Bill J.
Yelp
We've taken trail rides a couple times over the last few years, and have never been disappointed with this outfit. It's a very professionally run operation, always kept neat and clean and with horses that are obviously well cared for. You won't find worn out tack or sour horses here, and certainly not sour guides.
On both occasions the last two years, we've taken a private one-hour ride with Emma, who was an absolute pleasure to ride with. She's patient, engaging, makes great conversation and took excellent care of us both times, as well as snapping some great photos for us during the ride.
The trail ride itself is pretty much what you'd expect in North Scottsdale, i.e., desert scrub and mostly flat riding. There's a few spots where you go slightly uphill or downhill, but nothing that should worry even a novice rider. We were fortunate enough to see some lounging coyotes on our rides and some rabbits, but it was mostly uneventful (in a good way). If you're looking for more challenging terrain or more variety in the scenery, this isn't the best choice, but if you're after a pleasant, calm ride through the desert on very reliable and well trained horses, you will not be disappointed.
The operation here is pretty smoothly run, but there's a couple things I would offer some feedback on. Nothing I would deduct a star for, but just minor things that would have made the experience better. Firstly, the assistants (-not- the guides) who help get you saddled up, could be friendlier. Explaining to someone how to hold the reins should not make you feel like you're being talked down to like a child. Secondly, maybe more important, on both trips the stirrup length was incorrectly set by the assistants. One time they were far too long, and the other time they were far too short. I'm a normally proportioned human being, not an NBA player or midget, so why it was that difficult to get correct stirrup length both times is a mystery to me. Again, these are minor quibbles of mine, and I'm not deducting a star for either of them.
There are some pretty questionable places to trail ride in the Valley, but MacDonald's is not one of them. I would rank them as the absolute best and the gold standard, from the standpoint of the quality of the facilities, the friendliness and charisma of the guides and the quality of the horses and their tack. I very highly recommend ponying up (pun intended) for the private rides, as opposed to group outings. This way you'll get your guides' undivided attention and be able to enjoy the ride and stop more frequently for pics or to appreciate the scenery.
