blue sky sage horseback riding adventures

I enjoyed a week in September with blue sky and have promised myself that every year I can afford it I am going! You need to be a certain type of person to do this, it's all about the horses and riding, and learning, and eating, and laughing, with great people in great country!The horses are very well cared for and managed - a real credit to the team, what they don't know about horses I don't think is worth knowing. I travelled alone to do this, and felt safe and spoiled, memories and friends to last a lifetime. The riding was fantastic, I came back with a new perspective, and a better horsewoman. Mike and Bobbi, Amy and Clara all work hard and have a really well organised camp - the food is soooooooo good.

Why just 3 stars?My expectation was to ride on a wide open space at all basic four gaits (walk, trot, canter and gallop).But we did just almost walk. Out of 5 days riding, 1 day we did some trot and canter.If you look for a riding vacation at walking gait, that can be the right one. If you want more like I, that's probably not the right place.

This week was the best vacation ever. Bobbi and Mike are wonderful, friendly and warm people, they are very experienced in organizing camps and made it perfect for us.The Tipis were spacious, surrounded by wild flowers and it was wonderfully quiet and peaceful. They have camping beds and foam mattresses, I slept like a baby.Like others already said: all the horses are well broke and lots of fun to ride. Bobbi and Mike do a great job in matching horses and riders, I still can't decide which of the three horses I rode I loved most. And the scenery .. just look at the pictures!Clara was our wonderful cook, the food was not only very tasty and diverse, but quite healthy as well. And it's such a relaxing thing to come home from a long ride and to be provided with an Aperitif, closely followed by a delicious dinner. It was fun to hang around the camp fire with everybody after dinner and tell and listen to camp stories (and songs!). There is really nothing left that could have been better in my eyes.Thanks a lot, Bobbi, Mike, and Clara!

Ventured completely outside my comfort zone, and I couldn't be happier about it. I started riding just 7 months before booking the vacation, and knew that the best way to improve was extended time in the saddle. Blue sky sage gives you that...and so much morethe maximum riders per vacation is only 6, so you are assured individualized attention. You are riding through the open land of Wyoming. Guiding your horse up mountains, down mountains, across streams... There's no such thing as a trail... You're walking, trotting, and loping (not mandatory) through the widest and most beautiful horizons you can imagine. the horses are very well cared for, and you will be well matched to your horse. No bucking broncos here. Accommodations? It's what I like to call upscale camping. Hopefully you'll have a cook as wonderful and as fun as I did. Julie, I miss you. My favorite? Hors d'oeuvres after every ride. Warm water in the shower tents and (reasonably) spacious tents that I didn't have to assemble!Mike and Bobbie make every effort to provide the most productive, memorable, and fun experience they can... While making sure you're safe and well educated at every turn. There are so many reasons that booking a riding vacation here is the right thing to do. (did I mention swimming in the "crick" to cool off ? Staring at the stars?)

I completed my 7th trip out to Wyoming with BSS this year. The first year I took a chance and went by myself. My husband didn't ride (he's taking lessons now) and I had always wanted to do some kind of camping trip with horses. The trip was great and has gotten better every year. I was concerned about being out in a remote location and not knowing any of the other people on the trip. Not a problem. As someone else said, you're with like-minded people who love the outdoors and horses. I've been with some of the same people I met that first year on every trip. There is always LOTS to talk about, and if you ever need some down time, you can read or nap in your tent. Not that we’re in camp a whole lot. I always describe the trip as: eat, ride, eat, and sleep.My trip this year was in Sept., and the colors were magnificent. But I have also been out in June, July, and August. There is no bad time to go. June has the wild flowers. In June and July the days are really long - sunsets last forever, July and Aug are warm and dry. In Sept, the nights are cooler but it still warms up nicely during the day. And the colors are beautiful.This was the second year that I've ridden out to see the wild horses. We saw three bands of horses the day we went out. It really like was being in a movie, between the scenery and the horses. The other days are spent riding in a different direction every day. The terrain varies between forest, hills, and open meadows. We ride cross-country and on jeep / ATV trails. Some tips if you go...The packing list on the website is really good. I print it off every year and use it as a checklist. Don't worry about not having the “right” riding clothes - we have people in our group in jeans and in breeches. Just make sure you'll be comfortable riding for hours in your clothes and boots. If you have questions, call or email Bobbi and Mike. Plans for the future - I'm signed up for 2013. I've planted a bug in my husband's ear that we may go on one of the couples' trips someday. But that would be in addition to my week trip!

