Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Ranch 201 (referred to as “we“, “us“, or “our in this policy) is a family-run ranch and the operator of the website ranch201.com. We are based in Croatia, with our location at Ranch 201, Irinovac 148, 47245 Rakovica, Croatia. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit our website or interact with our services. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy in compliance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect

We collect personal data that you provide directly to us, as well as some information automatically when you use our site. The types of information we may collect include:

• Information You Provide to Us:

  • Contact and Booking Inquiries: When you fill out a contact form or booking request on our site (such as the “Book Your Adventure” form or the Contact Us form), we collect the information you provide. This typically includes your name, email address, and the content of your message or any additional details you choose to share. We will use this information to respond to your inquiry or request and provide the services or information you asked for. We will not use the information you submit in these forms for any unsolicited marketing.

• Information We Collect Automatically:
  When you visit our site, certain data is collected automatically from your device and browser, subject to your cookie consent preferences:

  • Usage and Log Data: Our web servers automatically log basic information about your visit. This data may include your IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, the date and time of your visit, and the website that referred you to our site (if applicable). We collect this information to monitor the performance of our site, ensure security, and analyze general visitor behavior (such as which pages are most visited) in order to improve our content and user experience. This log data is generally not used to identify you as an individual, and we do not tie it to your name or contact information.

  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies (explained in more detail in the Cookies section below) to collect information about your interactions with our site. This can include information about the links you click, the pages you view, and how you navigate and use our website. For example, if you consent to analytics cookies, we may collect aggregated data on how long users stay on a page or which pages are popular. This helps us understand how our website is used and allows us to make improvements. We also use certain cookies to remember your preferences (such as your chosen language or cookie settings) so that you have a smoother experience on repeat visits.

We do not collect any sensitive personal information about you (such as financial information, identification numbers, or health data) through our website. The personal data we collect is typically limited to contact details and any information you choose to submit through forms or comments. If you simply browse our site without interacting with forms or comments, the information collected about you is limited to usage data and cookies, which are mostly non-identifying.

How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information collected for the following purposes:

• To Provide and Improve Our Services: We process the information you provide (like contact form details or booking requests) to fulfill your requests – for example, to answer your questions, schedule a ranch visit or horseback riding session you inquired about, or otherwise communicate with you about the services you seek from Ranch 201. We also use collected information to operate and maintain our website, ensuring that it functions properly and securely.

• To Communicate with You: We use your contact information (like your email or phone number) to respond to messages or inquiries you send us. If you reach out via our forms or email, we will reply using the contact details provided. We will not send you newsletters, promotional emails, or marketing communications unless you specifically request or consent to them. Our communications will be limited to responding to your direct requests or communications necessary to provide you with our services (for example, confirming a booking or answering questions about our ranch).

• To Display User Contributions: If you post a comment on our site (such as a blog comment or review), we use the information in that comment to publish it so that other visitors can read what you have shared. Your name (or the username you provided) will be displayed alongside your comment. If you have a profile image through Gravatar, it may be shown next to your comment as described above.

• To Ensure Security and Prevent Abuse: The automatically collected data (IP address, browser info, etc.) is used to help protect our website and users from malicious activity. For instance, we may use IP addresses and browser information to detect and block spam comments or hacker attempts. If you leave a comment, your IP and other metadata might be checked by an automated spam detection service to filter out spam or inappropriate content. This helps keep our website experience safe and pleasant for everyone.

• To Analyze and Improve Our Website: With your consent where required, we use analytics tools (and cookies) to gather information about how visitors use our site. This information helps us understand things like which pages are most popular, how users navigate through the site, and what websites or search terms bring visitors to our site. We use this insight to improve our website’s layout, content, and functionality over time. For example, if we notice many visitors are interested in our Gallery page, we might add more photos or videos. All analytics data is processed in an aggregate manner that does not focus on individual users.

• To Comply with Legal Obligations: In certain cases, we may need to process and retain your information to comply with laws or regulations. For instance, if there are financial transactions or record-keeping requirements (though our website currently does not handle payments, we note this generally), or if we are required by Croatian law or an EU regulation to retain certain data, we will do so. Additionally, if required, we may use or disclose information to respond to lawful requests by public authorities (e.g., for law enforcement purposes).

