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