, the scenery from the trail was beautiful, and the wranglers were spectacular! All of the wranglers were very personable and talked to and looked after us the entire ride. I especially liked that there were children out there with us and they (the wranglers) took special care to make sure they were looked after. We will DEFINITELY be coming back here to ride again.

While planning a weekend getaway in scenic Ruidoso, hiking and horseback riding were high on our list of things to do. When it came to deciding on which establishment, Grindstone Stables seemed to be the most ideal mix of business, without tainting the authentic experience (gleaming from sites and reviews). We called a few times, but, failed to leave a message. We never saw any set departure times posted, so, we figured that we'd just drop in. Although, the final ride of the evening (4:30p) was booked, Stephanie was incredibly polite and accommodating. She informed us that there are occasionally "no-shows" an we were more than welcome to hang out for 30mins to see if she could accommodate us. During that time, we had an opportunity to laugh and joke with the incredibly friendly staff of wranglers. We were quite content with the company we kept, but, were even more delighted when a group didn't show and we were able to join the departing group. We all marveled as we approached our appointed steeds. They all seemed so well maintained, healthy, and sturdy. Eli and Kasey lead us on a one hour leisurely ride through the adjacent "woods"(insert more appropriate term), they were knowledgeable, friendly, and professional...we left the trail absolutely elated to have such a wonderful experience with such a great staff and well trained horses!

We have been going to grindstone stables for many years now . Plus we have taken many of their sleigh rides . The horses are well mannered and very fit for the terrain that they cover . The owners and the wranglers are very knowledgable of horses and very helpful . We can't wait for our next trip .

As a past, present and future customer of Grindstone Stables, I highly recommend a trail ride and sleigh ride with GS while in Ruidoso. The owners of GS are the biggest horses lovers this Texas Gal has ever met and their horses prove that. The views from the Mountain on the trail ride and the Christmas lights and warm blanket on the sleigh ride (snow or no snow) make for a fabulous vacation stop while in Ruidoso. And the best part, the horses are beautiful and majestic so just watching them run and play on the Mountain are some of the best pictures you'll ever take if you're a horse lover!

Same as any other riding stable over priced n sad horses they have been down the same trail all their life's and will not get off it. Guess it's perfect for someone that has never been on a horse.