Tanque Verde Ranch

We spent five horse-filled days at Tanque Verde for spring break. Despite the ranch being sold out for the week, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the ranch did not feel overcrowded. That's probably because there are so many different activities that you and your family can choose from. We spent most of our time on rides. There are several different rides you can take. Our first one was the 1.5 hour ride. Many of the rides will take you into the mountains and over some fairly treacherous terrain. If you've never been on a horse before, this could definitely be intimidating. Both my daughter and I have English riding experience, but there's a big difference between a riding ring and a mountain! All of the 160 horses at the ranch are very sure-footed and have been on the trails a zillion times. They know what they're doing. However, if you are nervous, I would ask one of the wranglers. We also did a four-hour ride that was...a lot. It's four hours in the saddle, up and down some pretty steep inclines, switchbacks, and really narrow trails. We also did the intermediate horsemanship class in which you can work on trotting or loping. Trotting western is totally different from English posting...I wasn't really a fan, lol. And my horse wouldn't lope, even when I used a stick as a crop. He didn't care, and honestly, I don't blame him, lol. As far as the rest of the resort, it's fairly spread out. The dining hall where you eat all your meals was never crowded. You're supposed to make a reservation, and it was never a problem getting in when we wanted to. The food is hit and miss at best. You can either go to the buffet, or you can order from the menu (or both). We spent some time at the pool but be aware that the kids' club appears to let out around 3:00 or 3:30 because the pool (and hot tub) was pretty crowded around 4:00. I wish they had food and drink service around the pool, but they don't. We also spent time at the Doghouse Saloon for happy hour and views of the mountains. I really liked how the ranch is all-inclusive, and you don't have to worry about where you're going to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And all of our activities were included.

Excellent stay. People are all so kind and helpful. Food was excellent also! It was like staying in the national park next door!

first time my child has EVER told me I planned a “good” trip. Unlike other dude ranches, doesn’t require a 6 night stay. Staff have been friendly, location is gorgeous and my 11 year old boy has willingly gone to the kids camp every day which includes 1.5 hr of trail riding. No one pressured us to tip, but all the Venmo/zelle info was out if desired. kids can start riding here at age 7, but the kids camp goes younger. The hikes, mountain biking, roping 101, copper tooling, archery and BB guns have been great. No one was “condescending” to us, but we also did not try to pass the lope check either. Jacob at archery/bb guns particularly friendly, as was Danica for hiking. We saw javelinas, rattlesnakes, coyote, road runner, deer, cotton tail rabbits Tips: If you have a private riding lesson the kids will actually get a chance to trot/ lope. - they only have a set number of “all inclusive” they sell. Running the numbers it is 100% worth to do it if you do kids camp and the adults do trail riding (all included, otherwise à la carte).

Beautiful ranch. Felt like a family camp experience. Tons for young families and little kids. Slightly less for teens. They take the lope check very seriously, which is great from a safety perspective. But it leaves very few options for intermediate riders looking for something more adventurous than a group walk ride. However, if you are looking for lessons to improve your riding skills, this is a great place for that. The spa is pretty nice. Food was great. The outdoor pool was overrun with little kids, which again, is great for young families. But there was nowhere for older teens or adults who wanted a quieter poolside experience. Hiking options are great - beautiful, well-maintained trails all around. Staff is really friendly and helpful.

My family and I absolutely love TVR. I would live there if I could! The wranglers are amazing, especially Abigail. The feedback they give you during lessons is so helpful, and you can tell they really enjoy working on the ranch. The facilities and landscaping are gorgeous. The food is just ok, not spectacular, but the atmosphere makes up for it. I just love everything about TVR and can't wait to go back!