DUDE RANCH VACATION WITH
OUTSTANDING HORSEBACK RIDING |
 Approved by the
British Horse Society |
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Woming dude ranches have an amazing variety of terrain.
Dude ranches in Wyoming often offer some fast riding instead of nose to tail walking in big groups.
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Horseback Riding at Dude Ranches – Dude ranches have generally earned bad marks among equestrians for real horseback riding vacations. This article on Selecting a Dude Ranch Riding Program will help you choose the most appropriate riding program for your needs. The Bitterroot Ranch has worked hard to perfect all aspects of its horse vacations for 40 years. It belongs to the owners of Equitours and has nearly 150 fine horses under saddle for your enjoyment. The ranch only takes about 30 guests at a time and you will find a broad choice of happy horses which are carefully selected to meet your particular requirements. Riding groups are kept small and composed according to the skill of the riders. The terrain is extremely varied with few signs of civilization and there are no paved roads in any direction for over 15 miles. Views of snow capped mountains on the Continental Divide are ever changing and absolutely spectacular. Horses are rotated often to keep them fresh and you can expect to have at least three different mounts during your stay.
Video Tour of the Bitterroot Ranch - See the ranch and hear what our guests have to say about their stay.
Working Dude Ranch – This is a working cattle ranch as well as a dude ranch and you will have frequent opportunities for cattle drives and roundups during the summer when the ranch cows are grazing in the adjacent national forest. This forest is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem which is the largest wild area left in the lower 48 states, providing a vast area of unspoiled country for your horseback riding pleasure. Ranch guests can try their hand at cutting cows in weekly team sorting competitions. Many find that the teamwork between horse and rider provides a new dimension to the riding experience.
Riding Horses – The Bitterroot also raises and trains horses as well as having cattle. Guests can see the purebred Arabian stallions and brood mares and play with new born foals. The ranch Arabians are bred for their even temperament and sensible dispositions as well as their beauty and endurance. There are also many Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Mustangs and other breeds which have been carefully chosen over the years. Every effort is made to match the rider with the most suitable horses which is so important to the enjoyment of riding. Many of the ranch horses can jump and there is a course of over 60 jumps for advanced riders. The Ranch is an ideal place for a horseback riding vacation at many levels.
Lessons and Clinics – You have the option of twice weekly, video taped lessons from certified riding instructors. Donna Snyder-Smith, one of the country’s most successful instructors, gives a week long clinic which consists of lessons in the morning and riding out in the afternoon. Linda Tellington-Jones has been doing a week long clinic for many years teaching people how to start young horses. The horses raised at the ranch have all been trained using her gentle and amazingly successful techniques. A week at the ranch is a great way to hone the skills which make an overseas riding trip more enjoyable and safer.
Lodging and Accommodations – Guests stay in comfortable log cabins on either side of the river which are situated for privacy and to afford magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. Meals are taken in the main lodge and particular attention is paid to the cuisine and wines served. Wine is also served at the cocktail hour between 6 and 7.
Bitterroot Ranch
This 176 page book with beautiful color pictures describes the area's history from pre-Columbian times through the mountain men and early ranching to modern activities, the geology, the flora and fauna and much more. Bayard Fox, owner of the Bitterroot and founder of Equitours, has written the text. Reading it will make your visit to Wyoming dude ranches in this area more meaningful.
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