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Rating Horseback Riding Vacations At Dude Ranches
ude ranches in general participate often. If they don't,
have a bad reputation among then riding cannot be all that
many of those who are truly important in their program.
interested in riding and Family ranches with an
horsemanship. This is true of established history are generally
many dude ranches which cater to a better bet than ones which have
a clientele knowing little about only been offering horseback
horses or riding and offer a riding vacations for a few years.
pseudo western vacation where
square dances, wranglers with big
hats, hay rides and cookouts are 2. THE HORSES - Do the horses
the main attractions. Not all used at the dude ranch belong to
ranches are like that and they the ranch itself or are they
are as contrasting in character rented? Many ranches rent horses
and philosophy as the during the season only and are
individualistic types who run often unfamiliar with the horses
them. If serious horseback riding they get at the start of the
on fine horses is your main season. They have little control
interest, here are some important over the quality of these animals
points to consider in seeking the and rented horses are usually not
dude ranch which will best suit of top quality. It is certainly
you. the cheapest option for a dude
ranch with a comparatively short
1. OWNER ATTITUDE - Do the dude season and requires little
ranch owners or managers ride investment, but it is not likely
personally with their guests or to produce as good a string as
do they feel they have more the horses which have been
important things to do? If carefully selected over the years
horseback riding is a top or raised and trained on a ranch.
priority with them, they will If a dude ranch has its own
horses and many or all of them better three horses per serious
have been raised and trained riding client.
there, it shows a real commitment
to an excellent riding program. 4. TERRAIN AND LOCATION - Dude
It is also a pleasure for many ranches vary greatly in the kind
guests to see newly born foals, of terrain they have for
stallions, brood mares and young horseback riding. Some are
horses in training. If the ranch surrounded by flat, uninteresting
has a broad selection of country. Sometimes the ground is
different breeds and types, you very rocky and there are few
are more likely to find the horse places where one can ride safely
that suits you. at any speed. There are superbly
beautiful locations in steep
3. CLIENT/HORSE RATIO - A vital mountain valleys which severely
factor to consider is the limit the possible rides which
client/horse ratio. If a dude are on steep and rocky trails or
ranch has only one horse per up and down the valley. Some dude
client, the horses are going to ranches can ride in every
be exhausted long before the end direction with a great variety of
of the season unless they are terrain from mountains and forest
used very lightly. A hard riding to alpine meadows and sagebrush
cowboy will need half a dozen plains. Others are very limited
horses used in rotation so that by steep mountains, highways and
they can be fresh enough to work no trespass neighbors. Some
well for months on end. Guests ranches are far from paved roads
are unlikely to ride that hard, and signs of civilization, but
but if they are going to put a others are located near highways
horse through its paces and cover and have buildings nearby. Some
some ground in rough country, dude ranches have rides in
they will need at least two or pristine wilderness areas and
others have fences, traffic this properly a ranch must not
noises, paved roads, houses near only get the riders own
the riding trails and numerous assessment beforehand, but also
hikers. It is important to find evaluate them on the spot. In
out how favorable the ground will this way a ranch can avoid having
be for the kind of riding you skilled riders bored and
want to do. inexperienced ones terrified. If
a ranch has a broad selection of
5. PACE OF RIDES - Few ranches horses, it is of the utmost
today allow riders to gallop importance to match the rider to
around freely. Liability issues the most suitable mounts. The
have become too important and it most spirited and highly trained
can be hard on horses. Many horses would quickly be ruined by
ranches do not want riders to get inexperienced riders who would be
out of a walk and others go no in jeopardy on their backs.
