Giddy Up Ranch

We had this company at our company picnic. Not only were they rude, but they we’re actually making some children step on a scale. One little girl was told she was too heavy, which she clearly isn’t, and she ran off crying. I confronted the owner, who was extremely rude and didn’t care at all. I told her she was a bully and should be ashamed of herself. Terrible company… look elsewhere!!!

I really wish that I could write a good review about Giddy Up Ranch, but after two unprofessional and inappropriate interactions with this company, I just can’t. Our first interaction with GUR was at the Girl Scout Day at Bass Pro Shops in Rancho Cucamonga. Most of the Pro Shop activities filled up within minutes of the event opening, so there wasn’t a lot for the girls to do. Even though the temperatures outside were pretty high, our daughter decided to ride the camels that GUR had there. The camel ride/​pony ride area was chaos, and not at all organized well. I asked the gentleman by the ponies where the line was for the camels. He wasn’t really sure and said, «Somewhere over in that area,» and pointed. I noticed that the children in line for the ponies all have papers, so I asked what that was. The same man told me that they were the liability releases for the pony ride. When I asked if we needed one for the camel, he said, «no.» We walked over to where he pointed, and with some polite discussions with other parents, we figured out the general area that we needed to be in for the camel rides. Once it was our daughter’s turn, the woman asked where her ticket and release was. The questions were presented rudely and abruptly. When my daughter said that she didn’t have a ticket or a release the same woman started yelling at our daughter for trying to sneak in. What the heck? I quickly walked up and told the woman that we had asked the guy at the ponies where to get in line, and about the releases. I also stated that we didn’t see any place to buy a ticket (everything else at the event, with the exception of food and retail purchases, was included), and that the man said that we didn’t need a release for the camel. The woman began yelling at me for lying. I calmly told the woman that I understood that it was hot out, but that there was no need to yell at me, or my child, and that if things were a bit more organized and clear, that it would likely run more smoothly for everyone involved, including her. She just went off on me again. I wanted so much to just leave, but my daughter was very intrigued with the experience of riding a camel, and it wasn’t her fault that this woman was being so obnoxious. So we got a ticket, quickly signed their form, and handed them to the woman — who then tried to send my daughter to the back of the line. That is when I got more firm with her, but still polite, and told her that my daughter had already stood in line once, and also patiently waiting while I found the guy wandering around selling tickets. My daughter enjoyed her camel ride, but this woman, who gave the impression of being the owner, was beyond unprofessional.
Sadly, this wasn’t our only run in with GUR. We attended our company «family day,» and there again was GUR. The woman running the pony rides was the same woman that we had had the run in with at the Girl Scout event. We were going to do the pony rides, but while we were in line we noticed that this woman was telling some children that they were too heavy to ride the ponies and that they have a 65 pound maximum. First, every other pony ride I have ever been to, including Griffith Park, has a 100 pound maximum, and if her ponies can only handle 65 pounds, than are the healthy enough to be there in the first place? Second, and more importantly, the manner in which she was speaking to these children was again, rude and unprofessional. This time, it had the potential of being damaging as well. Children, especially young girls, are growing up in an era where there are huge expectations on what is beautiful and what is «fat.» From the look on the face of the young girl (maybe 6 – 7 years old) she sent away while we were in line, this girl was devastated. I am sorry, but you don’t tell ANY young child, that they are, essentially, too fat/​heavy (especially when in any normal case they aren’t). This young girl was by no means «heavy» and likely the ponies, if indeed healthy, would have had NO problem carrying her. We, and several of the other people in line who saw this happen, got out of line and went to do other things.
It is simple — GUR just isn’t good for children. Until they, especially this one woman, learns how to be professional, and how to properly interact with children, they best find something else to do with their animals. Events where there are children just should simply avoid this company.

One of my horse obsessed 7 year old Girl Scouts cried herself to sleep last night after being told by these people that she weighed too much to ride a pony.
Helpful tip to GiddyUp: if you are offering services to children learn how to talk to children and bring animals that are kid friendly. Pony rides should be able to handle a 65 pound kid and if they can’t then tell them the horse is too small NOT that they are too heavy!
SHAME ON YOU!