If your ideal vacation spot includes beautiful scenery, lively action, and fine horses, consider visiting a guest ranch. In the past, guest—or dude — ranches were known for their sedate trail rides tailored to city slickers in brand-new boots.
Today, however, many ranches are adapting to include rides that will keep savvy riders active and interested.
Here, we’ve put together our pick of riding-vacation destinations where you can ride fast, traverse serious terrain, learn to work cattle, or even participate in a real cattle drive. These ranches, recommended by the Dude Ranchers’ Association and as a result of our editors’ own travel experiences, have horses to match your riding level.
While most ranches don’t allow you to bring your own horse (for their herd’s safety), they work to keep their horses tuned up and ready to do more than simply follow.
Read on to find out where you can do some real horseback riding at guest ranches.
Bonanza Creek Country
This 25,000-acre Martinsdale, Montana, ranch is home to a herd of 1,500 cattle—plus all the horses necessary to take care of them. Eight to 12 guests per week are invited to join in on the family’s ranch work. The Voldseth family has owned the ranch since 1877, and the current owners are direct descendants.
Riding requirements: Because the challenging terrain around the ranch requires riders to have genuine know-how, this ranch accepts only intermediate-level and above riders.
“Good riders like to ride with other good riders,” says owner June Voldseth. She adds that many of the ranch’s guests are horse owners.
Riders must be able to canter outside an arena to help gather and move cattle. Most rides offer some fast-paced riding, but speed can be limited due to the mountainous terrain.
Esta historia es de la edición Fall 2019 de Horse and Rider.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición Fall 2019 de Horse and Rider.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A Horseback High
Riding vacations can be found around the world, and here are five bucket list rides in the United States
JOIN THE CLUB!
Riding clubs of all forms can be found across the country. What should you look for when choosing—or starting—a club of your own? We asked three club leaders to share their insights
Help Is (Sometimes) Only a Phone Call Away!
Do you depend on over-the-phone advice from your veterinarian? Here's what you need to know about telehealth to help you understand what you can, and can't, expect
REPLACING FEAR WITH CURIOSITY
Horses have both flight and investigative behaviors but not at the same time. Learn how to help your horse switch to curiosity when his flight instincts kick in, and how to put the brakes on when he's already gone
Ranch Riding Mares
Evaluate and place these performance mares. Then see how your choices compare to our expert judge's.
An Empty Stall
The loss of a horse leads to a new landscape of managing emotions and moving forward
Strengthen Your Mental Game
Prepare your mind for peak performances with your horse by implementing these tips from reining trainer Shane Brown
Burning Off the Fresh
Whether your horse has gone unridden due to a health problem, the weather, or your schedule, a thoughtful process can keep everyone safe during his return to work
Return to Exercise Slowly
If you’ve been turned out to pasture for a while, as the result of injury or just a busy life, return to exercise in a safe and steady way
Ground Tying for Ranch Trail
There are many reasons to teach your horse how to safely ground tie