Bootcamp for dudes

Tucked away on 10,000 acres in the Santa Barbara wine country, The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort has played host to city slickers and celebs since 1946 (Clark Gable was an early guest). Now, you can see a bit of Alisal's more challenging side: Bootcamp.

Rough it alongside accomplished equestrians and expert wranglers on 2009 Bootcamps designed for and dubbed Cowgirls, Couples, or Mother/Daughter. The three-night, four-day adventures are all inclusive and combine the best of wild west culture with the adventures of working on a real cattle ranch.

Upcoming dates: Mother/Daughter Bootcamp (Feb. 26-Mar. 1); Cowgirl Bootcamp (May 3-6); Couples Bootcamp (Oct. 22-25). For more, click on the link above.

For which we are thankful

Thanksgiving, 2008

As snow begins to fall in the high country, those who love the world of ranching are reminded of so many good things.
-Green pastures in spring.
-The beauty and grace of a horse.
-The sudden appearance of wildflowers in the mountains and deserts.
-Snow falling on hay bales.
-The warm comraderie between dude ranch guests, wranglers, counselors, and ranchers.
-For ranchers, the joy of being able to share their passions and love of their special world with their guests.
-And most of all: the good fortune to work or play in a place that nourishes both body and soul.

Tips for Moms: answering your kids' ranch questions

One question every kid will ask his parents about the ranch they choose to visit is: "Will there be any kids my age there?" At Lost Valley Ranch, just southwest of Denver, owner Bob Foster hears that question a lot. His answer?

"With 90 guests/ 24 families, we get a lot of kids across age groups, so there's always "somebody their age" here," notes Foster. The ranch takes babies and offers babysitting and cares for 3-5 year-olds (in a group setting), so the parents get some free time. They divide rides and many activities by age groups, so kids and teens are with their peers. And there are lots of options. "You can't push a kid into a program," claims Foster. "They want choices."

More importantly, the supervisors (or 'supes') of the children and teens at Lost Valley Ranch are hand-picked. "I personally visit with all our potential staffers," says Foster, "I like to look 'em in the eye." His goal: to hire young people who have a passion for working with children and teenagers. "Finding people who really enjoy working with kids—that's our number one job," Foster says.

 It must be working—this will be their 49th year in the dude and guest ranching business. 

Dude and guest ranches with Women's Weeks

I'm not the best rider in the West, so I've always wanted a program where I could brush up my riding skills, learn more about horses (what are they thinking when their ears prick up?), and maybe get a little girly pampering, too. Several ranches now have programs that offer that kind of thing; classes are kept small and usually last a week.

Take Tanque Verde Ranch's Women of the West clinic, for example. You check into comfy casitas, dive into a week of horse training classes, and at the end of each day you sit around a campfire and get entertained by horse trainer Tom Chambers (he's also a singer and western music composer). On the last day, the gals are treated to a professional massage at the spa, plus Dom Perignon Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries!

Chambers says the goal is to let riders experience "that magic place in time that I call harmony with horses!" Yep, but you all experience some pretty nice pampering, too.  Tanque Verde's Women of the West has six clinics in 2009 (start dates Jan. 31; Feb. 28; Ap. 18; Oct. 3; Nov. 7; Dec. 12); click here for the website. 

More ranches with women's week programs: ARIZONA: Flying E Ranch; Kay El Bar. WYOMING: Firehole Ranch; Paradise Guest Ranch.

Dude and guest ranches geared to families

Last week's post (Tips for Moms: Selecting a ranch for kids) just touched on a subject blog readers always want to know more about: how to find the perfect ranch suited to your children and the family's needs. 

Our partner site, Ranchweb.com, breaks out their list of North American ranches into helpful categories, from those with children's trail riding (including Arizona's Rancho de los Caballeros) to guest ranches and resorts with teen programs (as at Colorado's Wilderness Trails Ranch); to ranches that let kids eat together with other children (as at New York's Rocking Horse Dude Ranch Resort).

And some ranches have fine-tuned their children's programs over decades. Take California's Rankin Ranch, for example. Founded in 1863 (click to see the ranch in pictures), the ranch history runs deep and the Rankin family delights in sharing this history with guests. Their supervised children's program for ages 4-11 provides activities throughout the day: treasure hunts to nature walks, arts and crafts fun, talent shows, toy boat building and racing. Each evening, everyone enjoys visiting Sarah's Farm to feed and pet the calves, chickens, pigs, and sheep. Plan ahead: the ranch is open March-September.