I just need people who want a “spirited” horse to explain to me what that means to them. Jigs the whole ride, fusses with the bit (because bad hands on riders), tosses its head, swings its butt from side to side … 
I just don’t understand what they think they will be riding? Shadowfax? Rain? Khan? Those horses are not working a trail string. 
When I worked as a wrangler leading trail rides, I would just smile, nod, and assign the horses that were appropriately rested. Whichever among that rested group was newest or spookiest would automatically go to the person with experience. If they kept the horses in the same order, we typically had no issues. What sucked is when someone with some experience would insist on going ahead, which frequently put another horse, with an inexperienced rider, out of sorts. So, now, one of my newbies is getting more and more freaked out and their horse is getting more and more fractious.
If you rent horses, just stay in the order, unless you’re told you can switch it up. You might be a Grand Prix rider, but I know who you’re sitting on and the personalities of all of their stablemates. We rode past bison and the newer horses needed to be shielded by experienced horses in front and behind, so the order was critical. Bison are scary even when you ride past them daily and give them enough room.
The absolute worst ride I had was with a grandma and grandson from NYC (sorry for the stereotype, they earned it). The grandma went on and on about how her grandson was taking lessons on REAL horses and he needed a proper mount because he was experienced. I put her and the boy on two reliable characters. Sensible geldings in their teens, which really do make the best guided trail horses. There were several others in that group that did fine, but this boy was flat out scared and the grandma kept a steady stream of complaints about how we should be trotting and how much the horses were just old plugs. When we got to the mid point in the ride where we normally trotted, I cleared it with everyone and that poor boy slapped leather and snatched the saddle horn. He was terrified. I slowed the group back down and had to endure abuse and threats from dear old grandma all the way back to the barn. I never questioned the experience the boy had and never challenged the grandma. I just stayed professional and explained that the horses still had more rides ahead. She was incensed. I got no tip and both grandma and grandson glared at me as they got into a taxi. That was the weirdest part. They hired a taxi from the city to come all the way out to the ranch and then had them wait there during the trail ride. What did they expect to do? Yeehaw all around the ranch?
@ moonlitoaksranch that is a great story to illustrate what to expect on a trail ride. And how to conduct oneself without ruining other people’s day on vacation. And yes, got it, stay in order! 
It’s a sightseeing tour. It’s not cross-country at the Olympics. In fact, the Olympic selectors aren’t even there. 
It is an odd thing to me that people want to prove something to themselves and others on a guided trail ride. But it’s horses … so they feel some kinda way about it.
In Colorado there is an old-fashioned open train for tourists that chugs along an old-fashioned railroad tracks into the mountain forests. You can see some old mines and stuff like that. Do people expect to ride in a ‘spirited’ railroad car? Do they want their car to go faster than the other railroad cars? To me it is kinda the same thing.
Actual professionals when they go on vacation rides disavow having ever seen a horse before. Hireling for hunting? I’m a beginner. Give me Dobbin the spotted wonder pony who doesn’t actually need me to do anything from what do you call that thing I sit in?
Lol!
Where on the peninsula did you ride? I’m pining for the peninsula right now! So beautiful and cool.
Two favorite cases from when I was to manage the rides on that dude ranch:
Much to his dismay, we stayed at a walk.
Off we go and not even 15 minutes in our ride, he asks, a bit awkwardly - So… When are we going to gallop?
Had a friend who liked to vacation at working ranches. He spent a week at a highly rated outfit, got on early AM and rode fence or checked and moved cattle all day. Did not share his considerable, professional experience when asked but apparently was not good at hiding it. After the first day, they kept giving him a different horse each ride. For the last 3 days he ended up on a particularly disagreeable stinker requiring constant correction and guidance. Ranch said everything else was lame, sick, sold or reserved in advance.
Week after returning home he got a bill from the ranch with some overlooked charges. He responded quickly but instead of sending a check or cc# he sent them a bill for 18 hours of his professional services as a horse trainer. Never heard back.
I always figured that if I showed my (LL) event horse the xc course map along with a whole bag of horse cookies, and told him that if he got me around clean then all of the cookies were his, this would be a perfect ride. I wouldn’t even have to steer.
So I’m guessing your guest had never cantered before … maybe never walked or trotted either … 
Somewhere near Neah Bay so right on the coast. The ride was along the beach.
Absolutely my approach (although I am not a pro, but a pretty decent amateur). Some trail strings have one horse that does not get ridden enough because he is a rotter. Tell the people you can ride, and after discussion, one will whisper to another, “OK, bring out Fury”.
I want them to have jazz hands! 
I wish I had followed this advice a few years ago when I booked a hack with a stable around London while I was there for a conference. From the farm’s website it wasn’t clear whether they did pleasant meanders in the park or if they also had groups that would trot and canter, and if it was the latter, I did not want to be out galloping in country I didn’t know (which was my experience on a similar ride in Ireland- a fantastic experience, but I was legging up foxhunters and timber horses at the time, so I was fit for it.) So when I enquired originally, I said what I’d done in my life, but that my own horse was mostly retired so most of my last few years had been spent meandering around in the woods and loping over a little log. I was placed on a horse who would neither go without a pony kick and stick (and bucked at the stick) unless he felt inspired by his scenery, in which case he would go bolting off into the bushes; nor would he stop without a pulley rein in a kimberwicke. I can’t say it’s the most enjoyable ride I’ve ever had.
