COVID STATUS: OPEN
In order to provide the highest level of service for our Friends and Family, Bella Peregrina Ranch is asking a few questions of our clients prior to all scheduled visits
REQUIRED! – If you or a family member is displaying flu-like symptoms (including a new or worsening cough and/or fever in the past 5 days), we ask that you reschedule your visit.
Recommended But Not Required:
* Group size of 8 or less.
* When possible, maintain a safe social distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others and abstain from shaking hands
* Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze, using a tissue or your inner elbow (not your hands);
* Masks when in Close Proximity (less than 6 feet) to Others
* Please reserve at least 24 hours in advance (Rider Request Form)
* Additionally, when visiting Bella Peregrina Ranch, we encourage you to follow CDC guidelines for personal health and hygiene:
— Wash your hands with soap and water prior to coming to Bella Peregrina Ranch;
— Use hand sanitizer before arriving at Bella Peregrina Ranch;
— Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
We greatly appreciate your help in working to ensure the safety of all of our visitors and staff at Bella Peregrina Ranch.
ALL RIDES ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Walk-Up Riders Cannot Be Accommodated
Request a Ride > https://forms.gle/keDayu96BjdmhRK38
Bella Peregrina Ranch is a community-oriented riding facility serving the general public by offering year-round guided trail rides, lessons, leasing, pony rides, boarding, breeding, training, transport and educational opportunities. Specializing in real world riding lessons, trail rides and pony rides, we carefully craft every ride through matchmaking of horse and rider and selection of trails to give each person the best experience possible. Our herd of amazing horses ranging from ponies to draft horses offer a safe, secure adventure on horseback for riders of all ages and abilities. With an average group size of 3 – 4 riders, our trail rides take you on our experienced horses through the rolling landscape of Central Texas with beautiful trails ranging from simple to rugged terrain. While we work to keep our groups small and intimate, we can accommodate groups as large as 12 trail riders. While our real world riding lessons / trail lesson experiences include young children ages 3 – 7, all other trail riders must be over 7 years old.
Bella Peregrina Ranch is a full service horse facility for individuals, families and groups. We share the magic of horses with children of all ages, from 1 to 92. Novice, beginner, intermediate and advanced – we are delighted to custom tailor an experience to fit your needs. Whether you own your own horse or want to some day, regardless of your riding ability, we will share the magic of our horses with you. Here is your chance to take part in an exciting social atmosphere at a one-of-a-kind, unusual and unique facility.
We are well-known for our diverse lineup of quality services for both horse and rider. But our family is about far more than providing unique, versatile and innovative services for horse and rider, as well as exceeding your wildest expectations. Our entire lives have been committed to giving back to our community. All of our activities, including giving back to the community, stem from our family philosophy built on the basic principle of Life, Love and Harmony – respect for the horse and the individual, and sharing joy with our extended family of clients, volunteers and our community. Our unique perspective inspires us to be involved in a broad range of activities and services focused on Youth (including Children of ALL Ages), recreation (FUN!), education, history, science, and technology. We proactively contribute to our community through donations of services and volunteering, as well as various unique programs such as Holiday Trail Rides and Theme Party Pony Rides. Our goal in life is to become as wonderful as our horses think we are. Our Mission is to facilitate “Happy, Healthy, Safe and Sound,” for horses, riders, and our community.
We proudly provide with Tender Loving Care the Food, Friends and Freedom (“the 3 F’s”) that our beloved horses need to be happy, healthy, safe and sound. Bella Peregrina Ranch is a small family ranch located just outside the charming town of Rockdale, Texas on US Highway 79 North (easy access to a major four-lane blacktop), conveniently nestled in lush rolling hills between Austin, Waco, and Bryan/College Station. Our grounds and services provide a safe and friendly environment for both horse and rider — the health, happiness, safety and soundness of our beloved horses is our first priority. We warmly welcome all breeds and disciplines. State law requires proof of negative Coggins.
