Arden Foster
Arden Foster, 9th year Wrangler at Rainbow Trout Ranch, including, but not limited to, helping with the care and upkeep of the horses, ensuring the safety and high fun levels on rides, dancing until the cows come home, and eating too much at meals.
I Never Stop Learning
It may only be March, but in my mind I am already preparing for summer. As a wrangler, that includes, but is not limited to, early mornings, muddy boots, endless learning about horses, people, and nature, late night dance nights, sing-alongs, and laughter that fills the soul. Working at RTR has become a big part […]
Rainy Summer Days
This summer was one of the soggiest summers we have seen, and boy did we have a great time! We were all impressed with how fun the families were that came to see us, and were game to go riding with us, despite the rain. Before any riders leave the barn, we are always sure […]
Las Vegas + Western Life
The beginning of the holidays are a special time for everyone, but for cowboys and cowgirls, it means that “Cowboy Christmas” starts in Las Vegas, Nevada!
Spring Opening
The first two weeks of staff is all about opening, orientations, and getting to know one another. It’s a wonderful way for us as a staff to bond, and then we are ready for guests to arrive!
Guests Say…?
Guests say: bring chapstick! Among other things. We asked return guests and staff members if they had any words of advice to give to new guests this summer, and they had great responses!
Horse Vocabulary & Riding
When we are riding, we as wranglers always want to make sure that we can communicate with our riders to the best of our ability. In this post, we discuss vocabulary that we might use when talking about making our horses comfortable while we ride.
Basic Horse Colors
Often, when we talk about our horses we refer to them by the color of their coat. We want you to be in on the conversation. In this blog, you can learn more colors of horses you might see in the herd.
Cattle Kingdom
Reading is one of my resolutions for the 2021 year. However, this year, it has a focus on the cowboy life and history!
Horse Vocabulary – Part 1
Learning the vocabulary about and around horses is one of the first steps in knowing more about these wonderful animals. This winter we are going to do multi-part posts on horse knowledge!
Thank you, Chris Collins
A man of many talents, we were lucky to have Chris Collins visit us this summer! Thank you to Chris Collins for sharing his time and efforts with us this summer.
Wintering the Horses
All winter, our horses get to be horses. Run with the herd, play all day, and grow a thick, fluffy winter coat to keep warm all winter. We think they quite enjoy themselves, and come back refreshed and ready for a new summer every year!
A Great 2020 Season
We had a great 2020 season, all things considered, and now that the season is over, we are starting to focus on next year.
Cheyenne & Her Legacy
A long time veteran of the ranch, Cheyenne comes up in stores new and old. We were lucky to have her for so many years at the ranch, and even more lucky to have her offspring to live on.
Key Western Tack & Their Purpose
We always hope that any guest to the ranch leaves knowing more than when they came! These pieces of tack and equipment are just a few things we reference out on the trail.
Traveling to the Ranch
Being remote is a special part of the ranch, but the travel can be a big part to plan. Frances, long time guest and friend, has shared her insight on traveling to the ranch from the UK, and road trip routes to the ranch from the various proximity airports. We hope this helps you plan your trip with us!
“Little Britches” Book Series
Growing up, I always enjoyed reading. I never knew until now that I have a special place in my heart for the westerns! I’ve heard Doug mention this series for a while now, and this winter I made the time to start.
Mornings on the Ranch
The morning air can be great anywhere, but I personally find it exceptional here at the ranch. There is something special about the ranch waking up, and everyone working together to make it a magical place.
Branding: History & Today
There is much to know about the history and purpose between branding. In this blog, we’ve touched on the basic understanding of branding.
Horse Hall of Fame: Santa Fe
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a horse that has become such a big part of the experience at RTR to so many. We are incredibly grateful for the years that we had with Santa Fe.
Hydroponic Happenings
In 2019, one of the biggets accomlishments was completing the latest addition to the ranch, which includes the expansion to the hydropic hay, or fodder, production.
Looking Western, Staying Safe!
We have many guests who bring their own helmets to ride in while they are with us. Our guest blog writer, Frances, shares with us her latest find in the western helmet trends!
Movie Confessions: City Slickers
For a few years, I’ve been hiding my lack of education in westerns from everyone I work with. But as I watch the classics, I’m coming clean and confessing which ones I’m just watching for my first time. In this case, it’s City Slickers.
2020 Resolutions
Resolutions are often a part of jump starting any new year. Like anyone, I’m always working towards being the best I can be for myself and for those I am around. Here are a few of my personal goals for 2020.
2019 Summer Recap – Horses
While we had a few new things to be grateful for this year, (and I am!) I wanted to share a little about the new horses we welcomed into the herd here at the ranch.
Christmas in July
This time of year always makes me nostalgic for one of my favorite parts of the summer: Christmas in July. A time to enjoy hot chocolate, laughs, and my ranch family.
Photo Blog Highlight: Emma
Emma, past guest of the ranch as a teen (2007, 2008), stopped by on her road trip for work. She took some incredible pictures of our spring, and has allowed us to share them with you!
