Horse care and gardening in Idaho

Idaho
Horse care and gardening in Idaho
Horse care and gardening in Idaho Horse care and gardening in Idaho
47 Updated 10 days ago
Greetings! Hello! Thanks for checking us out! Are current openings are: Any time in December and throughout any other winter dates you might be interested in. Just let me know your preferred dates of arrival and we can see if it fits in with the openings. Thanks! To get a good idea of what your experience might resemble, check out this you tube video (credit, Teya, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uUfIGjC3IEg The process for acceptance: Step 1: message me with your request for dates. Step 2: I will let you know if those dates are available. Keep in mind, I may be communicating with others about similar date inquiries. Step 3: if the dates you request are available, I send you paperwork to read, sign and return. Step 4: the wwoofer that responds back with paperwork filled out will get the spot. It is first-returned, first-booked. Step 5. After I receive paperwork, i accept. You confirm. Then it is a solid booking. Meet your Hosts, Risa and Lacie, Risa is the owner, providing quality horse boarding, horse motel services, small hay production and an environment for learning. Risa has been running businesses her entire adult life. Therefore we also have Jami on site as a business partner and mentor to many young individuals. Risa has partnered with Lacie to assist in the needs of assisting our wwoofers with more learning opportunities: Hi! My name is Lacie and I've been a boarder here for almost 6 years. My love for horses started when I was 15 and got a spicy Arabian for my birthday. The passion for horsey life only got more intense when my now 20 year old daughter took her first lesson at 7. Since then we have become active in the community with playdays, horse camping and drill team. I have been teaching beginner lessons here for 4 years now and look forward to the opportunity of riding with and helping others for more years to come. With two hosts in one we have more opportunities to create a fun and learning environment. We will accept a one month stay request, but really prefer a 3 month or longer commitment if possible! We need at least the month for you to get properly trained and get the full Our needs vary from 2-4 wwoofers through the different seasons. The wwoof calendar may appear to be booked, but just ask what dates you need and we can let you know our availability. **  This is a great farm for those of you who LOVE to work outdoors, love animals, interested in gardening, chickens and or  landscaping projects!  We have year-round work and have flexible working plans to fit your needs. Opportunities to learn to ride!  Living Space: We have two properties with horses on both properties and horse related and/or gardening or landscaping projects on both properties. We have chicken care on both properties. Your living arrangements may be a private room, a shared room (you have your own bed,) in a camper trailer that is set up for full-time living, or in the "WWOOF DEN" (stand alone, private entry apartment with kitchenette on main horse property.) It is possible to ask you to share a room with a same sex roommate. We sometimes have overlap and in the summer we have the need for more labor. We have a riding instructor, Lacie on our farm. She is working with the wwoofers offering additional instruction. The amount of time you spent with the horses is up to you!  We have two ten-acre parcels with farming and animal care requirements. We board horses, give riding lessons and lease horses. Between the two properties there are 51 horses and a BLM Burro named Paco! We have organic pastures for grazing and certified weed-free/organic hay production for our own use.  There is also a small organic garden for our family use. The day-to-day duties might include: cleaning stalls, moving horses to pasture and back to stalls, checking and filling water tanks, composting manure, spreading compost, managing feedings and hay storage, tending to chickens - feeding and cleaning coops, irrigating pastures and tending the garden in the spring/summer/fall months and landscaping duties as assigned. We also have many projects ongoing from building and repairing shelters and fencing to planting gardens or other landscaping projects. This opportunity is not suggested for small children and we cannot accommodate your pets. You are welcome to seek other employment outside our work time with us. There are some wonderful activities in this area available. River rafting, hiking, fishing, camping, swimming, golfing, tennis, horseback riding, snow skiing and other winter activities. Bogus Basin Ski Resort is visible from our farms and only 20 miles away!  McCall and the Sawtooth mountains are a short drive in a car. We have great shopping, movie theatres, museums and other cultural activities like theater and music concerts. This is a fun and energetic town with lots to do all the time! We will be happy to provide meals that best fit into your lifestyle- vegans are welcome and honored We are so busy, you may need to cook some of your own meals. We honor diversity in spirituality.  No one here will require you to go to church... unless that is what you want to do. Our beautiful state of Idaho is the color red.... but we are not. We also are early to bed and expect our guests to respect a quiet time after 10pm.  We don't allow smoking on the premises; therefore we only accept non smoking individuals. Based on the seasons,  the daily ""ranch"" chores will change to accommodate the needs of the property.  We do not require horse- experienced individuals. We will offer knowledge and riding opportunities, if that interests you!  If you do have horse experience, we have plenty of young/green horses for you to put some time into.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Poultry farming
Sheep or goat farming
Raising of other farm animals
Methods or systems
No-till farming
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Production farm
8.1 Hectares | 20 Acres
Accommodation
3 WWOOFers
Bedroom
Camper / RV
Campsite
Children not accepted
Pets not accepted
Meals
Omnivore
Vegetarian
Vegan
Length of stay
Over a month
Risa Roe &
Risa Roe &
Member since 2018
Languages spoken: English
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Mon
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Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 3 days
Idaho
BOI airport is only 10 minutes drive.