The horse I rode when I told them I was better than I was a really really nice animal. Had no problem going away from the others for a gallop down the beach, was easily controllable, and an all around good egg. Some of the tourists on the ride thought I worked there and were asking me all kinds of questions.
That is exactly right!!! You end up on the one that will not settle, that fusses endlessly, doesn’t want to stay in the line … and it takes most of the ride to re-train them and it’s not a fun ride. And then they are jigging away the last 10 minutes back to the barn! 
If you try just leaving the horse alone, you keep getting told by the guide to stay in the line and not pass the other horses … ok but it’s not me, it’s Silly Boy (or Girl) who doesn’t understand the program.
That’s American nose-to-tail trail rides, though, not the nice English-Irish types of vacation rides. If it comes up again I think I’m going to tell them I’ve never even seen a horse before.
I’ve also ended up adjusting stirrups and girths for people in my party when the ‘guide’ had no idea how to do it. It’s a more comfortable ride if the stirrups aren’t 4 holes different on either side. Or are at a short or long length where the rider’s feet can’t even find them.
It is very good the relax the girth on the horses between rides. But then it’s important to do it up before the horse goes out again – that’s my opinion, anyway, when I saw the saddle sliding while my party member was mounting (or trying to). Of course you do have to know how to adjust tack to make that happen … have been with more than one guide who didn’t know how tack works but just hopes the riders stay on … 
All these trailride tales
As a teen, I did a short stint as a guide for a livery stable.
With the other teens, one of our ideas of fun was when a rental rider asked their horse’s name.
We’d tell them things like Satan, Killer, Lightning… All of them nose-to- tail reliables.
Even though this was in the 60s, when we’d actually do some trotting & even {gasp!} cantering on rides.
Briefly, because inevitably someone clueless as to how to sit would ask for the faster gait, then last all of 5min before begging for us to slow down.
DH & I, on a trip to SF, went for a ride in the Molera Ntl Forest with a local livery.
We’d both taken our well-worn schooling chaps & jod boots to wear & before the group was assigned horses, the guide asked if we rode.
We said yes, but not often on trails.
He complimented us on our “shotguns” - meaning the English Eq-style chaps.
I got a pretty chestnut mare & at one point in the ride we passed very close to a bobcat watching us from a log. Mare never flicked an ear.
I asked the guide how long they’d had her.
Answer: “Oh, about a week” 
So, I guess we’d told them we rode, without telling them we rode.
@Renn_aissance Sounds fun… NOT!
On a London vacation, we also rode in Hyde Park out of Hyde Park Stables in Kensington.
They supplied both helmets & paddock boots.
IIRC, we weren’t asked about our level of experience.
DH got a 5yo Irish Draught, I got a large piebald pony. Just us & 2 young guides, W/T/C through the lovely park on great sand trails. To get there we rode through city streets.
Then there was my Swiss coworker, who came with other coworker friends to where I boarded.
He’d said he rode, but I put him on my TB, on the longe.
After about 5min, I took off the line, he obviously rode. And well.
He ended up taking the horse over a small course setup in the outdoor.
Such fun to see my horse, doing what he did so well, from the ground.
I rode out with one of the instructors and a student of the stable. I greatly admired the horse the student was on- a chestnut Irish mare, very bold in her way of going. The student also had trouble, but in her case it was that her position was not effective in managing the horse’s enthusiasm. She was very well coached through her difficulties. It’s probably for the best that I wasn’t mounted on that horse, or I might have started scheming to bring her home.
I enjoyed your story about riding in the Molera State Park- I very much enjoyed that park. I wonder if they still offer trail rides. I went on my own two feet and saw a mountain lion not 3/4 of a mile in…
You may be on to something about bringing your own equipment. Any time I have ridden on vacation I have made sure to bring my own. I have an odd-shaped head and feel better in my own helmet, and at that point I may as well bring my own comfortable boots and half chaps. Maybe I should consider turning up with a bike helmet next time if I want a horse who stops. 
That Molera ride was over 20yrs ago, so…
We packed chaps & boots because we didn’t want to have breeches taking up carryon room when they’d be worn just for the one ride.
Though in hindsight…
Paddocks doubled as walking boots as they were customs & very comfy.
I took my helmet & paddock boots to Spain & the boots got quarantine treatment on the flight home. Helmet was in its own carryon case & I guess if they’d realized what was in there, it too would gave been sterilized.
Was that in the middle of mad cow, or similar? I didn’t have that experience bringing my equipment home from either England or Ireland.
I tried using my paddock boots as walking shoes on the one trip and got a colossal blister. Apparently 5 miles was their upper limit.
Anyway, to keep this on the actual topic at hand, I hope that eventually the OP’s friends get to enjoy riding some good horses that both go when you want them to and also stop when you want them to. And don’t get hurt before they find said horses.
Nope, not Madcow.
Spain had a problem with (tickborne) piroplasmosis. Horses that were cleared of the disease got branded.
If it wasn’t that, AHS from Africa.
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