Horseback Riding Vacation

Our Horseback Riding Programs

Horseback Riding Vacation at the Bitterroot

The ranch has spectacular scenery and wonderful
places for a fast paced horseback riding vacation.

Horseback riding is the main activity at our ranch where many of the horses have been raised and trained. A herd of about 135 horses under saddle for an average 25 clients makes it easy to provide suitable mounts in top condition throughout the season. Rides are kept small and guests are grouped according to skill. A family of differing experience can enjoy riding together at the speed of the least skilled or join another group more appropriate to their ability. On most days there are 2-3 hour morning and afternoon rides. All day picnic excursions on Saturdays enable you to explore the high country and most weeks there will be an opportunity to herd cattle.

Take a video tour of the Bitterroot Ranch
This video shows highlights from the Best of America by Horseback TV show.

Varied terrain adds enjoyment to horse riding holidays at thes equine getaway.

Varied terrain adds enjoyment to horse riding
holidays at this equine getaway.

Trail Riding

This is an area of vast expanses offering you an exceptional variety of riding terrain. Sagebrush plains, grassy meadows and rocky canyons give way to pine clad mountains with Alpine clearings. You seldom see other people since we are 17 miles from the nearest paved road and border the Shoshone National Forest where we have a choice of many wilderness trails. Some rides wind through cottonwood and spruce trees along the river; others take you through the sagebrush of the high plains desert, where the sandy soil provides good footing for spirited canters. Still others climb up through aspen groves, which become a glorious gold in the fall. There are several abandoned settler homesteads and cowboy campsites in the area which provide interesting destinations for riding adventures. More details on some of the rides are given on the hiking page.

We take horseback riding very seriously
at the Bitterroot

Riding Lessons

There are several certified riding instructors at the ranch including Mel Fox. You are offered the chance to take video taped lessons at beginner and intermediate levels on two mornings a week. These lessons with a maximum of 6 guests lead to a heightened awareness and will increase your confidence and enjoyment of riding holidays.

Cross Country Course

We have a cross country course with over 80 jumps which advanced riders who have prior cross country experience can try during the week. It is not an intimidating course since no jump is more than three feet, but there are a wide variety of obstacles including ditches, drops, oxers, pickets, coops and walls. Riders are required to warm up over small jumps in the arena to make sure they will not interfere with their horse.

Team penning every week is part of our
horseback riding program

Cattle Drives

Since the Bitterroot is also a working ranch you will have the opportunity to drive cattle on our summer grazing lease in the national forest through July, August and September. The cows frequently need to be checked to be sure they have not been eaten by wolves and they are periodically rotated around the allotment, part of which is in the wilderness. On Friday afternoons we have a friendly team sorting competition in our arena which provides a great introduction to working cattle from horseback. Cattle work is a vital part of ranch holidays.

Rides are exciting but safety is the emphasis at the Bitterroot

Rides are exciting and include some long canters,
but the emphasis is on safety at the Bitterroot.

Ride Safety

Your safety is of vital concern to us. We keep rides small, carefully match horses to riders, see that people of similar skills ride together and train ride leaders carefully. We insist that everyone wear a hard hat and our trail guides carry mobile phones to summon help in case it is needed. For more detailed information about our opinions on horse safety, read the article on the subject by Bayard Fox.

Tack

Our horses are trained Western so they are used to neck reining and going on a loose rein. We mostly use Western saddles, but there are also English saddles for those who prefer them and have an independent seat and hands. Each horse has its own bridle and we are very careful to check that the saddles fit each horse well.

You can go high into spectacular mountain
scenery in a day’s horseback ride
from the ranch

Owner Participation

The Fox Family feels that the quality of our equestrian program is of paramount importance; therefore Mel, Bayard and Richard lead rides personally nearly every day, which shows their dedication to this most important aspect of ranch holidays.

Audio Podcast: Mel talks with Anna Twinney about her youth riding on her family farm at the foot of Kilimanjaro.

Return To Bitterroot Dude Ranch Home

Visit our sister company, Equitours, for worldwide horseback riding vacations.

Bitterroot Ranch
1480 East Fork Rd
Dubois, WY 82513
800.545.0019
307.455.3363
Fax: 307.455.2354

Contact Us

Bayard's book about this part of Wyoming

	FRANÇAIS Vacances à Cheval
	DEUTSCH Reiterreisen

Approved by the Certified Horsemanship Association.
Approved by the
British Horse Society.
Bitterroot Site Map
Resources
Licensed Permittee of the
Shoshone National Forest.