Circle Bar B Stables

Had a great experience here last Friday (6÷10÷16)!!! Horseback riding was part of my bucket list, I’m a little afraid or intimidated by those beautiful animals, but now I think I’m coming back! :D Our guide, Bob, was awesome! He was fun!

My son and his girlfriend took me on a trail ride for my birthday, and the Circle Bar B Ranch was perfect! It’s located up the canyon from Refugio beach and the location was gorgeous. We were greeted upon arriving, and directed to the stables
where we signed in. Everyone was so friendly! Our guide was a young guy, who doesn’t usually lead trail rides, and he was fantastic! He showed us where Juaquin Murrietta (Zorro) was hanged, and the Reagan Ranch! He was so knowledgable about the area, it was fascinating! All three horses were great, I had Silver, and he was perfect for me! We mostly road through canyons, but there was a lookout point where we could see the islands in the ocean, it was beautiful. There’s a hotel, cabins and a pool and I can’t wait to return!

My group of 5 had a fantastic first time riding. Our guide was goofy as hell, & his singing was a perfect mood setter for mountain range cowboy activities.
Our horses were docile & responsive to our direction, although they clearly knew the deal & didnt need us-​swear I saw my horse Leroy roll his eyes at me, but he was a good boy.
The view was incredible. I would love to come back and go again. Not sure what the going rate is, but pretty sure when i checked previously i found places that charged twice as much. I didnt feel they were high priced, I didnt break the bank so that also makes me happy.

My daughters and I had a great ride here. We are actually local in Santa Barbara and my older daughter and I rode here years ago. We lucked out with a beautiful day, and had a fun ride with our guide, Joe. My younger daughter has special needs, but had taken some adaptive riding lessons. He was so great with her!
The view at the top is gorgeous! We did the hour and a half ride first thing in the morning, but I’ll bet a sunset ride is amazing.
The horses are well cared for, everything is explained well, and you are in good hands.
Cash only. Have fun!

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our experience at the ranch. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by Bob. He was very helpful and explained everything to us. We then got assigned our horses, and our trail guy. All the trail guys were very helpful they made sure we were set and ready for the ride. They answered all our questions and were extremely nice. We were very lucky to get Randy as our trail guy. He had great stories and was really funny, with nothing but great jokes all throughout the entire ride. He made the ride very pleasant for us. We rode for half a day, which was four hours. The horses were all so beautiful and well kept. My horse was Elvis and my boyfriends horse was Zues, both very nice horses. I highly recommend this ranch and the ride. The views were nice as well. Nothing but good words about this place, definitely coming back.

I’m a novice and have only ridden my friend’s horses in Santa Ynez; I’m kind of scared of horses I’ve never groomed or built a rapport with but the wranglers picked the right horse and helped me into the saddle. They did all the work, and all I had to do was ride, unlike on a real ranch. (There’s brushing, putting on the saddle, tightening and taking the saddle off and putting everything away). Having a tight saddle is important otherwise you could fall off your horse and get trampled. For all the expert effort to maintain a horse and prepare for a ride, this is worth every penny.
I rode «Buck,» a blonde but slow horse, who was the most difficult in the group, so I had to learn how to whip the horses «behind» and control the horse from veering off and eating weeds. We rode along steep cliff’s and sometimes I was afraid because my horse loved walking close to the edge, so it takes some trusting, but overall, I felt safe since my trail guide, young Jesse, was strong and an expert in horse riding and riding bulls.
What an adventure! Our horses stopped suddenly because we came across a slithering snake on the trail. We also saw fresh bear scratches upon oak trees. Upon return, unbridled horses rushed passed us through the gate and Jesse yelled, «pull your reigns tight,» so our horses didn’t start running off with them. It was a thrill and his instruction worked and possibly saved us all from a tragedy.
I am more of a pampered princess and I had a memorable time here.
P. S. I only saw Germans on the property the entire time I was there, why Germans come to America to ride horses is beyond my explanation.

We had an excellent tour, our tour guide Jimmy was so good with us especially the kids. This was a spur of the moment birthday decision and happy I made it. We were very pleased with all the staff from the moment we started at the stables to the end at check out, I would highly recommend this tour to family and friends

It was by chance that we found this place when my husband & I came to Santa Barbra for our five year anniversary. This absolutely made our trip. The drive to the ranch was stunningly gorgeous, the ranch is very nice, the staff literally felt like family from talking with them in just 5 minutes. (If you’re not staying in the ranch which you can & we will do next time, then go visit the saloon & have a couple drinks! It was fantastic.)
Our tour guide was Randy. He was great. So funny & down to earth. We really enjoyed him. It was by chance with the 1 ½ hour sunset ride that it got to be my husband & I & it was wonderful. A memory for the books. We were in heaven. The views are incredible. We saw tons of green mountains & the ocean once we started getting to the top. I am a city girl but this is something I could do everyday. The trail was unbelievable, we also had amazing weather, the trail is in the sun & the shade, we are obsessed with this place & planning a family trip for next time.
I also really liked how clean & kept up the horses were. You can tell everyone loves what they do here & love the horses as well.
I also leaned by coming you can stay on the ranch & we would love to do that next time. The pool was sparkling & they also cook you 3 meals a day & you get 25% off off riding for staying there. We paid $ 65 a person to ride, it was affordable & worth every penny. I promise.
Thanks guys!

My boyfriend and I went there today to celebrate our anniversary and my upcoming birthday. Our guide was Bob and he was fantastic! We loved how authentic the ranch was, and the guides really are Cowboys. I think next time we will do the half day or private ride since we did the group ride. I’m a good rider and my boyfriend rode for the first time. I only wish we could have trotted or gone a bit faster. The people on the ranch warned us that the trail wasn’t good for trotting, but there were definitely places where we could have gone faster. I know it’s for liability reasons, but we had to sign a waiver prior to riding that we wouldn’t sue in case of injury or death. This is great for first time riders and for good or excellent riders, because the view is amazing!!! We are definitely going back. :)

This place is wonderful! Affordable horseback riding in a beautiful location. The views are amazing and our guide Bob was great! If you go, ask for Bob to be your guide. He is s so sweet and adorable. We can’t wait to go again!