Meet The Family:
The Geldings:
Romeo – Shire
Prince – Gypsy
Knight – Gypsy
Altair Ibn – Arabian
Sulttann – Arabian
Chocolate Chip – Pony of the Americas
Blue Moon – Friesian x Knabstrupper x Percheron
Trader – Arabian
Polar – Paint Arabian
Apache – Appaloosa
The Mares:
Diamond – Welsh Pony (Section B)
Tahliyah / Tali – Arabian
Peaches – Appaloosa
Belle – Percheron
Tempest – Shire x Belgian
Kallista – Andalusian
The Stallion:
Sjouke – Friesian
In Loving Memory
Mirage – Arabian mare
Jesse – Morgan mare
Faith – Drum (Gypsy x Shire) mare
Lion Queen (Lion King x Baby Doll) – Gypsy mare
Shimmer – Arabian gelding
Divine + Ivy – Arabian mares, mother + daughter
Sunshine – Quarter Horse mare
Josie – Missouri Foxtrotter mare
Bucephalus – Shire/Clydesdale x Thoroughbred/Quarterhorse gelding
Cinderella – Percheron x Paint mare
Fortune Teller – Gypsy stallion
The Rest of the Family:
Arthur – Blue & Gold Macaw
Happy – Great Pyrenees
Black Barn Cat Club
About Skye:
* Born 1970
* 1989 East Texas State University (now Texas A&M) (Texarkana) – Paralegal Certification
* 1992 University of Texas (Austin) – Bachelor of Arts – English, Music (piano, voice), Classics
* 1994 Southwest Texas State University (San Marcos) – Teaching Certification
* 2002 Began the dream that is Bella Peregrina Ranch
* Horses have been teaching me all of my life – how to ride, how to drive, how to train, how to teach, as well as how to relax, how to be patient, how to see different perspectives, how to be respectful, how to think positively, how to be humble (humility), how to be a good companion and how to carry heavy burdens. I am a life-long student. I read and study everything that I can find. My influences include Colonel Alois Podhajsky, Tom and Bill Dorrance, Ray Hunt, and others of like mind, including Buck Brannaman, Martin Black, Mark Rashid, John Lyons, Sally Swift, Linda Tellington-Jones, Nuno Oliveira, Jane Savoie and many, many more. I thrive on seeing more smiles in a week than most folks see in a year – from horses and humans alike.
Other loves – family, friends, music (piano, voice), reading, games, tarot, astrology, movies
About Eric:
* Born 1970
* 1992 Married Skye, who shared with him the gift of a life-long love of horses
* 1997 Analyst / Hardware Engineer
* Other loves – family, friends, painting, sculpting, drawing, reading, music, movies, games
About Marcus:
* Born 1983
* 2002 Joined Bella Peregrina Ranch family
* 2003 Software Engineer / Programmer
* Other loves – family, friends, flag & fire spinning, reading, music, movies, games
Why Your Family will Love Our Family
We are your home away from home. If you never had a horse growing up, come relive your childhood with all of our kids. Get just as excited about trail rides, shows and dressing up horses for Halloween, Christmas and Parades, as we do! We are excellent teachers and trainers, and both your horse and you will make tremendous progress with us. Take riding lessons with us, and you’ll really enjoy your riding lessons. Board your horses with us, and you’ll never have to worry about your horses when you’re not there, because you know they are in excellent care. Come witness how all the kids learn more than just how to ride; they also are instilled with a maturity and confidence that is remarkable for their ages.
We will give you the tools you need to become the best you can be. Your love for horses and the people who love horses will grow to a much higher level of love and understanding. Everyone is always wearing a smile on their face, and they are all so nice and friendly. We will teach you many things about horses and about life in general. Horseback riding lessons are the best thing you could invest in for your children. Not only do they love riding and spending time with the horses, they develop a great work ethic and sense of responsibility as a result of the chores they do. The camaraderie and friendships they build with human and horse alike are wonderful.
Here, children learn that there is much more involved in horsemanship than just learning to ride. If they had their way, they’d stay here all of the time. Come learn things about life that you won’t learn anywhere else. We are like a second big, happy family. Everyone works together, and everyone plays together. Few young ones escape childhood without the developmental need for a relationship with a horse or pony in their lives. Even fewer horse facilities understand the importance of the child/horse bond enough to support and nurture the relationship.
Psychologically speaking, a child’s desire for this bond is often a sign that something is missing in their life whether it is a parent, a special bond that’s been broken or an outlet for energy or emotion. We recognize and work hard to fulfill this dire need within our community. Horses have become exceedingly difficult for young ones to attain or spend time with as a result of progress and economics. Many horse facilities in the area recognize the money to be made from serving the financially endowed horse owner, denying the majority of this community’s young ones the fulfillment of a fundamental need due to economic disadvantage. When children spend quality time loving and caring for horses here, they gain important live long skills such as self reliance, self confidence, respect, excellent work ethic, compassion, empathy, responsibility, good sportsmanship, and amazing athletic ability.
These kids are considering their futures and learning about equine science programs and veterinary science programs as well as setting lifelong goals for themselves. Here is the magic we all wish for our children, a safe place where children can romp and roam when the work is done. Parents, reminisce about childhood days gone by and freedom and self reliance not available to our young ones today; it’s alive and well here. Your child will be a better person, parent, spouse, and employee because of experiences here.
Look around and try several local area programs and visit other stables in the area that offer lessons. Not only are they far more expensive than most folks could afford, more importantly they offer little or no time outside of the lesson for bonding with and taking care of the animals. Now your child can experience the give and take in relationships with horses that help prepare for adult life. Horses are not an indulgence, they are therapy. The magic between horse and child is true love.