2024 Ranch Stays
From March through November, we will have several 5 & 7-day working ranch experience/programs available throughout our season. Working ranch program, you say? What would that entail?
Basically, it’s this: Guests come out to the ranch with the priority of advancing their horsemanship in a working ranch setting, the Buck Brannaman way. Shayne (ranch owner) has always been loyal to Buck’s methods and that remains a constant here. This is an opportunity to further advance this horsemanship style in a multi-faceted, working ranch environment. This program will get you handy in AND out of the arena!
The program will be adjusted to the current seasons and jobs at hand. In the early spring and late fall, we’ll be indoors primarily and outside as weather permits—these weeks are more for someone looking for an intensive horsemanship experience. Come peak season, there’s country to cover, cattle to drive, cattle to sort and cut on and of course, lots of refining of horsemanship movements in our state-of-the-art indoor facility. We believe in the complete horse—as proven by the fact that every one of our guest horses can work a cow, ride out solo or in groups covering any and all types of country with confidence, rope cattle, jingle in the horse herd, be well mannered on the ground and have the ability to perform the most refined horsemanship movements in the arena. With this extensive 2024 program, we hope to help you become a more complete rider as well!
Note about booking your reservation: Because our ranch is set apart from many in our strong emphasis to Buck Brannaman horsemanship in every aspect of riding—be in in the arena, on the trail, with cattle, etc, We are looking for riders who are dedicated to a learning mindset, who have the tenacity to work their minds as much as their bodies. For more information on the booking process please see below under FAQ’s.
March 24-30 – Indoor Horsemanship Intensive – 5 Day
This is a great week to kick-start your horsemanship for the year! Be prepared to be immersed in horsemanship from the ground on up to the finest horsemanship details. This is great for beginner to advanced, as we will be peeling into layers of feel, timing and balance. We also spend time working on our cutting flag and roping too!
April 7-13 (5 Day) & April 20-28 (7 Day) – Spring Tune Up & Horsemanship
April is a great time to come to the ranch for horsemanship! The days can still be cool, but green grass and blue skies are abundant! Think of this as your tune up for the upcoming summer season. Ride your horse, or let us help you with yours! Be prepared for beginner to advanced arena horsemanship. The FIRST April guest week outdoor riding is not guaranteed and is entirely weather dependent on if we have thawed out! The SECOND April week we will be outside quite a bit if the weather is holding up.
May 11-19, May 25-June 2 & June 8-16 – Spring Horsemanship & Cattle – 7 Day
Montana in May and June has the most brilliant hues of green you have ever seen! Nice temperatures, warm in the daytime, cool at night. Keep an eye out for elk calves and whitetail fawns! They abound, as do the wildflowers this time of year! We have options of daily horsemanship up to very advanced. Horsemanship is available in our state-of-the-art indoor arena or outside on the mountain and meadow trails. There is always something to do with our cattle, be it checking on their health, moving them or checking in on their weights. We often incorporate fun games into our horsemanship or cattle moving, and we may be doing a poker ride at some point!
June 23-29 & July 7-13 – Advanced Ranch Horsemanship – 7 Day
Typically, in July, Buck Brannaman does two ranch clinics in July. This is an every-other-year event now, with Buck’s limited clinic schedule. HOWEVER, he will be doing a PRIVATE Horsemanship 2 Clinic on July 2-3 (Spectators are encouraged and welcomed to come and stayover in our cabins!) as well as a McGinnis Meadows Ranch sponsored public clinic on July 5-7 in Kalispell, MT. (Details can be found here: https://buckbrannamankalispell.com) The above horsemanship weeks are especially tailored to those who want to come before and/or after Buck’s stay at the ranch to watch the H2 Clinic and/or for those who plan to also participate or audit in the Kalispell clinic and want to get a deeper and more extended horsemanship experience.
July 27-August 4 & August 17-25 – Women’s Week – 7 Day
These 7-day stays will be for Women Only! McGinnis Meadows is a ranch that believes in giving women equal opportunity! Join us for a vacation of things we do best. If you have ever taken part in a “women’s only event”, then you know how much fun we have, and how empowering it can be. Here you’ll get to experience top-notch horsemanship led by women riders plus a ‘whole lot more! Riding, Lake Trips, WINE, Hiking, Painting, Team Games and More! Then, at the end of your stay, we will offer a ranch working competition for our guests to put to use all the skills learned during your stay! It is a great time to visit with warm temps, lots of cattle work and beautiful scenery. Arena HMS, checking on and moving cattle across our grazing allotments. We will be working on cutting flag. Cattle work may include gathering, sorting, weighing and cutting.
Sept 14-22 & Sept 28-Oct 6 – Ranch Horsemanship & Cattle – 7 Day
A big draw during this time is our CATTLE WORK! At any given time, we need to head out to check on cattle and move them throughout our mountain pastures. Learn how to track cattle, the intricacies of moving cattle with finesse, all while maintaining balance and softness in your horse. In addition, there are always cattle games back at home, sorting cattle and options to weigh cattle! Don’t forget about getting handy on a cutting flag and with a rope if you so desire! Of course, horsemanship is a given here at McGinnis. You ALWAYS have the option to work on beginner to advanced arena horsemanship or horsemanship outdoors on the trails and in the meadows. Each day, we will start with a bit of horsemanship, and then head out on our separate paths as scheduled.
October 20-26 & November 3-9 – Fall Horsemanship – 5 Day
Fall colors and crisp days. Can you almost smell the pumpkin spice? These weeks have been created for a deep and meaningful horsemanship experience. Fall weather can turn to winter in a hurry, so we do all riding in our heated, state of the art arena. Be prepared to be immersed in horsemanship from the ground on up to the finest horsemanship details. This is great for beginner to advanced, as we will be peeling into layers of feel, timing and balance. We also spend time working on our cutting flag and roping too!
November 24-30 – Thanksgiving Horsemanship – 5 Day
This is always one of our most popular weeks of the year! Same program as listed directly above, except we include the most spectacular feast for our guests and staff! You can’t get much better than riding your tush off all day and coming in to the cozy lodge, feasting with friends and watching fall colors and snowflakes dancing around outside in the setting sun.
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