Dude or guest ranches as they are also called have become increasingly more popular over the years and there are now so many to choose from, it can be difficult and confusing to find the one that offers just what you are looking for to make your horse vacation all you have dreamed of.
Before you book your vacation at a dude ranch it is important to do the research right to avoid a week of chaos and disappointment.
- What are your expectations?
Are you looking for a trip filled with action where you run the horses across the fields and round up cattle or are you looking for a relaxing fun week with the family?
Some dude ranches offer both aspects with extensive riding programs as well as great programs for the kids, but most are primarily family oriented with the whole week planned out for you and your family. If you are a more experienced rider and travel without small children, look for ranches that offer a riding experience for your level as a rider. All dude ranches have extensive rules and regulations due to insurance and liability, which limits what you can and can’t do with and around the horses and elsewhere on the ranch. Make sure you know these rules to avoid disappointment upon arrival.
- Traveling with children
You want your child to have a great and safe experience with the horses, which is why you want to make sure the facility has trained staff ready to offer a safe environment for the kids. If you or any of your family members have never been around or on horses it is recommendable to prepare from home by going to the local barn and invest in a few riding lessons. Basic horsemanship lessons and riding lessons for beginners are offered at most ranches, but common horse sense can be learned at the barn at home and will give the kids a great head start before going to the ranch.
- Let the wranglers do their job
Even if you have been around horses and believe you know what you are doing, you still need to let the wranglers at the ranch assess your riding ability on their horses. They might use different techniques than you are used to and there is no reason to argue how they do things. The wranglers take out riders of all levels for a living and they care about the horses and hate to see horses and riders hurt because of an overconfident rider. All a know-it-all attitude will get you is a week on one of the old beginner horses, which will have the experienced rider bored to tears by day two. Respect the horses and the wranglers, help them if they ask you to and otherwise step back and let them do their job.
