During the Cowboy Experience, you will spend many hours with your horse. We hope you will develop a relationship and learn to communicate with him or her.  

 

 The first experience you will have with your horse here at Steens Mountain Guest Ranch is “Tacking Up,” which simply means brushing, saddling and bridling your horse. This gives you a chance to get acquainted with your horse and for your horse to get acquainted with you. You will be guided through the process the first time, so you can get the hang of it. And we are always glad to answer questions each and every time you do it. We expect that you will have questions because even if you ride a horse frequently, there are differences in bridles and saddles.

 

When you are done riding for the day, you will need to “Untack” your horse.....remove the saddle, saddle blanket, bridle and check your horse over for any sores or cuts that may need tending to. Taking care of your horse is an important part of ranching because, without your horse, you simply cannot do your job.