Attention: Equine Escapes will not be accepting any reservations for rides nor conducting any rides on Santa Fe National Forest nor Carson National Forest until further notice. I will post a date of return to business as soon as possible. I will however, be available for rides on the private property of some of the ranches/lodges in the outer areas of northern New Mexico. I will also be available for consulting on your personal equine vacations when looking for destinations to ride.
I will be updating the pages of the website to reflect upcoming changes. Until I know what changes to make, please disregard all reference to guided trail riding. Please feel free to use the info on the Tourism Page, Stay and Explore Page, or any of the pages that have material for planning your own vacation with your own horses.  Sorry for the inconvenience and if you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me via the Contact page.





Welcome to Equine Escapes! We are unique, we bring the horses to you!
You may choose to ride from the ranch or opt to trailer out to one of several scenic locations.

I offer rides by the hour, 1/2 day, and full day. Rides are by appointment only and all rides are private rides. You will ride with your guide and go where you want. Rides are limited to 4 people or less from the ranch and 3 people on a trailer outing. Able riders may trot or canter. I only accept intermediate or advance riders. No novices please. You may be asked to state your riding experience. Children over 12 only if they meet the height requirement. Some horses are gaited. All saddles are outfitted with saddle bags and/or horn bags. I use both western and endurance type saddles. All riders, including adults, must be at least 5 feet in height. There is a weight limit of 220 lbs. Riders from lower altitudes may experience altitude sickness. Please read our FAQs page.

From the ranch, rides encompass the arroyos, hills, mesas, and badlands of the area. Views from vantage areas include the Espanola Valley, Rio Chama Valley, Sangre de Cristo mountains, and the Jemez Range. Longer rides can take you into the mountain terrain and tall pines of the Jemez, numerous crossings of a small creek, and overlooks that see far into distant mountains of northern New Mexico and Colorado. Immensely popular is a ride/hike to an little-known ruin called Ku'owingeh.
This site, as the site steward likes to call it, offers views of the Rio del Oso below and many intact features. Mostly though, it is a ruin that lets your imagination conjure up what it must have been like to live atop this remote mesa and have to live through the day to day hardships.

On trailer outings, the destinations are limitless. Some of the most popular are the Rio Chama Wilderness, San Pedro Parks Wilderness, the Pecos Wilderness, and Copper Canyon in Abiquiu, home to legendary artist, Georgia O'Keefe. If you have a special location you would like to explore, let me know and I'll find out if it is assessable. I trailer in to these locations for an additional fee dependent on mileage and time. Explore the copper mines of Copper Canyon, the hidden cave in the Pecos Wilderness, or take in the beauty and views of the San Pedro Parks Wilderness at 10,400 feet!

After your ride visit some of our nearby attractions. There are the popular Ojo Caliente Hot Springs,( not a bad idea after a hard ride!) which are only 15 minutes from Equine Escapes, the ruins of Puye and Po'shuouinge, the hiking trails of Ghost Ranch, and the pueblos of Okay Owingeh and Santa Clara, renown for their pottery. Plus many more.

Riders may bring their own lunch and/or snacks. There is room for plenty of water bottles. I can pick up a pack lunch for your convenience at the local deli for the cost of the lunch plus $5.00 if your short on time. Please give one days' notice. We are unique, we bring the horses to you! You may choose to ride from the ranch or opt to trailer out to one of several scenic locations. I offer rides by the hour, 1/2 day, and full day. Rides are by appointment only and all rides are private rides. You will ride with your guide and go where you want. Rides are limited to 4 people or less from the ranch and 3 people on a trailer outing. Able riders may trot or canter. I only accept intermediate or advance riders. You may be asked to state your riding experience. Children over 12 only if they meet the height requirement. Some horses are gaited. All saddles are outfitted with saddle bags and/or horn bags. I use both western and endurance type saddles. All riders, including adults, must be at least 5 feet in height. There is a weight limit of 220 lbs. Riders from lower altitudes may experience altitude sickness. Please read our  page. From the ranch, rides encompass the arroyos, hills, mesas, and badlands of the area. Views from vantage areas include the Espanola Valley, Rio Chama Valley, Sangre de Cristo mountains, and the Jemez Range. Longer rides can take you into the mountain terrain and tall pines of the Jemez, numerous crossings of a small creek, and overlooks that see far into distant mountains of northern New Mexico and Colorado. Immensely popular is a ride/hike to an little-known ruin called Ku'owingeh.This site, as the site steward likes to call it, offers views of the Rio del Oso below and many intact features. Mostly though, it is a ruin that lets your imagination conjure up what it must have been like to live atop this remote mesa and have to live through the day to day hardships. On trailer outings, the destinations are limitless. Some of the most popular are the Rio Chama Wilderness, San Pedro Parks Wilderness, the Pecos Wilderness, and Copper Canyon in Abiquiu, home to legendary artist, . If you have a special location you would like to explore, let me know and I'll find out if it is assessable. I trailer in to these locations for an additional fee dependent on mileage and time. Explore the copper mines of Copper Canyon, the hidden cave in the Pecos Wilderness, or take in the beauty and views of the San Pedro Parks Wilderness at 10,400 feet! After your ride visit some of our nearby attractions. There are the popular Ojo Caliente Hot Springs,( not a bad idea after a hard ride!) which are only 15 minutes from Equine Escapes, the ruins of Puye and Po'shuouinge, the hiking trails of, and the pueblos of , renown for their pottery. Plus many more. Riders may bring their own lunch and/or snacks. There is room for plenty of water bottles. I can pick up a pack lunch for your convenience at the local deli for the cost of the lunch plus $5.00 if your short on time. Please give one days' notice.

A little about me: I have owned/trained/ridden horses since my early teens. I have always loved trail riding. I started this business because a couple of my good friends noticed that I always knew the good places to ride and enjoyed sharing my knowledge of these out-of-the-way places. What a better way to share my love of horses and the great outdoors than though this opportunity with people who appreciate it? I discovered our trails here through a combination of natural curiosity and training for endurance riding.
I no longer participate in regular endurance events, however, I am active in Back Country Horsemen, a volunteer group who works closely with the Forest Service, BLM, County and State agencies to clear, build, and maintain trails for the equestrian and hiking communities. I continue to explore new trails with my Back Country friends. I have 9 horses, 6 cats, a dog who loves to come on trail rides, and a supportive husband who is currently building a back country plane. One day, when it is finished, I hope to be able to offer a gourmet meal cooked by me and flown in by plane to a remote destination where we are waiting with the horses!

Do you have your own horse? You may want to consider bringing your own horse and doing rides from the ranch and the outer areas. The overnight fee is $12.00 per horse/per night. Most people bring their own hay that their animal is used to. I do, however, have alfalfa hay and sometimes grass hay available. The corral is 30 x 48 and has an auto-waterer. There is some shade from a tree in the afternoon, but no shed. You can explore on your own and I can help you with choosing trails.  The area is perfect for exploring and offers many destinations. I have quad maps that you may borrow. The elevation here varies from 5900 to over 8,000 just in the backyard! I have a regular farrier for your emergency needs and there is a veterinarian not far from town. I can recommend places to dine, sightsee, camp or fish.

Hope to see you soon!
Your Host and Guide,
Debbie Spickermann

Member: Espanola Valley Chamber of Commerce
Member: Back Country Horsemen's Association, Santa Fe Chapter
President, Santa Fe Chapter Back Country Horsemen 2007,2008
Secretary/Treasurer/Web master Back Country Horsemen-Santa Fe, 2009, 2010
Member: Sierra Club, 2010