MORE INFORMATION
Overview:
It was Rays idea to open up the ranch to have folks come in who maybe have already experienced a western vacation, but wanted more. We want to concentrate on teaching you about horses for the first week. If you decide to stay longer, the second week will be spent mostly horseback, riding on the ranch and doing ranch work. We want you to leave here with a good understanding of horses, how to care for them, good riding technique, saddling up, and how to control a bad situation. You will be working and riding in some river, mountains and wildlife that few people have seen. There will be ranch-work to do as we ride. If we see cows out, we put them back in. If a fence is down we fix it. If a tree is fallen we cut it. If a trail needs repair, we repair it, and if a river needs fished, we fish it. Sometimes we roundup, and brand cows. Lance is in charge of that. He can occasionally be a bit grumpy, but is one of the hardest working and best cowboys you’ll ever see and you'll learn more than you could ever imagine from him. We still head and heel rope like they did in the early days. Most wildlife starts moving around after nightfall. For those who are willing to lose a little sleep, we will do night photography. In inclement weather, which doesn’t happen much in Arizona, we will ride as much as possible and then do local excursions when necessary (or requested).
Logistics
All food, lodging and activities will be covered. There are no hidden fees and everything that we have access to on the ranch is at your disposal! You'll have a bed and a room to yourself in a 1930's style ranch house. We only have room for six people, but if you'd prefer to double up in a room, that's fine with us! While you'll have your own personal room, you will be sharing common spaces with the other guests, who you will come to know over the course of your stay. We will provide all tack, so you will only have to bring whatever it is that you personally need for your stay! As for food, we will cover the costs, but we will be relying on the guests to cook their own food. Remember, this is a working ranch, not a get-away vacation ranch, so we will not be operating this like a hotel.
Flights:
Flights are not included in this, so it will be your responsibility to book your flight into (most likely Tucson or Phoenix). Keep in mind that Tucson is closer, but Phoenix is the capital, so there are likely more, and potentially cheaper flights there. For those looking to extend their stay, Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona and also in the middle of the state. It will be easier to head north to Flagstaff (a mountainous region) and then get to Duncan, which is closest to Safford, Arizona. If you choose to fly into Tucson, you can enjoy ample hiking and wonderful food, though it is a bit more rural and smaller than Phoenix. Another option, depending on your trip, is to fly into Las Vegas, Nevada and then road trip to Duncan from there, though that'll be about an eight hour drive.
Commuting:
To get to the ranch, you can rent a car, arrange a shuttle service or catch a bus. Depending on the day, we can get you, however you'll have to coordinate that through us and there will be an additional charge to cover gas.
Pricing
One Week
Ranch guests would have a one week crash-course lesson about ranch life. You would have hands-on learning about horses, wrangling and cattle ranching. While the cattle wrangling is generally reserved for those who spend more time on the ranch, due to the experience necessary for this outfit, guests with the one week experience would learn horse safety and handling, how to care and saddle for the horses, how to read horses' body language and, most importantly, you'd learn how to ride the horses on your own, not in a single-file trail riding experience. Yes, we let you lope and take horses out on your own, depending on your experience level.
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The two week program is a bit more intense than our one week option. While the one week experience entails horse safety and handling, how to care and saddle for the horses, how to read horses' body language and, most importantly, you'd learn how to ride the horses on your own, not in a single-file trail riding experience. Yes, we let you lope and take horses out on your own, depending on your experience level. In addition to what you'd learn with the first week, you'd be learning roping on the ground, hoof care for the horses (shoeing and barefoot trimming), participating in horse games, riding out to view the Native Indian ruins and petroglyphs, trying your hand at panning gold and most importantly, real cattle work, which would entail riding out into the desert to locate and check on the health of the cattle and moving them to different ranges.
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The three week experience will naturally be our most involved experience. While the one week experience entails horse safety and handling, how to care and saddle for the horses, how to read horses' body language and, most importantly, you'd learn how to ride the horses on your own, not in a single-file trail riding experience. Yes, we let you lope and take horses out on your own, depending on your experience level. In addition to what you'd learn with the first week, you'd be learning roping on the ground, hoof care for the horses (shoeing and barefoot trimming), participating in horse games, riding out to view the Native Indian ruins and petroglyphs, trying your hand at panning gold and most importantly, real cattle work, which would entail riding out into the desert to locate and check on the health of the cattle and moving them to different ranges. You will have a very intense level of horsemanship which includes roping off the back of a horse, branding (depending on time of the season), moving cattle with going on further cattle drives, and (if you are willing) helping out with the new guests that arrive. The third week really shows you what it's like to work on a ranch and should prepare you for all things with ranch life. If you are interested, you can have a hands on gun course this week and more freedom to ride where you choose with your friends and new friends that you meet on the ranch.
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For questions, please call (if you're in the US) or email (if you're overseas) Dick or Ray. We're happy to answer any questions and will return your inquiry as soon as possible. Ray's email is rayboutonaz@gmail.com and his cell phone is 520.559.4614. Dick's email is richardkalerranch@gmail.com. You can also message us on Instagram or Facebook for further questions.