faster than a trot. Rides can
move at a faster pace safely if 6. TACK - It is vitally important
they are kept small and it is that the tack should be
important to find out how big the comfortable for both riders and
riding groups will be. Some dude horses. Does the dude ranch have
ranches will take up to twenty a broad selection of saddles? Are
people together regardless of they careful to select a saddle
their experience. Others will which will not have uncomfortable
send out groups of six or less pressure points on a horse? The
carefully matched according to rider can tell you if the saddle
ability which allows guests to does not suit, but the horse
ride to the top of their ability. cannot. A poorly fitting saddle
Determining ability is vital in can cause a horse to buck or act
putting guests in the most strangely and detract greatly
suitable group for them. To do from the riding experience. Is
care taken to give each horse a the least skillful rider in the
bit which suits him and is fitted group. C) Each rider should get
properly? The best procedure is careful instructions in how to
to have a separate bridle for handle this particular horse. A
each horse. Obviously the rider who is not in control of
equipment must be well maintained his horse can endanger others as
and headstalls, reins, girths and well as himself. D) All ride
latigoes checked and replaced leaders should be well qualified,
periodically. have first aid training and be
attentive to all the riders with
7. Safety - If you are enjoying them. E) It is a vital safety
your life, safety should be a feature that ride leaders should
major consideration. Never ride have quick communications to
without a hard hat. After 65 summon help in case of an
years of serious riding, at least accident. Having a good plan in
a hundred falls and seeing and place beforehand can save
studying many accidents, I have precious time. F) It is important
developed some ideas about how to to see that cinches are properly
reduce danger. Like most of the tightened, neither too loose nor
world's exciting sports, too tight. They should be checked
horseback riding has inherent before the rider mounts and again
risks. They can never be after a few minutes of riding
eliminated, but they can be since horses often puff up at the
minimized without losing much of start. G) The ride leader needs
the potential thrill and to be alerted to and aware of
pleasure. Here are some of the hazards like badger holes,
ways to reduce risk: A) Match the quicksand, down barbed wire and
horse and the rider carefully. B) potential scares which might
The pace of the ride should be spook horses from game like
slow enough for the ability of moose, elk, bear and deer. H) As
is the case with people, a small approach. Some ranches have about
percentage of horses cause most the same feeling for a horse that
of the accidents. Safety they do for a motor bike and
conscious dude ranches will be others treat their horses like
vigilant in getting rid of loved members of the family.
potential problems. They cannot
do this if they are not familiar 9. Working Ranches - Some dude
with the horses they have. That ranches have their own working
is one reason why owning, raising cattle operation and others get
and training them on the ranch is all their income from paying
best. I) Head accidents are guests. Working cattle in
probably the worst kind. Wearing partnership with a good horse in
a hard hat greatly reduces the the traditional Western sense can
danger of them. One has to decide be an exciting and rewarding
whether a pseudo Western experience. In many parts of the
experience with a Marlboro style West it is still the best way to
hat is worth the risk. Most dude move cattle from one part of a
ranches allow riders to ride range to another and to round
without hard hats, but some do them up in the fall. Remember
not. that there is a big difference
between rounding up cattle over a
8. Attitude to Horses - Ranches wide grazing area with varied
have totally different terrain and driving a herd of
philosophies toward handling and cows down a dusty road at a slow
training horses. Training can pace. Some ranches have authentic
range from the often brutal, hell chances to work cattle and others
for leather methods of the old stage it purely for the guests.
West to the gentle persuasion of If team penning or team sorting
the Linda Tellington-Jones is something you want to try,
(WWW.horseplaza.com) TTouch check to see if the dude ranch
offers this opportunity. had stiff requirements for ride
leaders in France. A good
10. Pack Trips - If the dude wrangler needs not only to know
ranch is near a national forest, how to ride well, but they should
it may offer the opportunity to be attentive to those behind them
take a pack trip into the and their problems. Sensitivity
wilderness for an overnight or to riders and horses is the great
more. These wilderness trips can virtue, not macho strength.
be a marvelous experience and
provide a chance to bond with the 12. Instruction - The horses at
horses who will be your close each dude ranch are trained in a
companions throughout the trip. particular way which may not be
You will see country which would the kind of riding you are used
be difficult to visit in any to. For instance, if you are a
other way. Keep in mind that this dressage rider, you will need to
is usually not an opportunity for adapt to the dude ranch horses.
fast riding as pack horses should They cannot be retrained for the
usually go at a walk and trails week you are there. Most places
are often steep and rocky. will give at least some basic
orientation as to how they expect
11. Wranglers - America has been you to handle the horses. Some
late in setting up instruction will offer instruction from
programs for wranglers, but the qualified riding instructors
Certified Horsemen's Association which can be videotaped for your
now has an excellent program to later viewing to get the best
instruct potential ride leaders. results. If you are not familiar
The British Horse Society has with the approved style of riding
excellent instruction programs at the dude ranch you visit, you
for many years and the Federation will be more comfortable and get
Francaise d'Equitation has long more out of the riding with a few
hours of instruction. On some ideal country for horses. Few
ranches the horses are used to places can rival the Rocky
having their riders post the Mountain West for riding
trot. Other places just expect holidays.
riders to sit in the saddle and
bounce along. Copyright 2005 Bayard Fox and
Equitours, Ltd.
At their best, dude ranches can
provide a superb horse riding This work is licensed under a
experience now impossible in many Creative Commons
parts of this highly developed Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
planet. The scenery is http://creativecommons.org/licens
spectacular, the air is clean and es/by-nd/2.5/
the climate excellent. It is
About the Author:
Bayard Fox has been riding for 70 years on six continents and has ridden enough miles to circle the globe several times. He is owner and founder of Equitours Worldwide Horseback Riding Vacations http://www.ridingtours.com. He and his wife also own the Bitterroot Dude Ranch http://www.bitterrootranch.com where they raise horses.
Source: www.isnare.com
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