So I went horseback riding for the 1st time.

[HotelMinion]

And I'm never going again.
The owner of the ranch knew that I was a beginner. But she still let me make a fool of myself!
First of all, she let me go around without supervision. I went from a little nervous to petrified.
Then she gave me a horse that wasn't tamed. At all. WTH?
Then she wouldn't turn on all the lights on so we rode around in the dark. Uhhh...
Then I tried to dismount, but I got stuck. I couldn't throw my leg off and if I tried to move forward, I would've slipped off the horse and broken my neck. Her response? "Hurry up, you HAVE to get off! Get of NOW!"
I'm trying to, biotch!
So then I got a huge rip in my pants from it catching on something the saddle. I didn't notice at first, wondering why everyone was looking at me weird.
The owner laughs and takes a picture! When I got back to my car, I realized and I was so embarrassed! I wanted to go back and tell her off, but instead I just drove out of there like a hellbat.
Never again. Just saying.
Well it least I didn't fall and break my leg like this other lady did there...:\

[KuariKaydrith]

That is so sad I wish your first experience had been with somebody who wasn't a miserable bitch like that ranch owner. It was like she was purposely setting you up to fail and definitely not using any ounce of patience with you as a new rider.

[Sliceanddice]

wow in the world of yelp that bad of a owner serving the public is still possible?

[XCashier]

wow in the world of yelp that bad of a owner serving the public is still possible?

Definitely leave reviews of your experience on every review site out there. That was terrible.

Please don't let one bad experience dissuade you from trying again, with someone else who hopefully isn't such an asshole.

[notalwaysright]

Then she gave me a horse that wasn't tamed. At all. WTH?
Then she wouldn't turn on all the lights on so we rode around in the dark. Uhhh...
Then I tried to dismount, but I got stuck. I couldn't throw my leg off and if I tried to move forward, I would've slipped off the horse and broken my neck. Her response? "Hurry up, you HAVE to get off! Get of NOW!"

Huge safety issues! When I was little I took lessons, and the horses were the most docile creatures ever. Yet, for a while you couldn't clean their back hooves due to risk of kicking, (the place I took lessons from made all the kids clean out stalls, learn to groom the horse, put on tack, etc) you used a mounting block, and I shouldn't have to say this, but there was always light. I miss being around horses. So much nicer than people.

[HotelMinion]

Yeah looking back I think she kept them in their stalls for too long and that's why they were acting crazy. Poor horses. I still think they are beautiful but only free to roam. We humans have taken too much of their habitat well that's my opinion anyway.
I thought that since they let kids do this, it would be ok but it's a lot harder than it looks... And yeah I left a comment on Yelp and checked out the other comments and they had a pretty good score so? Maybe my in experience she was having a bad day or something. At least her stable hand was nice

[LoTech]

I don't understand how you can get stuck on a horse. The more usual problem is getting tossed off because you've annoyed the horse in some way; just trying to sit on the horse is enough to start the horse bucking if it is completely untamed.
It sounds like the list of mistakes that you made is long and varied: why on earth would you attempt to ride for your very first time after dark?
I'm sorry that the women that you dealt with didn't take the time to educate you about what to expect from the horse and what the horse expects from you. I think you could have had a much better experience if you'd have been able to start with more knowledge. I almost suspect that she may have kept you ignorant with the explicit purpose of making your experience bad enough that you would never come back.
TLDR; It sounds like the owner was trying to get rid of you.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Are you sure the woman you dealt with was the actual owner? We've all seen stories here where some employee with delusions of grandeur calls themselves a manager or owner when they aren't.

Not excusing her treatment of you, god no. That was inexcusable. Just thinking allowed that maybe there is more we aren't aware of.

[Seanette]

Physically endangering you should have involved law enforcement (rookie rider on hard-to-control horse in the dark? How in the #$@% could anyone with an IQ above room temp think that would NOT get someone seriously hurt? Trying to spook said horse by screaming at you right next to same while you were attached, REALLY bad idea).

I'm also now, thinking about this, very worried about the safety of the horses. She's endangering customers, she wouldn't see the horses as anything other than equipment and I really doubt she cares any more for their safety and welfare than she does for the humans paying her.

[AccountingDrone]

I am so sorry, I wish I still had my horses, they were both hand raised and very gentle. [believe me, I raised them myself from birth, they were both born in the training stable I used.]

I wish you would reconsider and try again sometime, with a reputable stable.

[redsox33413]

Don't go back there, but PLEASE definitely try again... What county/state are you in, Hotel Minion? Some areas have local "horsemen" Facebook pages where you can get the "inside scoop" on local barns and lessons. Beginners need "bulletproof"/old fart horses that don't spook and have daily free roam time. Horses all have bad days (like people), and any owner or handler should have tested the horse BEFORE the lesson to ensure it was ok to ride that day. Now, I will say some horse people are a little "weird", but to mock you, hurry you and then take a picture is completely inappropriate. Next time you go (elsewhere of course), tell them the bad experience you had last time and let them know you are a beginner and want to learn, not just sit on a horse and get yelled at. They'll be firm with their direction, but explain WHY they are telling you what to do and when.