Transfer and Other Options:

Ranch Week Schedule

During the winter the head wrangler stays at the ranch and cares for our mare band in the spring creek pasture and our guest horse cavvy and older colts in the south pasture. The creek has been frozen so he has had to pump water everyday as well as keep the ice out of the tanks. Riding in below zero temperatures creates special challenges for keeping horses on their feet and our riders safe also.
Winter also brings time to research stud and mare bloodlines so that we can put together our mare bands in the spring and create the kind of horses bloodlines that are most popular for ranch raised horses.
May and early June are the weeks we brand our calves. With 800 head of calves to brand this takes several weeks. Montana and Wyoming are branding states and it is federal law that each calf, as well as each cow, carries our )S( brand. We rope each calf from a well trained cow horse and drag them to the branding fire where we have calf holders (guests and cowboys) hold the calves and one of the cowboys brands the calf. Vaccinations and ear marks are given (by guests) and we start over with another calf. We brand about 100 calves each day.

May - In May we begin trailing the cattle north to the ranch. It takes four days to trail cows to the ranch which is located on the East slope of the Pryor Mountains in Montana. The trail follows the historic old Sioux Trail as we begin with bentonite hills, go single file through Horse Thief Canyon, trail by Lockhart Ranch and into the Dryhead country. Each morning begins as the cook heads for the cookhouse and our wranglers head with their horses out to gather in the cavvy. There will be several horses that each guest will ride during the week. Horses are picked by our head cowboy according to the riding abilities of each guest. They are carefully chosen to give you a challenging experience as well as a safe one. Your horse will be your favorite memory by Friday. .

June, July and August are the months that we ride each day, caring for cows and calves and making sure they stay within our fence boundaries. June also begins the choosing of mare bands and adding stallions for the breeding season. These babies give the cowboys the opportunity to break and train the horses. The mini horse drives give you the opportunity to gather and rotate the mare bands on the best grazing areas. Guests love moving these horses and the smaller band of mares make it easier to teach beginners how to trail and handle horses.
July and August gets us into our ranch rodeo activities. We bring in several animals to be able to practice sorting and working cattle out of a herd. At times the excitement level is keen but teamwork is the key. Every week we have a campfire, and you will prepare your tinfoil dinner to cook on the fire. We love the conversation and friendships that happen around the fire, as we eat marshmallows and brand your chinks or clothing with )S(. If you have dietary needs, just let us know, as our cook wants to make your eating enjoyable and healthy.

September thankfully brings cooler temperatures during the day and the welcomed chance to ride all day. The fall weeks mean longer days and lots of riding. All our cowboys share in the gathering of 15,000 acre pastures and bringing each cows and calves to the ranch to give pre-weaning shots and again two weeks later to wean the calves.
After the calves are weaned and hauled to Wyoming we pregnancy test our cows and hope for a 100% pregnancy rate for the next year. These large gathers are a thrill few get to experience. 
This is an opportunity to ride in big country somewhat alone gathering 800 or better head of cattle and moving them 6 - 8 miles back to the ranch to be worked in a large set of corrals.
97% of the USA's cow herds are in groups of less than 50 cows.
97% of the people who own cattle have a job in town and have the cow herd as a second income or a hobby.
Ranches who have 800 head of cows are rare and even more rare is the privilege to ride a cow horse with real cowboys and gather cows on thousands of acres of open, beautiful, grassland country that is untouched by human influence.

September and October are full of gathering to wean calves and pregnancy test cows.  Gathering mares to do the registration papers on the weanling colts and trailing the cows back to Wyoming. 
The guest season ends in early November.
We always have something going on and whatever time of year you choose to come and ride with us we always have a real ranch atmosphere for you to experience. 

This ranch is unique in that we share all of these skills with our guests to help them feel more confident in handling their horses at the ranch or at home. Our goal is to give them the feeling and achievement of a hands on horse experience.

During the summer weather is quite dependable, but in the mountain one needs to be prepared for all conditions, since conditions can change in a very short time. May, parts of June, and parts of September can have cool days. Warm jackets, spare riding pants and riding boots are essential. We also recommend a wind and rain breaker and hat. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Linens and Towels are provided at the ranch. Bring some cash for gratuities or shopping in the store (they do accept credit cards as well!), but cash is needed if you choose to leave a tip.

We suggest that you bring clothes that will layer easily: long sleeved shirts, vests, jackets, chinks or chaps, sweatshirts, cap or better still a wide brimmed hat, gloves, wildrag or scarf, spurs, and of course your camera. (we do rent a pommel packet with spurs, strap, scarf & water bottle for $5.)
Standard equipment for riding are boots with a heel and perhaps hiking boots when we are not riding. A rain slicker is a good idea or we also rent these. It not only protects from rain but it is great for breaking the wind, if we have some.

The ranch has a small ranch store with all sorts of items and gifts, so it's a good idea to wait and see if you need it. How about sunscreen, chapstick, gloves, slickers (no ponchos), pommel bags, chinks, cowboy hat, wildrags, stampede strings, belts, S belt buckles, and several gift items for your return home.

Because we are so remote it is impossible to return to town to pick up extra items. If you don't have some of the items mentioned above, we have a small ranch store, which carries most of these items. In addition, if you don't want to purchase the items listed above, we have rental items available for your convenience.

Bring your guitar, if you want, and share our campfire. Brush up on your storytelling and jokes --- getting to know each other is a #1 priority.

This list is only a guideline for you

• Travel documents and Voucher
• Flight tickets
• Passport
• Visa (check with your consulate)

RIDING GEAR

• Two Pairs of Riding Pants
• Riding Boots
• Riding helmet (recommended for all trips)- not available to rent, so please bring one if you choose to wear one.
• Riding gloves
• Sun Hat or Stetson
• Rain Coat, Windbreaker- available to rent

PERSONAL CLOTHING

• Warm Sweater and Jacket
• Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts
• Jeans
• Shorts
• Underwear and socks
• Pyjama
• Bag for dirty clothes
• Sneakers

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING

• Personal Toiletries
• Moisturizing Cream
• Insect protection
• Personal medications
• Sore cream (for an emergency)
• Sewing kit
• Handkerchiefs
• Camera and enough extra film and batteries
• Belt pack
• Address book and pen (for postcards!)
• Sun glasses with strap
• Sun tan lotion and lip balm
• Flashlight, extra Batteries
• Pocket Knife (not essential)

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).

The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.