Uncle Buck's Riding Stable
Uncle Buck's Riding Stable
4.5
About
We are a family owned business providing horseback trail rides through the Zaleski State Forest in the Hocking Hills/ Athens area. Our restaurant, The Lady Buck Saloon, is onsite and provides barbecue and drinks. We have live music sorting through fall. Please check our website for restaurant hours, live music schedule, and to schedule your trail ride!
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- Sarah Z7 contributionsAn amazing, family ride!We went in early October, and it was so amazing! We went as a family of 4 and we each rode excellent horses. Chunk, Rogue, Night and Freya were our horses. Our tour guide was very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend Uncle Buck’s and it was a great family experience!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 8, 2023
- Christine S1 contributionNew ExperienceThis was my first time horseback riding as an adult and it was a wonderful experience! Our guide was wonderful and fun, making the experience all the better, despite it being a bit cold out! We will return and recommend them to anyone who hasn't ridden before or is just looking to try something new and different!Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 24, 2024
- Jet2518061 contributionCoal Bucket Trail RideWe had a great 1 hr ride with our family, kids ages 10 and 15. One hour was the perfect introduction to horseback riding for my youngest, even though he was begging for more time. The horses were so well trained and our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend going here and we will definitely be back for another ride in the future.Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 8, 2024
- Lisa MSaint Clair Shores, Michigan53 contributionsTrail Riding at its Best!My husband and I had the best day riding Strider and Cimarron for 2 1/2 hrs on trails that went down hills and up hills. Through mud holes and seeing Moonville Tunnel was pretty awesome. Riding over foot bridges made a memorable experience. Our guide explained everything real well. I am beginner rider and felt very comfortable until 2 hours mark then my body was starting to feel sore. But I enjoy every minute. Highly recommended Thanks to everyone at Uncle Bucks for explaining and helping me with horse back riding!Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 30, 2024
- Dunia A5 contributionsGreat experienceWe spent Labor Day weekend at Uncle Buck’s and it was so fun! Our tour guide was super friendly and made everyone feel right at home. They really went above and beyond to make sure my 10-year-old felt at ease, even giving her the inside scoop that her horse had lived there forever—no chance of getting lost, phew! We did the one-hour tour. If you’re looking for a fantastic family adventure, Uncle Buck’s is the place to be! Highly recommend for a fun-filled day on horsebackVisited September 2024Traveled with familyWritten September 3, 2024
- LivingTheDream108Lithopolis, Ohio352 contributionsGreat trail rideMy husband booked the two hour Moonville trail ride for my birthday. The horses were saddled and ready to go. We were greeted by Cassidy at the office to fill out waivers. She told us about upcoming events taking place in the dance barn. Jen was our trail guide, and she explained some historical or geographical facts about the area during our ride. There was also plenty of peaceful riding time. Our horses were Strider and Knight. The trail was hilly and challenging; the horses well behaved. This was my second time riding here. The last time was 15 years ago. Our ride today was as equally awesome as my ride years ago.Visited September 2024Traveled with familyWritten September 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
90 reviews
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Lana S
Sylvania, OH1 contribution
Jul 2020
I will never go back to Uncle Buck's again, and would not recommend it to anyone. Our experience started off great, but then the reckless haste of one of the guides put my young, inexperienced nephew in danger. Instead of waiting until the other guide was in place at the end of the line, she took off leading the group and thoughtlessly left my 8yo new rider at the end of the line by himself. She proceeded to lead the tour down the hill, but his horse (thankfully) stopped. She didn't turn around, didn't look back, didn't care about what was going on behind her. She finally turned around and started yelling at me (a highly experienced rider) to loosen up on the reins without even knowing why I was desperately trying to do everything in my power to get my horse back up that hill. Finally, another person from the stables came along and grabbed the horse's halter and held him there until the second guide showed up. This could have ended a lot differently, and I'm thankful that he wasn't hurt. But, it also could have been a great experience if it weren't for the staff member who just didn't care. My little guy was a bit freaked out and I don't know if he'll ever want to ride again, and that is the true tragedy. I called and shared my experience with someone who identified herself as a member of the family who owns the stables, but her indifference and impatience only mirrored my experience at the ranch. Seems Uncle Buck's just doesn't care, shame on them!
