February 11th, 2011 by 4ur admin
The horses at our Family Dude Ranch in Creede Colorado are patiently awaiting the arrival of spring. For them, spring means fresh grass and the advent of summer. Summer means parents and children and hours on the trail and in the ring.
All of the horses (and two mules) at our Colorado Dude Ranch are shown below, introduced by our head wrangler Damon Gibbons. The video was shot on a glorious winter day, cold and crisp and clear.
Click on the link for a virtual tour of our horse herd.
October 30th, 2010 by 4ur admin
Do you dream of running through a field of tall green grass on horseback, with the wind in your face?
We’ll help you realize that dream when you spend a week at our Colorado Dude Ranch. Spend your winter dreaming, and make those dreams a reality during the summer of 2011. Our horseback riding program is geared toward realizing our guests horseback riding dreams.
Turn your horseback riding dreams into reality.
August 17th, 2010 by 4ur admin
Do you dream of riding horses?
If so, a week at our Colorado dude ranch will make your dream a reality.
Whether you have never been near a horse or grew up riding every day, you’ll find your Dude Ranch Vacation to be an unforgettable experience. Our wranglers, lead by Damon Gibbons, will educate you on how to ride a horse with respect and gratitude. You’ll ride up into mountains and down into valleys, communicating with the horse under you as you go.
Let 2010 be the year you go after your dream. Contact our vacation ranch today.
Reconnect with nature by riding a horse.
October 27th, 2009 by 4ur admin
We were glad that the grasses were high this summer, and the spring was wet. This helps us keep the horses happy and healthy all year long. When the horses can supplement their usual diet with natural-grown grasses in the valley, this makes it easier to keep them well through the cold winters up here. Damon, the head wrangler here at our Colorado Dude Ranch will keep the horses happy and warm through the snow.
We are so glad to have Damon, someone who cares so deeply for horses and horsemanship, to take care of our herd over the winter. He will ensure that all our mounts are in great shape for when our guests start arriving for their Rocky Mountain Vacations in June. We have a diverse group of horses that are alive and ready to bring you on a memorable adventure during a steak ride deep into our valley, or gingerly introduce our junior wranglers into the world of riding.
We offer a variety of rides, including daily trail rides for both kids and adults. There is no way you could feel like there is not enough riding! We have morning and afternoon rides every day, as well as meal rides like the breakfast ride, the steak ride and the fish fry. The fish fry is definitely one of our favorite events; there’s nothing quite like eating delicious fried trout in the great Colorado outdoors! We take care of everything for you – food, drink and even music. We trailer the horses home so that you don’t need to worry about enjoying a glass of wine or a cold beer after your ride.
With the help of Damon and the great staff of wranglers we have every summer, we strive to make our Western Vacations enjoyable, but we also want to teach our guests a little about our natural horsemanship practices.
September 1st, 2009 by 4ur admin
The ranch here at Wagon Wheel Gap has been a destination for over 100 years. In the 19th Century, the valley was a popular because of our natural hot springs. The appeal expanded to fisherman, seeing how plentiful fish were in clear, clean Goose Creek.
However, owners Pete and Lindsey are avid equestrians, and once they became the caretakers of 4UR ranch, they were excited to integrate an active horse program into their Rocky Mountain Vacation destination.
Now, 4UR Ranch has a thriving Natural Horsemanship program that is spearheaded by head Wrangler Damon Gibbons. Because of his dedication to the animals, riders reap the benefits.
Remember how much you love Riding, or learn what it's all about in 4UR's Equestrian Program
When you ride with Damon and our other wranglers, be prepared to learn some new techniques for interacting with your horse. He and the other wranglers will help you learn the basics of approaching and mounting a horse, if you are new to the saddle. If you have been cutting cows and bending barrels for years, than be prepared to enjoy some active rides over the wild Colorado landscape during your Western Vacation.
We also want to share with the children the tenements of natural horsemanship. So many boys and girls are in love with horses, or the idea of horses, without actually knowing anything about what it really takes to be a rider. We help your children to understand what it means to be an equestrian.
At the end of the week, we have a “kiddie rodeo”, where the kids get to show off the skills they learned over the week with their wrangler. It is a fun time for them and their families, and one of the events that makes a visit to our Colorado Dude Ranch so memorable.
April 8th, 2009 by 4ur admin
Skilled wranglers at our Colorado dude ranch
The smell of dust and clean earth in your nose. The warm nuzzle of a velvety horse nose against your arm and the sun on your back. Welcome back to nature; welcome back to the wild at 4UR Ranch, one of the most unique locations in North America for Dude Ranch Vacations.
Not only will you ride through our 4000 acre ranch in the Goose Creek Valley of Southwestern Colorado during unforgettable trail rides, but you will also be learning about Horsemanship and the nature of a horse with our head wrangler Damon Gibbons.
Don’t just jump on the back of an animal for an hour and trot along without really knowing what you are doing. Become part of your dude ranch experience! We will teach you how to interact with your horse: how to mount him or her correctly, how to check the cinch on your saddle and the basics to feel confident on your trusty steed!
4UR Ranch also offers a great kids equestrian program, which helps to make us a premier family Dude ranch.
For all of you that have had a vision of yourself on horseback, galloping through an open field in the crisp beauty of the West, we can make that happen for you!
With our location in the San Juan Mountains at the headwaters of the Rio Grande, we have a riding experience for both old and young, expert and beginner. Our Horsemanship and Horseback riding programs are just one of many reasons to make 4UR Ranch the destination of your family ranch vacation.