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like most websites, we use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect information about how our site is used. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your device (computer, smartphone, etc.) when you visit a website. Cookies serve a variety of functions, such as keeping you logged in, remembering your site preferences, and gathering analytics data.

How We Use Cookies: When you first visit our site, you will be presented with a cookie consent notice (banner) allowing you to choose which types of cookies you permit us to use. We respect your choices, and except for cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the site, we will not set cookies on your device without your consent. The cookies we use fall into the following categories:

• Essential (Functional) Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually set only in response to actions you take on our site, such as remembering your privacy preferences or providing functionality like the language selection. For example, since our site is offered in both English and Croatian, we may use a cookie to remember which language you prefer so that the site consistently shows content in that language. Essential cookies do not store any personally identifiable information and are always active because the site cannot function properly without them (for instance, certain cookies are used to enable core features like security and network management, or to save your cookie consent settings).

• Preference Cookies: These cookies allow our website to remember choices you have made in the past to provide a more personalized experience. A preference cookie might, for example, remember that you’ve filled out a form before so that certain details can be pre-filled, or it might remember other custom settings on our site. (In practice, our current use of preference cookies is minimal – the main “preference” we might store is your chosen language and possibly the acknowledgment of the cookie banner so it doesn’t keep appearing once you’ve made a choice.)

• Analytics (Statistics) Cookies: These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. We use analytics cookies only if you have accepted them. They collect data such as which pages you visit, how long you stay on a page, how you arrived at our site (e.g., via a search engine or a referring link), and other usage statistics. This information is aggregated and does not directly identify you. For instance, we might use Google Analytics or a similar tool to gather site usage information. The analytics cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. If you choose not to allow these cookies, we will respect that – your visit will not be tracked in our analytics program.

• Marketing (Advertising) Cookies: These cookies would be used to track visitors across websites and display ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user. They can also help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. Currently, we do not use any marketing or advertising cookies on ranch201.com. However, our site’s cookie management system includes a category for marketing cookies to accommodate any future use or third-party content that might set such cookies. If in the future we integrate features that involve advertising or re-targeting (for example, a Facebook Pixel for showing ads to people who visited our site), such cookies would only be activated with your explicit consent. For now, you might see a “Marketing” category in our cookie consent banner, but as of the effective date of this policy, we are not loading any advertising cookies on your browser.

When you consent to various cookie categories, those cookies will be stored on your device. You can change your mind at any time by using the “Manage Consent” link or button on our website (usually found in the footer or the cookie banner) to adjust your cookie preferences. Additionally, most web browsers allow you to control cookies through browser settings. You can set your browser to refuse certain cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. Please note, however, that if you disable or block certain cookies (especially essential ones), some features of our site may not function properly. For example, if you reject functional cookies, the site might not remember your language choice or might repeatedly show the cookie consent banner.

For more detailed information about the specific cookies used on our site (names, providers, duration, etc.), you can refer to our cookie consent tool which lists cookies by category. (On our site’s cookie banner or settings, you may find a “Read more” link that provides details about each cookie and its purpose.) We strive to keep that information up-to-date. If you have any questions about our use of cookies, feel free to contact us.

Third-Party Services and Links

Our website integrates or links to a few third-party services as part of its functionality and content. This section explains how those third-party services might handle your data:

• Website Hosting and Platform: Our site is built on the WordPress platform, which means our content and data are stored on servers of our web hosting provider. The hosting provider inevitably processes data such as IP addresses of visitors in order to serve the website. We have a contract with our hosting provider to ensure your data is handled securely and in compliance with privacy regulations. The hosting provider only processes data on our instructions and for the purpose of hosting the website. (We do not publicly name our hosting provider here, but we can provide that information if you contact us for more details.)

• Google Analytics: We may use Google Analytics (an online analytics service provided by Google LLC) to help us understand how visitors use our site, as described in the Cookies section. If activated, Google Analytics uses analytics cookies to collect information such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on pages. This data is transmitted to Google servers (which may be located outside the EU, e.g., in the United States) and aggregated for us. We have configured our analytics to anonymize IP addresses where possible, meaning Google will truncate the last octet of your IP address if you are in the EU or European Economic Area, before storing it. Google Analytics provides us with reports on website usage that we use to improve our services. 