This was also my 3rd year with Blue Sky Sage, and my mind was made up to book for 2013 long before the week was over. My first trip was booked as a surprise birthday present by my husband, and I don't think he ever could have imagined just how much pleasure it would give me. I went on my own and was initially a little apprehensive but the trip was fantastic and the people, horses, hospitality and food were wonderful.For my 2nd trip Bobbi did a little "matchmaking" and suggested that I join a group of repeat guests, and I now feel that I have new friends for life.(Thank you Bobbi) I have been fortunate to travel a lot, staying in many luxurious and exotic places, but I can honestly say that the Blue Sky Sage trip is the highlight. The trips really are unique. My concerns before my first trip were that I wouldn't fit in with the rest of the group, the camping would be a little too "basic", it would feel too remote without any cell phone/ internet/Facebook! How wrong I was. I'm starting to realize that people who seriously love horses, riding and the great outdoors are usually very like minded and mix well. Also Bobbi seems to have a great talent for putting groups together. This is a fabulous opportunity to make new friends.The camping and lack of phone/Internet are actually one of the highlights. Going to sleep and waking up at the side of the Little Sandy whilst listening to the river just cannot be replicated. The tepees are spacious, warm (and very bug free) .. And I had my best nights sleep ever.There is a shower tent but we all had so much fun chatting, drinking wine, and reminiscing at the end of the day, whilst bathing in the river, that it was rarely used.The horses are a real pleasure to ride. fit, responsive, and fun. Everyone on our ride was very experienced, and almost all owned their own horses. The riding was often fast, lots of loping and certainly never nose to tail ! I had so much fun I almost bought the horse that I was riding!!! Our ride was in September, and the trees were stunning .... No other word for it ... Just stunning ! I love photography and found it difficult to put my camera down. With all the riding that we did I hoped to lose a pound or two... Not a hope! The food was delicious and plentiful! There wasn't a single meal that I didn't want to overindulge in! If you are an experienced rider, fit, and looking for a little adventure and a break from a hectic busy life then I couldn't recommend Blue Sky Sage enough. Finally I was also with BSS the year that the camp had to be relocated. It was beyond anyone's control, and the camp, horses, riding, food, people were still better than I imagine you would find anywhere else.

This year was my 3rd year with Blue Sky Sage and I have already signed up for 2013. I initially went on my own to BSS and joined a group of 5 other experienced riders unknown to me, that Bobbi, (the owner), thought would be a great fit. She was 100% correct and all three years have been amazing weeks of riding with the same amazing women who I am happy to say have become very good friends!Bobbi and Mike cater to your riding abilities so it is a great experience for everyone and they have beautiful, responsive horses fit for all riders. There is no nose to tail riding here. For the experienced rider the loping can be unlimited...... Camp truly is camping. You sleep in your own teepee by the Little Sandy. There is a shower teepee as well as toilet teepees, and a dining tent with a wood stove. The food is delicious, from hearty breakfast, to hor'deurves at cocktail hour and sumptuous dinners. You will never go hungry. Evenings are spent around the campfire often with Bobbi playing guitar. This is the place to go if you want to get it away from it all.... No cell service, no internet, no electricity, just wonderful scenery, amazing horses and wonderful owners who make certain you are enjoying every minute of your vacation.I own my own horses, and yet, this year will be my 4th year riding with Blue Sky Sage. It's just that good....... And in response to the one negative review, I also was with BSS that year, and while it was an unfortunate change in location due to the severe winter and the inability to access camp on the Little Sandy, it was still outstanding and did not prevent me from returning again. It really is what you make of it..... regardless of where camp is located.

Just returned from my 3rd trip with Blue Sky Sage-- Mike and Bobbi never disappoint! I started with them in 2010 for the Wild Mustang Adventure, returned in 2011 to camp at the ranch, and this year back to the Little Sandy for another great week of amazing horses, food, scenery, and people. I see that another reviewer was disappointed by the camping situation in 2011-- I find that judgment to be excessively harsh. It is hardly Mike and Bobbi's fault that a mild winter and extensive flooding prevented them from accessing the usual campsite. I felt they did everything in their power to make our stay at the ranch just as fun and relaxing as ever. We played with the puppies and practiced roping "Skimpy" and still saw plenty of the amazing vistas of the wide-open West, and swapped tales around the campfire with a beer or three before bedding down in our tipis. Did we miss the creek? Sure, but we weren't going to let that stop us from having a wonderful time. Like so many things in life, people are going to get out of this experience in direct proportion to what they put into it. The fact that I'm ready to put down my deposit for trip #4 ought to say a little something about how much I've loved my adventures with Blue Sky Sage, no matter where we end up.

