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Here's a deluxe western dude ranch where preschoolers are taken seriously and horseback riding is open to all ages and abilities.

As I glanced around at the striking desert landscape from the back of my palomino horse, it was easy to understand why European families especially love this ranch.  It’s the quintessential American southwest – the lonely desert landscape dotted with cacti of all shapes and sizes, the cowboys and cowgirls in their chaps and boots, the paddocks filled with spirited horses, and the vast open sky.  It’s the American west of movies and novels, perfect for a dude ranch family vacation.

A stay at Tanque Verde lets you enjoy that frozen-in-time western fantasy, whether you’re a child or an adult.  If you’re serious, you can master the art of western riding at one of the best riding instructions programs I’ve seen at any dude ranch in North America.  Or, you can opt for a couple of simple slow trail rides and spend the rest of your time hiking, mountain biking, playing tennis, swimming, or simply settling down with a good book and sampling a spa treatment or two.

The family-run ranch is situated on 6,000 acres in the Sonoran desert outside of Tucson, Arizona and makes use of another 50,000 acres of adjacent National park and forest land, all available to guests for riding and hiking.   Many of its activities are classic dude ranch, like the cowboy cookout in a cottonwood grove complete with cowboy music and poetry; western line dancing classes; and talks on horse behavior.   It also offers up–to-the-minute resort amenities, like the spa (massages, body wraps, indoor pool, Jacuzzi) and the accommodations (down duvets, fireplaces and private patios with views of the desert).

Tanque Verde's Riding Program 

The riding program reminds me of a ski school where the kids and adults are taught to master the elements of the sport step by step and then move up to the next level – there’s always something new to aspire to. 

Children start riding as young as the age of 4 and begin in a large ring on gentle horses that are known to be patient and steady.  Four- to 6-year-olds slowly and deliberately learn to control their horse and can build on their skills but need to stay in the ring.

Children ages 7 to 11 are grouped together and quickly become competent young horsemen and women. Once they master the basics they can go on trail rides, ultimately moving up to “the lope group,” a great honor and also lots of fun because that’s when the horses start to run.  They also learn to groom their horse and participate in a “funkana,” which is like a mini rodeo with obstacle courses, barrel races and funny games.

The riding program is the centerpiece of the children’s program for ages 4 to 11, but there are many other planned activities that take place in the designated kids’ room or the designated kid’s dining room.  There are tennis lessons, a nature program that operates from the ranch’s nature center, nature hikes, games, and horsemanship classes to name a few. 

Adults are instructed in horseback riding in a similar fashion, and once they’ve passed the “lope test” they, too, can go on faster trail rides.  They also get to try other activities on their horses such as cow penning and barrel racing.