HESTAR RANCH

 This is for people who are outdoors, nature and horse enthusiasts, who would be interested in coming for ranch and horse experience, learning by helping and privat riding lessons on a working horse ranch.  If you'd prefer to have a more relaxing vacation, then you might choose the Guest option, and add some riding lessons if you'd like.  
Please check the riding page for weight limits with our horses.

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Instead of paying the high price of a dude ranch, you'll help with daily chores in the morning, and that way getting to know the beautiful Icelandic horses that make this place their home.  You'll help with the care of the horses as well as more mundane chores like fencing, taking care of the chickens and garden/greenhouse etc.  Since I take only one guest for a workshop at a time (two only if you are a couple or can be together in a small bed room), there will be plenty of opportunities for 1 on 1 learning.  You'll live on the ranch with me, the horses and other animals, and enjoy our quiet way of life here in the beautiful Four Corners region of Colorado.  The San Juan River runs through our 112 acre ranch, and Navajo Lake State Park and Navajo Reservoir are only a few miles away. 
With many wild animals and birds making their home on the ranch, this area is a nature lover's paradise!

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*This will be a life time experience that you will never forget!*

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What you can expect during your stay at Hestar Ranch:

Mornings after breakfast, are spent first with daily chores and ranch work.
These will be cleaning up horse paddocks, caring for the animals and garden, and feeding the multitudes of hummingbirds!  Sometimes it'll be irrigation work in the pasture, maybe if necessary fixing and building fences, cutting and splitting wood, or putting up hay for the wintertime.  After lunch, we'll saddle the horses for the riders, and head out on the trails for riding lessons and fun! If you are not a rider we can do other things with the horses or you can do your own prefered thing, maybe go to the river or what-soever you prefer to do! If there are other things you'd like to learn about, we can discuss that when you make your reservation, just tell me what your preferences are.  During the colder month of the year you will live in the guestroom in the ranch house, and during summer month you could prefer the barn loft that is actually our guest room. We will cook together and share healthy meals made from scratch with fresh ingredients.

 

You are welcome to bring your own horse with you, and I can tailor a program for you and your horse to include freestyle groundwork and riding on ranch trails, then adding more as your horse is ready for more. When summer days get too hot, we'll ride in the early morning or evening. Hot summer afternoons are perfect for splashing in the cool river!

 

You will get experience and learn to be confident with your horse and horses in general

The ranch workshop is for all levels, whether you are a beginner or advanced rider. I will work with you to find the best way to improve your leadership and riding skills. Other learning opportunities are with general horse care, grooming, feeding, and hoof care.  More advanced riders can learn to ride the Icelandic horse's particular 4-beat gait Tölt, or how to properly pony a horse while riding.  If you are already an Icelandic owner, you can learn all the way up to and including flying pace (if your horse is 5-gaited).  If your interest is more with starting young horses on the ground and under saddle, we can work on that,
providing I have green horses available, or if you bring your own youngster.

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PRICES 
per Person for a Workshop

As a example: 5 full days here at the ranch, what includes 6 nights
(arrive in afternoon /evening, leave in morning, so you need 7 days for your vacation)

  5 day weekly workshop   $ 1'250.-  

9 days                                      $ 2'100.-

2 weeks 12 days                     $ 2'800.-
3 weeks 18-19 days                $ 3'900.-
4 weeks 25-26 days              $ 4'900.-
 

Board for your own horse is 20.-/day with self care, hay included
 

If you'd prefer to stay for just a few days, please email me and ask for a Little Workshop (minimum 3-4 days).
The stay is 250.- per day.  That includes all meals, your private bedroom and in afternoons 2-3 hours of training and riding  every day, and then more riding hours if you like or if possible. We can do much more riding, if you are intermediate or a decent rider while hitting the trails, limited riding time only for beginners, but we can add groundwork, this because I have only one beginner horse.

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Price for riders includes private riding lessons every day, working on whichever skill you are interested in improving.  Depending on your skill level, you can have groundwork or more time in the saddle each day.  For non-riders, you'll have time off in the afternoon for fly-fishing, hiking, biking, sight seeing or just relaxing at the ranch.

 

If you are flying here, I can pick you up at the airport in Durango, CO, 80 minutes from the ranch.  There will be a $ 120.- charge for each way for transportation to and/or from the airport.

If you are bringing your own horse, boarding will be $ 20.-/day (stall with paddock and hay).  Boarding is self-care.

 

If you decide on a Workshop Vacation, please send me an email with your full name, age, address, phone number and a few photos of yourself, and what you like to learn for this vacation.
  Then we can check on availability for the time and dates of your stay, and talk about what your goals are for your workshop.