Renegade Rides

BROKENBACK RANCH RIDE
Two days working cattle, one day branding colts
Three nights camping

This ride has a nice combination of  a ‘working ranch vacation’ and fast-paced trail riding.  The Mills Brokenback Ranch has been here for 3 generations, raising cattle and Quarter Horses.  We will spend two days helping them bring their herd in from the badlands.  The Mills are  happy for the help trailing their cows.  It takes an alert and skilled rider to keep them ‘paired up’ and headed the right way. The third day at the ranch will be spent branding the current colt crop.  Lynette Mills raises some of the finest Quarter Horses in the country.  It is always a thrill to gather  and trail the mares and colts to the corrals.  Anyone who likes good horses will have a good time helping out.
(Check out Lynette’s website; ww.brokenbackranchqh.com)
We will ride in a variety of terrain.  There are open, but hilly, grass and sagebrush covered badlands, and as we get closer to the mountains, red Ten Sleep sandstone cliffs.  After the ranch work, we ride up into the Ponderosa pines  and limestone canyons.
Arrival Day:  Guests are picked up at the Worland Airport, or Cody and transported to Ten Sleep, pop. 304.  There you will be taken to the Renegade Bunkhouse, 2.8 miles south of town.  There are 2 bunkrooms which sleep up to 4 people each.  There is also a cabin out back with a double bed.  We will get settled in and have orientation at this time and many of your questions will be answered.  We will also have a look at the horses and the tack.  Delicious meals will be home-cooked, at the bunkhouse.  The views of the sunset are great from the deck, in the backyard. The view of the horses in the front yard is excellent, too!
Day Two:  After everyone is assigned a horse, the wrangler will demonstrate saddling and help riders to tack up and familiarize themselves with western or ‘neck’ reining.  We will be packing a lunch.  Horn bags are provided for each rider, however you need to bring your own water bottles; 2 – one quart or liter bottles.  We begin the ride from the bunkhouse. We will be riding in some rough country with hidden cutbanks and some rocky ridges.  It is a good place to familiarize yourself with some of the natural hazards we will encounter during the week.  There are also some fabulous views of giant red cliffs and the Big Horn Mountains rising beyond them.  It reminds you of a western movie, at times.  The pace will vary according to terrain, but there are some great places to open up the horses and make some fast tracks.  There are also some places that are steep and brushy with junipers and sagebrush, that might make you want to hang on to the saddle horn.
Day Three:  After breakfast, we pack our lunch, load us and the horses up and head out to the badlands.  We will meet up with the Mills family, get instructions and split up into small groups.  We will scour the surrounding country and gather all the cattle, herding them towards some corrals, where the cattle spend the night.  This can be hard work as the cattle may be scattered very far. Riders must pay attention to the cows and calves.  It is very important to keep them together, or you are likely to have a ’turnback’.  This is when a calf looses track of his mother and decides to run back to the last place he ’nursed up’.  It could be several miles back.  Next thing you know, a calf is running back, the wrong direction.  If he isn’t headed off soon, you may loose him, or at the very least, you may chase the calf for miles , before you can manage to get him turned around and headed back to the herd.  Calf and horse and rider can become exhausted, if this happens.  Good riders pay attention and never allow a turn back to happen.  By the end of the day, you will be very familiar with that concept.  Although not as fast paced as ‘free riding’, it is hard work and it feels good to do a good job, getting the cows where they need to be.
You are likely to see Pronghorn antelope, deer, hawks and eagles, as you search for the cattle.  We stay at the bunkhouse that night.
Day Four:  We again pack our lunch,  load up and return to the cattle. We also will pack our ‘camp kit’ and leave for the camp crew to pack up.   Once back with the cows, we begin trailing back to the ranch.  We are heading toward the Big Horn Mountains.    As the day stretches out,it will be very important to watch for turnback calves.  The views, as we trail towards the Big Horns are fantastic.      We will camp near the ranch that night. Even though we are camping, the food will be spectacular and plenty of it.  It isn’t good to have hungry cowboys.  You will have earned your feed!
Day Five:  After breakfast, we meet up with Lynette.  She will show us where we have to gather and trail the mares and colts.  They can be in several groups and we will split up for the gather.  Trailing horses can be pretty fast.  We usually  have riders in the lead trying to keep them slowed up.  It is very rugged country and it takes an alert and skilled rider to keep his seat and not loose the horses.
Once the horses are corralled, the colts are sorted off the mares.  Next, they are put in a smaller corral, run down a chute and branded and vaccinated.  This can take most of the day, by the time we gather, sort and brand.
We ride back to camp for the night.
Day Six:  We will stay in camp one more night.  After breakfast, we ride ‘up the mountain’.  It is a beautiful ride, heading up higher, into the pines and canyons.  Native Americans spent lots of time here, in the past.  You may get lucky and find an arrowhead.  Although the land is rugged and rocky at times, there are also sandy stretches, that are great for gallops.  We may spot deer, antelope and elk.  It is very scenic and the Ponderosa pine smells so good!.  The views across the Big Horn Basin are the best. You never knew you could see so far.
Day Seven: We will pack up our things and end up back at the bunkhouse for the night.  After breakfast, we pack our lunch, and ride out of camp.  Part of the day we will be following an ancient Indian trail.  Not many people even know about this trail.  The Mills family has the access.  You should feel pretty lucky to be riding there.  The trail cuts from one canyon to another.  We wind along and up and down through red dirt country, junipers and pine.  As we ride along, the views are great. We may see eagle’s soaring on the thermals and antelope in the distance.
Our path leads us to the Salt Lick Trail .This trail leads us down to the bottom of Ten Sleep Canyon.  Just before we hit the trail down the canyon is an awesome full tilt boogie run!  Have your stampede string on for this one!
The ride isn’t over yet.  The trail down to the bottom of the canyon has been variously described as a ’charming goat path’, or ’oh my God, are we going down that!’.  You will be amazed at how surefooted the horses are, but they know their business.  Just give them plenty of rein and leave ‘em alone.  If you are afraid of heights, you might not want to look down.  It is an impressive view to the bottom of the canyon as we wind down, above and below cliffs, along the steep, rocky trail.  Our pick up point is at the bottom. Back to the bunkhouse we go.
The last night is usually a good night with toast all around with days in the saddle recounted and plans for the future discussed under the canopy of sparkling, bright stars above.
Day Eight:  Time to pack up and head to the airport.  You will of spent a good week, helping out and just plain fun riding.  Heck, it can’t help but make  you a better rider!

Included are all meals at the bunkhouse and camps, including a complimentary glass of wine at supper.  Horses and tack are included.  Not included is lunch the day of arrival  and any alcohol or soda you may wish to have.
*Please note that routes or itineraries may vary due to unforeseen events or circumstances.  This can include storms,  which make roads or trails impassible or flash floods.

PACE: SLOW TO FAST
ARRIVAL POINT; WORLAND OR CODY
ADD $100 FOR ROUND TRIP TRANS. FROM CODY
PH# 1 (307)366 – 2689
RENEGADE RIDES, 280 HWY 434, TEN SLEEP WY  82442
fastride@tctwest.net

Renegade Rides: the True Meaning of Horsepower is owned and operated by Belinda Daugherty.
For questions or concerns, you may contact Belinda by either e-mail or phone.