Written July 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Megan K
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Friends
There was absolutely zero briefing before The ride began. I was with 3 other women and we chose the 2 hour ride. As soon as we started one of the horses bit the horses hind end in front of him several times causing a startle. The guide said it was a sibling thing and disregarded it. You would think they would not place horses who did not like one another right beside each other on a long trail ride. We went through the woods through super steep hills both upward and downward. Hit every branch and tree on the way through. Horses struggled through muddy spots and at one point mine was completely on his front knees. One horse took off up through the trees on his own completely leaving the others. The horse my cousin was on (literally her first time on a horse) kept stopping to eat and refusing to walk. She kept trying to urinate- this was relayed to the guide and her response was she would see if her boss wanted to call the vet. Lol WHAT?! My sister in law is an experienced rider and she was terrified.. at one point I looked back and my cousin was crying. This was not okay. There was no guide in the back. The ride was so scary, not relaxing at all. It was very tedious and stressful trying to get the horses to cooperate. This place is in no way suitable for beginners and I would never recommend to anyone!
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Candace G
Newport, KY1 contribution
May 2021
Literally the worst experience. Filled out the paperwork prior to riding and marked the box indicating I was a beginner rider. I've never ridden before but there wasn't a box to mark that. When we arrived we waited in the big barn and I had some green beans and a diet coke and the lady who checked us in was quite nice. Unfortunately, she seemed to be the only adult on the premises.
The 2 teenage girls running the riding portion were just that, two teenage girls. Anyway, they asked our group if anyone was scared. I said yes because I genuinely was… I’ve never ridden before and horses kind of scare me, tbh. They loaded me and my boyfriend up first and gave us 0 directions or instructions. Simply left us sitting on these horses while everyone else loaded up. Next thing we knew, we were moving. I’m not sure if they did this on purpose or what but they seemed to have given me the most ornery horse available.
My horse would not listen to anything, kept stopping, eating, and not really following the group. I kept telling the guide that I was scared and I wasn’t comfortable but no one seemed to care. When we got back the other teenage guide asked how I liked it and I said I did not like it at all and I was quite frightened the entire time. She proceeded to gaslight me saying, “well it is an animal.” Whatever that is supposed to mean.
You do you but I would never in a million years recommend this place UNLESS you are going for the green beans.
The 2 teenage girls running the riding portion were just that, two teenage girls. Anyway, they asked our group if anyone was scared. I said yes because I genuinely was… I’ve never ridden before and horses kind of scare me, tbh. They loaded me and my boyfriend up first and gave us 0 directions or instructions. Simply left us sitting on these horses while everyone else loaded up. Next thing we knew, we were moving. I’m not sure if they did this on purpose or what but they seemed to have given me the most ornery horse available.
My horse would not listen to anything, kept stopping, eating, and not really following the group. I kept telling the guide that I was scared and I wasn’t comfortable but no one seemed to care. When we got back the other teenage guide asked how I liked it and I said I did not like it at all and I was quite frightened the entire time. She proceeded to gaslight me saying, “well it is an animal.” Whatever that is supposed to mean.
You do you but I would never in a million years recommend this place UNLESS you are going for the green beans.
Written June 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sondra O
Bentonville, AR27 contributions
Jun 2023
We usually try to book a horse ride once a year when we travel with our kids. We have done several rides over the years in different states. This one was definitely a unique and more authentic ride. The ride to Moonville Tunnel takes you through the state forest. They apparently had lots for rain in the week prior. There were lots of mud puddles, slick spots along the trail, and downed tree limbs. I was really worried that the horses were going to get injured slipping and sliding up and down the hills. Some of the muddy areas were really deep. My daughters horse bottomed out in one puddles and had to buck out. It was more than a little scary but my daughter handled it well all things considered. The downed trees required us to go through thick brush areas. I would suggest that someone ride the trails BEFORE they take a group out to cleanup and assess the trail. My husband and son loved the ride because it was like ATV off roading but on horse back. My daughter and I weren't impressed. We had 2 adults and a 15 and 17 year old. They don't offer or require helmets and considering the terrain they needed it more than any other place we've ridden. I would NOT recommend this to beginners, younger kids or older adults.