• Social Media Links and Plugins: On our website, we provide links to our social media profiles, specifically Facebook and Instagram (you can find these in the “Follow Us” section of our pages). These are simple links – we do not embed any Facebook or Instagram widgets that automatically share data just by loading the page. Clicking on those links will take you to the respective third-party websites (Facebook or Instagram). Once you leave our site and go to those platforms, their own privacy policies and terms will apply. We do not share any of your personal data with Facebook or Instagram through our website, but those platforms might collect data from you (for example, through cookies or if you are logged into your Facebook/Instagram account) when you visit or interact with their sites.

• Google Maps: To help visitors find our location, we may provide a link to Google Maps (or in the future possibly embed a Google Maps widget) showing our ranch’s address. Right now, on our Contact page, the ranch address is linked to Google Maps. Clicking that link will take you to the Google Maps application or website. If we embed a Google Map on our site in the future, be aware that Google may collect your IP address and set a cookie when the map loads on the page. Any interactions with Google Maps (such as zooming in, getting directions, etc.) will be governed by Google’s privacy policy. Google’s Privacy Policy link is provided above.

• External Websites and Links: Our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by us (for example, tourism sites in the Plitvice area, or partners, or any external resources we think might be useful). If you click on an external link, you will be directed to that third-party site. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit through external links from our website. This Privacy Policy applies only to ranch201.com and services we provide directly through this site.

In all cases where we share data with third-party service providers (such as Google or Automattic) or link to third-party sites, we endeavor to do so in a way that respects your privacy. We do not sell your personal information to any third parties. Any third-party service providers we engage are bound by data processing agreements or terms that ensure they only use your data on our behalf and in line with applicable privacy laws.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We treat your personal information with care and confidentiality. We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal data to unrelated third parties for marketing or any other purposes. However, we may need to share your information in certain circumstances, as outlined below:

• Service Providers and Partners: We may share some personal data with trusted third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf. These include our website hosting company (which stores the data and files that make up our website), IT or security service providers (who might assist us in maintaining the website’s security and functionality), analytics providers (like Google Analytics, as discussed), or email service providers (for example, if our website sends an automatic email to confirm we received your message, that email might be sent via an email-sending service or our email hosting like Gmail/Google Workspace). In all such cases, these service providers are given only the information necessary to perform their specific service, and they are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify. For instance, if we use an email service to send messages, that service would use your email address only to send the communication and not for anything else.

• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities. For example, if Croatian law enforcement or a court issues a lawful subpoena or order requesting certain data, we may be compelled to comply after verifying the request. We may also share information when we believe, in good faith, that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

• Business Transfers: In the unlikely event that Ranch 201 undergoes a business transition such as a merger, acquisition by another company, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, personal data we have collected might be among the assets transferred. If such a transfer occurs, we will ensure that your information remains protected and inform you (for example, by posting a notice on our site) of any change in ownership or use of your personal data, as well as any choices you may have regarding your personal data as a result of the transfer.

• With Your Consent: In any situation where we would like to share your information for purposes other than those listed above, we will only do so if we have your explicit consent. For instance, if an opportunity arises for you to receive information from a local partner (e.g., a nearby hotel or tour service) and you expressly agree to have us share your contact details with them, only then would we do so. Unless you give permission, we will not share your personal data with any third-party for their own independent uses.

It’s important to note that any third parties that may receive your data in order to provide services (as processors) are also bound by strict obligations under GDPR and other laws to protect that data. We only work with third parties that give sufficient guarantees to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures in such a manner that processing will meet the requirements of the law and ensure the protection of your rights.

If you have questions about the specific third parties we use or need more detail on whom we might share data with in the course of operating our website and business, please contact us and we’ll be happy to provide more information.

Data Security

We take data security seriously and have implemented reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include using secure technologies (our site is accessed over HTTPS, which encrypts data in transit between your browser and our website), maintaining up-to-date software to reduce vulnerabilities, and restricting access to personal data to only those in our team or service providers who need to process it. For example, only authorized personnel at Ranch 201 (or our website administrator) can access the website’s backend where personal data might be stored, and they do so through secure authentication.