I always come here with friends and family! Awesome area with a beautiful nature!
Bob was our guy and man is he funny? He was great and very knowledgable. Can’t wait to come back!

If I could give the stables including the quality of horses, staff, and location a «10» rating, I would. Not only is this the most magical location in Santa Barbara, it is the best place for anyone who loves horses from beginner to advanced riders. The environment will leave a lasting impression that you soon will not forget! If you are local or just visiting, this ranch is a great place to visit on your own, with family, or friends! Thank you Circle Bar B Riding Stables!

My husband and I booked our ride the night before with no problem. When we arrived the following morning, it was lightly misting, but Jimmy, our guide, assured us that the ride would be nice.
It was gorgeous.
I’d been here before, back in 2010, on a sunny day when the views to the ocean were clear and breathtaking. But there was something about taking this private ride, with just Jimmy and my husband, through the light mist, riding through the clouds… It was a spiritual experience! Our horses (Colonel and Zeus), were wondrous and calm. Jimmy pointed out things along the ride that we probably wouldn’t have noticed (like the bear claw marks on trees!).
I’ve been before. But I’m definitely going back. I should be going to this place at least twice a year.
And you should too.

My wife and I decided that for our 26^th year anniversary, we would go out and experience something new. Our Guide «JIMMY «was amazing!!! Not only did he keep us safe, but took the time to make our special day even better than we could have ever imagined. He took memorable photos, and made sure the ride was amazing. I can’t begin to tell you the views on the path are something out of a movie. My rating of five stars just isn’t enough. This is a must if you are in the area.

This was my very first time ever riding a horse. My hubby brought me out here as a surprise for our 26^th wedding anniversary. It was such an amazing experience. The staff was very nice, the stables are immaculately clean and the views are to die for. I want to give a shout out and a million thank you’s to our guide Jimmy. He was awesome. Nice in every which way possible and made the horse ride very enjoyable and memorable. I highly recommend you ask for him. I will definitely be back here again.

My dad and I went riding at Circle Bar B today. It was one of the best experiences of my ENTIRE LIFE!!! At first I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not because…
1. I ride English.
2. I was wearing my riding boots, chaps, jodhpurs, and helmet, and everyone else was wearing more western casual stuff.
And…
3. My dad had only been on a horse a few times.
Well turns out that no matter how much or how little you ride you will have a BLAST!!! We did a one hour and thirty minute ride and it was perfect! We got super lucky and joined Randy at the start of the well worn dirt path. Randy turned out to be one of the nicest guys there, and talked to us the whole way. When I saw all the ratings before I wrote this one I wasn’t surprised to see that most of them were 5 star ratings. In the end my dad said he really enjoyed it too since they, as in all the other lovely people taking their time to ensure you have the most amazing ride, picked the best horse for him. Cream Cheese was the name of his horse, and I rode Rojo one of the most amazing horses I have ridden in around 2 – 3 years, so go to Circle Bar B today and enjoy the sound of your horse’s hooves clip-​clopping against the dirt path!

What a wonderful time here spent in the mountains. We enjoyed our experience so much. My hunnie and I came here a a beautiful Saturday for the 1.5 hour ride which was lovely. The horses were gentle, stayed in line and the tour guide was very nice. He was knowledgeable about the mountain surroundings and always checked on those of us who were in the back while he was up front with a 7 year old.
The views from the top were amazing, you could see the ocean from the top as well as the surrounding mountains which was very peaceful. We really love it overall, from the process of making a reservation til the end, it was worth it.

My sister and I decided to leave our stress behind and take a quick trip to SB during the week. We wanted to do something out of norm…
I found Circle Bar B Ranch on google.
Called the day before, made a reservation and headed up wednesday.
Jack greeted us with a friendly smile, made us feel right at home.
I was nervous, had butterflies… so our cowboy, Rick, was nice enough to guide my horse throughout the ride.
Not only was the ride amazing, with nature surrounding you and gorgeous views, but our guide was full of wit & gave lots of interesting facts & info! (not to mention that he was such a gentleman)
We could not have asked for a better cowboy :)
My sister and I cannot wait to go back. Hopefully i won’t have to be guided throughout the whole trail, but wouldn’t mind it if i had to ;)
Thank you Jack & Rick!
I miss it already

Highly recommended! Do this! A must if you are visiting the area. The Cowboys are courteous, friendly and knowledgable! Joe (from Illinois) led our group. He provided a wealth of information about the horses and area with a comedic flare. He acknowledged that my sons and I were slightly nervous as this was their first time riding. He was in complete control encouraging us to stretch our comfort zone but never pushing. I felt safe the entire time with Joe as our guide. Impressive.
TIP your guide! They deserve it!!!
Wear a snug fitting hat.
Make sure to have a secure place to carry your camera/​phone.
It’s hot up there; minimal shade.

What an experience! From the ease of booking, to the beautiful view, this was definitely worth the trip to Santa Barbara. The ranch workers and our tour guide radiated cowboy, and they were all very friendly and welcoming. We did the 1.5 hour tour for $ 65 each, which I felt was the perfect amount of time for two novice riders. The horses were experienced and well cared for, and I felt comfortable with the instruction provided. The trail is really secluded, and has a nice old-​fashioned feeling to it. The view at the top of the trail is exquisite, with views of the mountains and the ocean.
Bring your hat and your sunblock and enjoy the ride!