Written July 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RAO
93 contributions
Jul 2020
We will NEVER go back and would NOT recommend this riding stable to anyone. First off the trail is NOT for anyone that is not an EXPERIENCED rider, the trail is rough throughout the entire ride, trees are not cut back and at times we were riding the horses through brush, bushes and trees due to the trail being so muddy and cutting through other areas but even the main trail is not well kept as it should be. Then due to the haste of a staff member one of our 12 year old's saddles slid off to the side causing him to fall to the ground on his back, my husband and I both are EXPERIENCED riders and it was beyond obvious that the girth that holds the saddle to the horse was NOT tightened properly. The guide had to be yelled at as she was clueless that someone had fell off a horse and then when she came back she was clearly annoyed - mind you the 12 year old was scared to death. The only saving grace was that even the the saddle was literally hanging off the side of the horse the horse never spooked and ran but stood there quietly. This place used to be amazing and we have been there before but now it is unkempt/neglected and the staff are just not up to par or at least the staff that were there that day. My recommendation - find another stable!!!!!
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate W
63 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
The people at Uncle Buck's are friendly, the horses are well behaved, and the trail ride was uneventful. All in all, a good experience.
My husband and I grew up around horses and do horseback riding whenever we have a chance on vacations. The Coal Bucket Trail was one of the more boring rides we've been on, as far as scenery, since you're just walking in the woods.
These horses were more calm (granted, it was a hot morning) than some other stables we've tried, which is a plus. They knew the trail well and were tolerant of the horse flies (especially with the extra fly gear they had on). We went up and down a few steep inclines and they were very sure footed.
Other reviews mentioned guides who gave information as they rode or interacted with guests. Ours told us what forest we were riding in and then did not talk for the rest of the ride, other than to coach us a few times as we went around obstacles.
My husband and I grew up around horses and do horseback riding whenever we have a chance on vacations. The Coal Bucket Trail was one of the more boring rides we've been on, as far as scenery, since you're just walking in the woods.
These horses were more calm (granted, it was a hot morning) than some other stables we've tried, which is a plus. They knew the trail well and were tolerant of the horse flies (especially with the extra fly gear they had on). We went up and down a few steep inclines and they were very sure footed.
Other reviews mentioned guides who gave information as they rode or interacted with guests. Ours told us what forest we were riding in and then did not talk for the rest of the ride, other than to coach us a few times as we went around obstacles.
Written August 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary S
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Our family thoroughly enjoyed our ride. Several of us had never ridden a horse before, including two 10 year olds. Uncle Bucks staff knew their stuff and matched us with the perfect horses. Out of the 8 of us the last two horses were the youngest and the slowest but our guide always stopped to make sure they caught up. While on the trail we learned that several of their horses are rescues. They did an awesome job and I would highly recommend booking a trail ride!!!!
Written August 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Casey S
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
I absolutely love this place. I have been twice with kids. The guides Bailey and I believe the other one is Danielle have both been my guide. They are amazing and give such good history stories about the trails we rode. Danielle even brought her dog tick who is very friendly and awesome. The whole process of reservations is easy and check in process is easy as well. Just make sure you arrive 15 min early as this business values everyone’s time and will not wait when the time comes to hit the trails. I absolutely love that about this place too. The horses are treated with much respect and the stables and farm are very clean.
Written August 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiffany B
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
This experience was excellent. This was our daughters first time riding a horse and she was very nervous. They made her feel at ease and gave her the horse (Rapp) that was very good with kids. She had the best time! The trails were not boring whatsoever! We did the 1 hour trail ride and every bit of it was exciting.
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie H
1 contribution
Sep 2021 • Couples
My husband and I had a great time on the one hour trail. The horses were very well trained and the guide helped out when the horses wanted to to sneak a snack. The trail was very nice and peaceful. Will definitely come back to ride and bring our daughters. Great experience for all ages and reasonably priced!
Written September 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Even under the weight limit, do they weigh you before allowing you to ride? Some in our group have had issues pertaining to their weight and mental health issues that can make stepping on a scale hard.
Written June 8, 2024
I would recommend anything not open-toe. Tennis shoes or boots would probably be best. The grounds around the barn were a little muddy, and you need to be able to put your foot in the stir-ups; which is why I wouldn't recommend flip-flops or anything that could potentially slide off.
Written March 16, 2016
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