What ARE those? Chaps vs Chinks
Sometimes the western lingo can be bit hard to keep up with, so we decided to give you a little background behind chaps and chinks.
Foals of 2018
For many years, foals have been born into the RTR family. We are proud to have had four babies this past summer, and we have high hopes for them in the future!
Interview: Julia & the Cowpokes
The Cowpokes (6 to 11 years old) are such a fun group of kids to hang out with all week. After catching up with Julia, who is coming back again as a Cowpoke counselor, the excitement is rising for the summer!
Spring on the Conejos with Sam
Sam and Derek recently competed in a fly-fishing tournament on the Conejos River, and they did a wonderful job representing the ranch. Sam has written a blog on the river, and the fun in fishing in Colorado in the spring.
Staff Blog Highlight: Sorrell
Staff member, wrangler, and friend, Sorrell, has written a wonderful blog piece about her time at the ranch. We hope you get a chance to check it out!
New Horses on the Ranch!
We have found our horses in various places as the years have gone by, and many of them have become beloved RTR family members. We are excited to say that this coming summer we have 15 new horses that have the opporunity to become part of our herd. Check out what we think is important, and meet a few!
Interview: Lauryn & the Teens
Coming in for her 7th summer, Lauryn has made quite a name for herself as one of our favorite Wisconsinites and staff members. She’s spent many a summer working with the teens, and we wanted to catch up with her on her experiences!
September at the Ranch
As the end of August comes around, the kids and teenagers return to school, the ranch takes a turn into fall, and we become exclusively Adults Only.
Ranch Raised Horses
We are so lucky to have the opportunity to breed, raise and train a number of the horses that are a part of our herd. They now help some of our guests have a wonderful vacation.
Friday Night Fun
Friday nights come alive with laughter and fun for all ages — it’s one of the most unique nights of the week at RTR.
Everybody Swing!
From two stepping to line dancing, barn dances to square dancing, we do a little bit of everything, and more, when we hit the dance floor!
Wild, Wild… Rags?
Wild rags, or scarves, have been a staple of the cowboy attire for years. Jane has been a trendsetter at Rainbow Trout Ranch, and many have jumped on the bandwagon — including me!
Faith, Hope, & Charity
The lodge is tucked underneath three spectacular rock faces that we can hike to any time during your stay with us.
Dude Ranch Family – Braden
The dude ranching world is an amazing opportunity to make life long connections with people from all over, staff and guests alike. This past week, we got to visit with one of ours, Braden, who was a wrangler for us for two years! We got to hear about her exciting new world in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Wintering Horses
We had a chance to visit with each horse individually a few days ago when we dewormed this winter. So nice to see them all while they are on vacation! You can learn more about what their winter looks like here.
Working at Rainbow
There are so many wonderful opportunities at Rainbow Trout Ranch for summer jobs. Click to read more about how summer working in the southern Colorado Rockies could be your best yet!
Staff Map 2018
We have been lucky to have a great dude ranch staff from all over come work with us in our magic part of southern Colorado. This year, we thought we would map it out!
“Linda Clean”
We always have a good time wherever we are at Rainbow Trout Ranch, even when we are cleaning! A few of our housekeeping and waitstaff members made a great timelapse video in one of our cabins in the twin room, and we’ve put it here to share with you.
Pink Friday Tradition
A few years ago, we adopted the tradition of wearing pink on Fridays, and support the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” program sponsored by Wrangler. It’s become something that we encourage everyone on the ranch to participate in!
Staff Spotlight: Hannah
This summer, we are making an effort to introduce our blog readers to some of our great staff members that we have this year! This week is Hannah, from Ohio. We hope you have the pleasure of meeting her out here on the ranch!
Unplugging at the Ranch
In today’s world, we are always checking our emails, responding to texts, or seeing what’s new in the world on our phones. At our dude ranch, it offers the perfect opportunity to take a break, relax, and just enjoy the moment. Read more to see why!
The Dog Days of Ranching
You’ll never meet two ranch dogs more welcoming to new faces and old friends than HubCap and LugNut. We have had some great ranch dogs through the years at Rainbow Trout Ranch, but these two definitely have left an impression in our hearts.
The History of the Suffolk Punch
The old English breed, the Suffolk Punch, is truly a beautiful breed of horse. We are now proudly breeding and training them at Rainbow Trout Ranch! With the newest addition just born, we are interested in learning more about them, and sharing with you.
RTR Country Music Playlist
Over some hot tea and coffee, a few us started talking about our favorite country songs and singers. We quickly decided we had to share this playlist!
A Week at the Ranch in Video
Enjoy this amazing video shared and created by guest JD Blackburn, in honor of our 25th anniversary.
What if I Don’t Ride at a Colorado Dude Ranch?
Many folks ask “What if I don’t ride but my family wants to go to a dude ranch?” Here at our dude ranch in southern Colorado we often have guests who don’t choose to ride. Sometimes they can’t for physical reasons, sometimes they just prefer not to, but either way they still have a wonderful […]
