Long before Summit County staked its claim as a skiing mecca, the ranching industry ruled — with horses at the heart of it all.

According to the history of the Ute Tribes — a nomad Native American group with deep ties to Summit — they started using horses in the mid-1600s after Spanish settlers brought them over. Local historians say the vital role horses played for those living in the area seeped into the next century as well. They helped transport homesteaders in the 1800s and were invaluable assets to the homesteaders as they worked to support themselves. 

For Summit Valley Horse Center’s executive director Lizzie Kanetsky, that’s one of the coolest parts about horseback riding. She said being out on trails near her organization’s home in Silverthorne with a horse better connects her with the history of the land she’s on. 

She said it’s a different way to explore the area’s nature outside hiking or mountain biking and the experience is shared with a unique and empathetic animal. 

“Horses are a direct reflection of the person handling them, and they oftentimes can read and identify our emotions and our intentions before we even know of them,” she said. 

Summit County businesses and those in nearby areas offer both horseback riding opportunities and wagon rides for those who aren’t quite ready to hop on the horse yet. 

Breckenridge Stables is nearing 50 years in Summit County and kicks off its summer horseback riding season at the end of May. The stable’s operations live on Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Peak 9 and manager John Campbell said it’s built from the ground up each spring as winter operations end at the ski resort.

Around 100-115 horses work the Breckenridge Stables each year, many of which are sourced from sales or born on the stable’s ranch. Campbell said it takes a few years of extensive training before the stable staff trusts a horse enough to ride with a client. He said the horses are so well-trained that parents can bring their infants on the ride. 

As long as people can balance themselves on a horse, the stables can accommodate different disabilities and has equipment to make the process more handicap friendly, Campbell said.

“Most of our horses have been doing this ride with us for quite a long time, and kind of know the trail pretty well,” he said. “So it’s pretty easy to get out there and be successful on the trail.”

Some of the wranglers working at Breckenridge Stables have been working there for decades, Campbell said, and are extremely knowledgeable about the horses and the trails. 

He said the trails they ride provide guests with “360 views of all the mountains around here.” He said people will see parts of the Tenmile Range, Bald Mountain and even as far as Keystone Ski Resort across the county. People can see wildlife like foxes and deer on their ride, yet don’t need to worry about the horse they are riding reacting to them, Campbell said. 

Rides start at 8:30 a.m. and run every half hour until 3 p.m. The stables can accommodate groups of up to 20 people. For more information, visit BreckStables.com/trail-rides/.

Summit Valley Horse Center doesn’t have riding lessons open to the public, just members, Kanetsky said. They do offer kid’s activities where children can learn how to interact with horses. 

Its “Pony Posse” offering is for children 8 years old and over, and includes a class with the center’s four ponies to help kids gain experience handling, leading and grooming horses. Younger children can participate in the “Meet the Minis” ranch program, which features miniature horses, and is intended to help kids as young as 4 years old become familiar with horses. 

Kanestky recommends people also check out the thrift store that supports the nonprofit horse center, Resaddled Thrift Store. For more information visit SummitValleyHorseCenter.org/.

Two Below Zero in Frisco has horse-drawn summer chuckwagon rides for those who aren’t keen on horseback riding but want a similar experience. The chuckwagon ride leads to a site with a barbecue dinner and a Wild West show. Owner John Lampe said there’s a game corral on-site as well, with things like roping and horseshoes. 

After a barbecue dinner, apple cobbler is served for dessert ahead of the show. 

“We have a Wild West Show featuring the Jackman brothers, and they do a lot of audience participation and comedy and gunfire,” he said. 

He said people can take in views of Lake Dillon, parts of the Tenmile Range and more on the ride to and from the site.

For more information visit DinnerSleighrides.com/chuckwagon-barbecue/.

This story previously published in the summer 2025 edition of Explore Summit magazine.