My wife and I spent a fantastic and memorable week at Blue Sky Sage in July 2011. We have horses and actively ride dressage and go on the occasional trail ride, but had never ridden in the West. We had been planning on something like this for many years, and finally for our 50th birthdays we decided to go for it. We found BSS after a lot of research, and we picked them because they asked the best and most pertinent questions about our riding abilities, stamina, fitness, etc. It convinced us that they care about their horses and their guests.BSS had advised us ahead of time that they could not use their planned campsite, as they had had too much snow and couldn’t get there in time to set up. We stayed at the ranch, in teepees and tents. As the ranch is outside of town, in the middle of the sage brush, it didn’t make that much of a difference.We rode every day for between four and six hours. The country side was great – the views are grand. Most of the time we started right at the ranch; twice we went on mustang rides, which requires taking the trailer to get within riding distance. Bobby and Linda got us very close to the mustangs twice, hobbling most of the riding horses, and then sneaking up so we could get close enough for some great pictures. It was a unique experience.After a long day’s riding, Tia (the cook) always had some great food ready. Sometimes she even prepared an afternoon snack, so we would not riot and storm the kitchen before dinner. As we had not done this before, my wife and I had brought lots of munchies, jerky, etc – however at the end of the trip we put all of it into the Bobby’s stash.Overall, this was great, and we are already signed up for the Fall of 2013.

First of all, I would like to say that the owners, Bobbi and Mike Wade are wonderful people and I enjoyed their company BUT their website was not representative of this season's experience. I was not happy with my BSS experience. Let me quote the web site in regards to accommodations - "wilderness sanctuary"; "the soothing melody of running water" and "the special campsite along the Little Sandy River". My experience at BSS was none of the above in regards to accomodations. We arrived and were dumped off in the Wade's gravel backyard. I wanted to leave as soon as I arrived. Our teepee's were set up in dusty sage brush outside the Wade's home looking out onto the gas wells that are all too common in this part of Wyoming. I knew this is how we were being accommodated but it just seemed a little weird to see the Wades trot off into their home with electricity, running water, toilets and hot showers. Only once we confronted the Wades that first evening did they admit that the campsite was changed (their web site states that they have the right to change the site) due to the harsh Wyoming winter making the roads to the usual camp impassable. BUT, I feel that we should have been informed about this important change and given the option to continue with our plans or wait until the following year when they would hopefully be at their original camp. I didn't come all the way to WY from NY to camp in someone's backyard!The web site describes the cuisine on this trip as "various dutch oven meals" "grass fed buffalo" and "wild Alaskan salmon" prepared by our CAMP CHEFS....no camp chefs on this trip because in Bobbi Wades words "There's only four of you, so I'll be doing the cooking." We paid for a chef - no chef. In fact, for $300 a day, I expected a chef and good food because that's what the web site said. The food was mediocre at best - we had multiple frozen foods - such as blueberries and blackberries for breakfast (how much thought does it take to make sure the fruit is taken out of the freezer ahead of time to thaw?); frozen honey butter for toast - again, take it out ahead of time!; and the best was frozen chicken legs served as lunch after a wild horse trail ride - they were inedible - I threw mine in the sage brush. Bobbi Wade made it no secret that she served lots of frozen prepared foods from Cosco's - again, this isn't what the web site described.On the plus side, as I've said the Wades are delightful people who love the great outdoors and their horses. They are very knowledgable horsemen and their horses are rock solid, bomb proof. We had some lovely rides - especially the ride looking for the wild horse herds. One morning as it looked like rain, Mike Wade gave us an informative demo of how he starts a horse in hobbles. We ended up leaving Blue Sky Sage a few days early because as a group, the four of us were disappointed with our Blue Sky Sage Adventure and we wanted to salvage the time we had left in Wyoming by going to Jackson Hole where we rafted down the Snake River, took the tram up Rendezvous Mt and spent a day in Yellowstone Park on a great tour. I think if we had gone to the original campsite we would have had a better time, but not being given that option made the whole trip seem underhanded.This was an expensive trip that did not live up to the expectations that were listed on the web site.