Music Meadows Ranch

Great experience! I was in Westcliffe for an offsite work retreat. Music Meadows Ranch was recommended by a fellow coworker. We had a group of 10 and had a wonderful time! Nicole was so easy to work with and talk to when I was planning the trip. We were unable to do a full day of riding so the ladies were very accommodating and we rode from 9am - 12:30/1pm. This was the first time anyone in the group had the freedom to direct their horse where to go and to trot. We had all only been horse back riding when you ride in a single file line which is... fine. This was SO much better!! They give you a lot of training before you ride so you feel comfortable directing the horse on your own. 5/5 stars definitely recommend! The ladies were also fun to talk to while riding! And the kitties at the barn were cute.

I took a group of 9 people to Music Meadows. Absolutely fantastic. Elin Parker Ganschow is a fantastic guide and teacher. She custom tailored the ride to my kids' more advanced riding abilities, so I'm sure she can do the same for your group. She's a bit more expensive than the other ranch near Westcliffe (Bear Basin), but very worth it. Bear Basin would only do "nose to tail" rides where you're stuck in a line the whole time. Elin at Music Meadows encouraged our group to get to know our assigned horse, get them to do what we wanted and explore the open country. (I'm sure you can do regular trail rides in a line as well). Great variety of terrain on a huge, 3800 acre working cattle ranch. A mixture of open grasslands, rolling sage hillsides, aspen groves, water crossings and amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range.Also, each rider was given a very nice Music Meadows aluminum water bottle for the ride, and got to keep them afterwards (probably supposed to be a secret bonus at the end, so shhhhhh!).Music Meadows is home of "Sangres Best" grass-finished beef, and you can buy some on site to take home. Since I was already covering a ride for 9 people, we just bought some all-beef bratwurst and franks, and they were delicious. She also let us sample some of their new beef jerky, which only had a small handful of entirely pronounceable ingredients.Elin also gave us a tour of the cute (and surprisingly big) cottage on the ranch. It's beautifully decorated and can be rented out. It looks like it could sleep quite a few people.I've been on plenty of trail rides throughout Colorado, and Music Meadows is top notch. Hats off to Elin for working tirelessly to carry on Colorado's rich western heritage. The ranch is protected under a conservation easement through San Isabel Land Trust that ensures it remains in its natural state for generations to come.Dang it. I'm gushing. Give these guys a try. You'll be glad you did.

My wife and I also had a wonderful time at the ranch. The views are to die for and Rhoda and Elin went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed, and more. Elin and her husband also own Sangres Best Steaks (http://sangresbest.com/) so instead of buying meats at the grocery store in-town we just placed an order with Elin on the first day and we had steaks, hamburgers, and hotdogs for the whole week. And let me tell you, I could cut the filets with a fork. The first half of the week my wife and I lazily sat around on the porch, around the fire pit, and on the hammock just taking in the views. Then, the other half of the week we hiked, fished, and went horse back riding. If it had been a little warmer we would have drove an hour north to Canyon City for white water rafting. There was WiFi in the ranch house which allowed my wife and I the ability to watch Westerns from our Amazon Prime account once it got dark. Add the fire place in the living room and the call from coyotes in the distance, making the evenings just as nice as the daytime. My favorite toy at the ranch was the 6 burner Viking Professional stove. I cooked like a professional chef everyday. And if I did not want to cook inside I use the outdoor grill on the front porch, or we roasted hotdogs over at the fire pit. Since we are moving to the Denver area soon, we plan on going back many times in the future. Thanks Elin for sharing your families ranch with us and we will see you soon!!!

We had an amazing experience horseback riding through the mountains with Music Meadows! We were able to ride freely (not in a line like most horseback rides) and even stopped halfway to make a campfire and drink hot chocolate! My girls (4 1/2 and 6) loved being able to ride their own horses! Our guides (Elin and Carol) were incredible too and were so good with our kids! My husband and I have gone horseback riding several times and we've never had this kind of experience! It was awesome and we highly recommend!!

My experience with Music Meadows was fantastic! From the very beginning the hospitality made us feel very at home. Rich was very friendly and eager to assist us with anything we needed. Kirsten did a wonderful job helping us with the horses and showing us around. The camp fire was really fun and we loved being so close to nature. The horses were so well behaved and healthy. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to see beautiful Colorado with some amazing people and ride some extremely well behaved horses. Thank you again :)

My daughter and I booked the ride and lunch with Madeline and had an amazing time. There was another mom and daughter on our trip so it was a really great bonding experience. Madeline is a patient teacher who clearly explained how to properly handle, brush and saddle our horses. She gave us thorough instructions on how to ride and direct our horses when to stop and when to go. The ride through the open meadow was amazing with the mountains as our back drop. We could ride at the pace we felt most comfortable. We enjoyed an amazing lunch that Madeline prepared for us on a campfire. Kudos to the chef back at the ranch. Her barbecue sauce was yummy! Madeline has such a love of horses and easily passed that on to us. This is the best horse riding experience we have ever had!! I can not wait to go back.

I treated myself and my sister-in-law to a ride for our birthdays. We had a FANTASTIC time! Although we are both horse nuts, we had not been riding for some time. We appreciated Elin's reviewing the basics of horse safety, grooming, saddling up and riding before we went out for our ride. The ride itself was delightful, and it took us out on the range as well as through an aspen grove and onto a mountain top. I enjoyed being able to practice riding. Elin encouraged us not to ride in a line and allowed us to ride faster than a walk if we wanted. She is an excellent riding coach. I definitely got my money's worth and had a wonderful morning in the saddle and at the ranch, where we were able to watch Elin do some training with a couple of horses. I can't wait until I have a chance to ride again at Music Meadows!!

We had an AMAZING time on the ranch! The views were spectacular, the horses were such a delight to ride, and everyone, especially the owner Elin, was so warm & friendly. They took the time to chat, share stories about ranch living and working, and even show us how they tend to sick cattle. The ranch house was welcoming, beautiful, and well stocked with cooking & toiletry supplies, & the beef that we purchased was delicious. My kids (son age 10 & daughter age 6) loved waking up with horses outside their window, being able to ride close to & learn about the cattle, and getting to know the horses by name. I loved soaking up the majestic beauty of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, being able to ride & trot side-by-side through the meadows, and just relax in the hammock. The close proximity to the high peaks enabled my husband to hike a nearby 14er (Mt. Humboldt) while we enjoyed the horses below, so things worked out perfectly for our family.We stayed for just one weekend & wished it was longer. My daughter loved being with the horses so much that she cried when we left! We highly recommend Music Meadows and will definitely return for another wonderful time. Thank you, Elin, Ellen, Rhoda, & Brittany!