Feedback
Olivia
Olivia
United States • September 2026
I had a really lovely stay at Risa’s ranch that was unfortunately cut short about halfway through due to a family emergency. I am sad that I didn’t get to stay longer as it was wonderful getting to know all the people there and to learn more about horses. The ranch is an incredible community of people who are welcoming and supportive and will always be there to answer any questions and give guidance. Really the only warning I could give is that if you are brand new to wwoofing, it might be best to go during a cooler season as Idaho gets very hot in the summer. It had been a couple years since my last wwoofing experience so there was a bit of an initial adjustment period for me, but I am grateful that I persevered through it and for all that I learned. Risa is a lovely person and a very welcoming host and we had some great chats during my stay in her home. I hope I can return in the future <3
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Jillian
Jillian
United States • May 2026
Risa is a horse expert, superwoman, and extremely generous host. She provides excellent accommodations, awesome day trips, and a comprehensive horse education. I learned basic horse handling and terminology as apart of my daily routine, and was provided ample opportunities to learn even more: from ride time to watching rodeo practice to giving horse baths and braiding manes. I also had so much fun with my fellow wwoofers exploring Meridian (windows down, country music playing) and going line dancing on Fridays! Running a barn takes a village and Risa’s village is a good one. I am very grateful I got to be apart of it for a little while!
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Iñaki
Iñaki
Spain • April 2026
I spent one of the best times of my life in Idaho at Risa's place. The experience couldn't have been better; Risa and the people around her are spectacular. It's one of the best places I can recommend for learning how to work with horses. Risa is a great expert, and the experience with her is very rewarding. I really hope to return someday
Nevi
Nevi
United States • January 2026
I loved my stay here! Risa is a wonderful, kind, hardworking, and passionate person who quickly became a friend. It was a gift to be around such amazing horses and people. There is a really special community here - shoutout to Lacie, Angela, Judi, Jackie, Haven, Ava, Erica, and Jorge! And Peggy! But only play Peggy in checkers if you are ready to loose lol. The accommodations are very comfortable and the food is great. I felt very taken care of here. Thanks for it all sweet friends.
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Risa Roe &
Reply from Risa Roe &
Awe Nevi, thank you for the sweet review. As you know we meet so many wwoofers here at Laughing Horse. Some of you rise to the top. Not because we have favorites, but because of what it takes to live on a farm, live with people and acclimate to their homes and culture, understanding without judgment, giving without expecting in return and working to learn rather than to do minimums. Nevi... you embody all that a Wwoofer should hope to learn and value from our programs. You keep me smiling and "remembering why I love the wwoof program... because of wwoofers like you." Like an angel, you came when I needed you most. Happy Trails, my little spirit animal.
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Matalyn
Matalyn
United States • December 2025
I had a wonderful experience with Risa and the crew- what a kind, caring, and hardworking group of people who I learned so much from, about myself and about horses, in only a couple of short weeks. So grateful!
Risa Roe &
Reply from Risa Roe &
Oh Maty everyone here absolutely adored you. You were so tough through the challenges and that my friend is something to be proud of. We all think of you and miss you! Happy Trails! Risa
Deniz Melissa
Deniz Melissa
Germany • December 2025
Caution: you will fall in love with this place! I spent almost three months at Laughing Horse, and it was better than I could have ever imagined. I got to live together with Risa & Adam, and they took such good care of me, it feels like I found a second home. Risa, I could always talk with you about everything, and I will definitely miss our late-night talks, the shopping sprees, and all the small adventures we both went on. Risa & Adam are both people you can always go and talk to, even when you have criticism, I really appreciated that. When I first got there, I was scared that I wouldn’t find connection, but the other Wwoofers welcomed me into their group, and I found friendships that I am so grateful for. The cohesion you build after some rough workdays is incomparable. I always felt appreciated when it came to work. Of course, some days were exhausting, but that is what you sign up for if you want to work at a barn. It was also the most peaceful thing to be working around horses every day. I learned a lot about how it is to run a boarding facility and all the work that comes with that. I really enjoyed Risa’s horsemanship and how she works together with her horses. She always tried to teach us something when she had time. One story that really stuck with me is when we both went to a camping ground and competed in a Pony Express! She guided me through it, and we had the best time ever. Love to Kelly, Kona, and Milo ( You'll love them) Thank you for everything
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Risa Roe &
Reply from Risa Roe &
We loved having you here!! It was so fun to have such a fun, positive and talented little horsewoman to hang out with. Your excellent work ethic and friendly personality will create everlasting success for you wherever you go! We are just so glad you came to see us! I will treasure our fun adventures and Pony Express Weekend forever, since we both got Belt Buckles to remind us of the weekend!
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