With the snow piled so high right now, it’s funny to be thinking about summer. But, we’re getting so many phone calls and emails right now for summer that I am spending a fair amount of time thinking about the place covered in green grass, rather than white snow.
Many of you have contacted us about our fall cattle round-up. For those who don’t know about it, I thought I’d give a run down of what those weeks look like at Vista Verde.
Although our first adult-only week is August 28-September 4, the cattle round-up weeks begin September 4 and run through October 2. These are still Sunday-Sunday stays like our regular summer season, and most of our regular activities are still offered in our all-inclusive resort rates. But there is the added bonus of the cattle round-up option.
For those participating in the cattle round-up, we spend the first day or two in the arena in riding clinics. What does that mean? The trainers and wranglers will be getting you and your horse totally dialed in on how to work together as a team and how we want to work the cattle when we’re out on the trail. This will give you a definite edge in your riding ability, whether it’s your first time on a horse or you’ve been riding since you could walk. As we get into the week a little further, we’ll start heading out on the trail. This is not a City Slickers, camp out on the range kind of deal. Nope, we trailer the horses out to the 16,000 acres where the cattle are hiding. It really is like a game of hide and seek. Sometimes it’s more like playing hide and seek with my 5 year old…you almost have to pretend you don’t see them they are so easy to find. And some days it’s a lot of riding, riding, riding, over hills, through meadows around logs, and between bushes just to find nothing. If we find some, we gather them up and drive them to a holding area. If we don’t find them, we just enjoy the gorgeous Colorado fall weather and then come back to the ranch for dinner.
As a participant, it’s up to you as you how many days you want to go out on the gather. It’s hard riding and long days, so it’s fair game to take a day off and go fishing, go for a hike or just take a nap and relax by the pool. For those who want to ride, but don’t want to take part in the gather, we still do lead trail rides during that time, but not our regular clinics. It’s all part of your all-inclusive resort rates.
A fair warning…the riding during the cattle round-up is definitely the most intense riding we do all year. You are riding very independently, the terrain is rugged and varied and we are not on trails much of the time. For a novice rider who is game for an adventure, it’s just fine. But if you are a timid or nervous rider, let’s talk first. We are safety conscious and are out to make this a great experience for all, but it is the real deal out there on our fall cattle round-up. Hopefully you all get a chance to join us at some point. These 4 weeks at Vista Verde Ranch are really phenomenal!