When RockCrawlinChef and I went to Yellowstone, I booked us a two-hour ride with Hell's A-Roarin' Outfitters.
We drove up through Jardin, MT, which had kind of a Deliverance feel to it (no offense to anyone who lives there). We definitely felt the "grrr...outsiders" vibe driving through. In their defense, they probably get a whole lot of people drive through their town during tourist season. So the looks we got may not have been "grrr...outsiders", but "grrr...tourist season". I can say I've felt that myself come the end of May when I find myself driving up Highway 7 behind a bunch of flatlanders tourists.
The ranch is beautiful and we were greeted warmly by the ranch dog.
And the ranch cat, who was the coolest colored cat I'd ever seen.
It's been a long time since I've been back in the dude string. Luckily, the dude string consisted of me and RCC. Had to give up a little bit of control for that; interesting feeling.
They put us up on two of the biggest dang draft horses I've ever seen. Now, I thought my perception may have been skewed because Estes is only 14.2 hands. I realized that my perception was right on when our wrangler looked at us and said, "those are some big horses." RCC laughed and told me that I looked so "little" up there on the big horse.
Our ride through the Gallatin forest was beautiful. Our wrangler was funny and easy going. He'd just arrived at the ranch as summer help and we were his first ride. I wanted to tell him that we would be the easiest, least demanding ride he was going to take out all season. Neither of us are afraid of horses or riding up and down hills. When my stirrups got uncomfortable (about ten seconds into the ride), I just slipped my feet out of the stirrups and rode without. He did notice and watched me out of the corner of his eyes for a few minutes, but didn't say anything about me riding stirrup-less.
I have a ton of pictures to post, but Blogger's still not playing nice with pictures. Grrr...
I would recommend without hesitation Hell's A-Roarin' Outfitters (even though this didn't start out as a review).
4 comments:
Looks like a gorgeous place!!
Yeah, those are big horses! Did ya walk funny afterwards?
Those are some BIG horses - and my mare's 16.2!
Now I would think that a wrangler would appreciate tourists, right? Without 'em, there'd be no paycheck?
It's nice the wrangler didn't mind you riding without stirrups. I wish dude ranches would use endurance stirrups on all their saddles. They are so much more comfie. I can ride in them for hours. No....days! And my feet and knees never get sore.
I've been on dude rides where the wranglers treat the riders like prisoners....don't do that, this, and whatever. The horses must all be stuck nose to tail and no trotting...single file only
......no fun...no making loud noises...etc...
I hate rides like that. So boring!
Wow! Them's sure big hosses!
You don't look like a little girl, but they dwarf you. How'd you get up there anyway?
~Lisa
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