Despite our efforts, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. It is important that you also play a part in keeping your data secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and be cautious about the information you submit, especially on any public sections of the site like comments.

If we become aware of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.

Data Retention

We will retain your personal information only for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. In general:

• Contact Form and Inquiry Data: If you send us a message or booking inquiry through our website (or via email), we will retain the information you provided for as long as is necessary to respond to and complete your request. After we have fully addressed your inquiry or provided the service you requested, we may keep the correspondence on file for a certain period. This is often useful for reference if you contact us again, and for our own record-keeping. Typically, we might retain contact form submissions and email communications for up to one year (or longer if your inquiry leads to a booking or ongoing business relationship). We do not use this information for marketing, as mentioned, and you can request that we delete correspondence history if you wish (provided we do not need to keep it for legal reasons). If you simply inquire and do not actually use our services, we will generally not retain your information beyond a reasonable time needed to see if you have further questions.

• Comments: If you leave a comment on our site, the comment and its associated metadata (such as the time, your name, and possibly the IP address stored for spam check) are retained indefinitely by default. We keep comments indefinitely because they form part of the public discussion on our site – for example, a comment on a blog post stays up so that future readers can see the full conversation. This also helps us recognize and automatically approve any follow-up comments from you, instead of holding them for moderation each time. However, if you wish to have a comment you posted removed, you can contact us and request deletion, and we will remove your comment(s) from public view (unless there is an overriding legitimate reason for us to keep it, which is uncommon). Note that if a comment is removed, we might still retain a backup of it in our website database or backups for a short period until those backups are cycled out.

• Analytics Data: Any analytics data collected (via cookies or logs) is generally aggregated and anonymized. Google Analytics data, for instance, is retained for a period we determine in our Google Analytics settings. We currently do not keep analytics data longer than necessary for trend analysis – a typical retention period for Google Analytics might be 14 months, after which Google automatically deletes the old data. In any case, analytics reports only show aggregate information. Raw web server logs that include IP addresses are usually rotated and deleted periodically by our hosting provider; these might be kept for a few weeks to a few months for server troubleshooting and security monitoring, then automatically purged. We will not retain IP addresses or other usage data longer than necessary for these purposes.

• Subscriber/Account Data: (For completeness, noting that currently our site does not have user accounts or subscriptions.) If in the future we allow user registrations (e.g., an account to book rides or leave reviews), any personal information in your profile would be retained as long as your account exists. If such functionality were added and later you deleted your account (or requested deletion), we would remove personal information from the active database, but keep minimal information as needed for legal compliance or legitimate business purposes (like keeping a record that an account existed or to honor an opt-out). Since we do not have this feature now, this is just a note for potential future services.

In summary, we do not keep personal data indefinitely unless it serves a continuing purpose. When your personal information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it. For example, old inquiries that have been resolved and are no longer needed may be periodically deleted from our email inbox and/or the website’s database (if they were stored there).

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Data Controller: Ranch 201 (Plitvice Horseback Riding)
Address: Irinovac 148, 47245 Rakovica, Croatia
Email: ranchh201@gmail.com
Phone: +385 99 447 1388

You can reach out to us by email or phone. Email is usually the quickest way to get a response for privacy-related inquiries. We will endeavor to respond to your questions or fulfill your requests regarding your data promptly and courteously.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, to incorporate new services or features, or to ensure compliance with new legal requirements. When we make changes, we will post the updated Privacy Policy on this page and update the “Effective Date” at the top. If the changes are significant, we may also provide a more prominent notice (such as a notification on our homepage or a direct email notification if appropriate).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting the personal information we collect. Your continued use of the ranch201.com website after any modifications to this Policy will constitute your acknowledgment of the changes and agreement to abide and be bound by the updated Policy.

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Thank you for taking the time to read our Privacy Policy. We value your trust and are committed to protecting your personal data while you enjoy discovering Ranch 201 and our horseback riding adventures. If anything in this Policy is unclear or if you have further questions, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist. Your privacy matters to us, and we want you to feel comfortable and safe when using our website. Safe travels and happy riding!