Horse care and gardening in Idaho
Idaho
Greetings!
Hello! Thanks for checking us out! The openings I currently have are:
-January or Early February Arrival to Early March.
June arrival (2 month stay)
Keep in mind our Summer dates fill up fast.
For the Summer months, those of you requesting at least a 2 month stay will have a priority in booking.
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
Risa Roe &
Member since 2018
Languages spoken:
English
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 95%
Response time: typically within 3 days
Idaho
BOI airport is only 10 minutes drive.
Reviews
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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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
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!
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
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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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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Jocelyn
United States
•
December 2025
I arrived here in early October, planning to stay until December, but left in early November. This was my first WWOOF experience. From the start, I didn’t feel welcome. The atmosphere was tense, with constant negativity from the hosts, making me feel like I had to walk on eggshells. Groceries were often delayed, and riding opportunities were limited because most horses we could ride were taken to the hosts’ house. When I tried to respectfully raise concerns about appreciation and ride time, Risa responded defensively and insulted me in front of others, even suggesting I ride a dangerous horse in a way that felt deliberately harmful. After realizing I couldn’t have a constructive conversation with her, I decided to leave. When I informed her, she blocked me from group chats, preventing me from saying goodbye. A private health matter was also brought up in front of others. Following this, I decided to leave the next day. Despite challenges with the hosts, interactions with fellow WWOOFers, farm workers, and the horses were positive.
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Reply from Risa Roe &
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m sorry that this placement did not meet your expectations.
This is a working horse property, and the experience varies significantly by season. Jocelyn stayed during a particularly demanding fall transition period, when the focus shifts to winter preparation and essential daily responsibilities. While recreational riding can sometimes be offered, it is not guaranteed and is always secondary to safety, weather, horse availability, and workload.
When Jocelyn raised concerns about feeling unappreciated, I made efforts to explain the situation and the limitations at that time. Unfortunately, the conversation became difficult, and Jocelyn chose to leave with no notice, which created challenges for the remaining team. For that reason, I removed her from internal communication threads to reduce disruption, not to exclude or punish.
I take the safety and well-being of both people and animals very seriously. Any suggestions regarding horse handling or riding are always made with experience and safety in mind, and participation is optional.
I’ve hosted WWOOFers for many years and have consistently received positive feedback from volunteers who value clear expectations, teamwork, and adaptability. This experience highlights the importance of matching individual expectations with the realities of a working ranch, particularly during high-demand seasons.
I wish Jocelyn the best in finding a placement that better aligns with her need
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Julianne
United States
•
September 2025
Great experience! Being around the horses, cats, dogs and getting fresh air and working hard were just what I was looking for out of the experience. Sammy the cat that lives in the office is the sweetest cat (Shoshone downstairs is a sweetheart too). The dogs were such great companions and loved to escort us while doing chores haha Plenty of chances to ride and plenty of adventures to live life and enjoy the moment. We went on trail rides, went to rodeos, learned to swing dance (lots of country music! lol).
I expected to get sweaty and dirty (and sunburned since it was summer) but I didn't expect how much better showers felt and food tasted while I was there! I really felt like I earned being clean after working hard and and earned my meals (they just tasted so much better!).
I do wish I'd brought my car since I don't live that far (Seattle) and only one WWOOFer has a car currently, so if you live at [Risa's] house want to go to the barn (separate property where most of the horses are) after work to cuddle the horses on your off time, you'll have to arrange a ride with someone (usually the options were Risa, Judi or the WWOOFer with a car). If they weren't available (everyone has lots of things going on) then uber would be the next option (the house and barn are about 10 minutes apart)
Overall fantastic experience! Definitely recommend for more than a month (you'll have more time to adjust and really have plenty of time to enjoy living in the moment!
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Reply from Risa Roe &
Julianne, Thank you so much for the thoughtful and positive review. We loved having you here! Happy Trails!! Risa
Lia
France
•
August 2025
If you want an incredible expérience surrounded by good people, horses and so much more, this place is for you. Risa is a remarkable host, she's kind, open-minded and patient. The other wwoofers were amazing and I had the best time of my life there. We would work in the morning (from 6 to 12, sometimes less if there are many wwoofers), mucking stalls, filling waters, cleaning water troughs, weeding and other projects, and then the afternoons were free! There are so many activities you can do : dancing, horse riding, singing, climbing, swimming in the pool, going to the Hot Springs or to the river... This will be the most unforgettable trip of my life. I loved every part of it. Thank you Risa, again, for such a wonderful opportunity. I'll definitely come back!
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Reply from Risa Roe &
Lia it was great to have you here at the farm! You were always all smiles and sunshine! With your great attitude, beautiful spirit and great work ethic, you will have success wherever you may go! We all miss you greatly and hope you will return again someday! Happy Trails!
