I really wanted to stay at a dude ranch in our 4 day stay at Yellowstone. I didn’t know that September was still peak season in the area so I left it too late. By the time I wanted to book, the best place left available was this quaint little motel that offered chocolate chip cookies every afternoon.
Backtrack to when we were in East Glacier staying at the best cottage ever, I was really desperate determined to get a hold of this family-owned ranch that offered day long horse ride trails. They are a Blackfeet family business so all the more I wanted to go with them than the big commercialised companies. Don’t get me started on the lengths my husband and I went through to reach them. It involved almost trespassing the area late at night (the fierce guard dogs kept us from going further in), and hounding the place with phone calls next morning, me pleading trying to get the owner to open up a trail ride for the day. But it was just tough luck. The owner didn’t think there was anyone going for a trail ride on a Monday so he sent all his guides on a day off.
My next choice was Wyoming, where not only dude ranches are abound, but rodeo shows are everywhere too. But we only planned 1 night in Wyoming, just passing through Jackson Hole to get to Utah.
So on our last day in Montana, we went to Eagle Ridge Ranch. This ranch is along Old Shotgun Road in the town of Island Park, which sits just inside the border of Idaho and Montana.
 |
| Oh them pretty horses!! |
All of the horses were so curious, so friendly, they immediately came near the fence where we were to say “whats up, sister?” as this pretty brown one did
 |
| hey soul sister! |
 |
| I reckon this horse is smiling in this photo! we can recaption this as 2 smiling horsies 🙂 |
This brown one was just soo friendly, it cozied up to me and gave me a ticklish nudge with its nose on my cheek!
 |
| the black stallion |
This black stallion was so huge but so gentle. I was hoping to ride either him or the really friendly brown one (my girlfriend) above, but I was given a smaller one. Good old gentle one named Senator:
 |
| Senator is about 50-60 years old in human years. He was soo gentle mannered. |
 |
| and so my brokeback adventure begins.. |
 |
| my girlfriend’s back! |
 |
| not hard to imagine this horse with wings and a horn. unicorn in the making! |
******************
Eagle Ridge Ranch
I love your blog! Especially because I help manage the Eagle Ridge Ranch horseback riding (a.k.a. Yellowstone Horses) where you rode. It is always fun to see the perspective of one of our guests. You took some great pics and have some really fun comments. I am wondering if you would be interested in sharing a link to your blog on our facebook page. If you would, the address for the facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/yellowstone.horseback.riding?ref=hl . Thanks so much, Tami.
Thank you, I had the most awesome time at your ranch I wish I can go back! I already posted this article on your page. Hope all your horses are doing fine and happy ! 🙂