HorseWorks, Wyoming - Living life as a Cowgirl - part 4

If you missed parts 1, 2 or 3 of my Wyoming adventure then you can click on the links to read them!

I can't believe the end of my adventure is near - but for now, enjoy part 4 of my trip!

Sunday

We all had such a good day together in Yellowstone National Park today. Despite spending a whole day out on the park we only managed to drive around half of it. If you're thinking of visiting, I'd definitely recommend doing an overnight stay somewhere in the park so you can get to see as much as possible. We all thoroughly enjoyed our day and definitely saw some special sights that I couldn't wait to show everyone back home the photos of. Yellowstone is simply a breathtaking place that has hundreds of little secret pulling in places which all give you the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the place. I've never been to a place so fascinating and mesmeric in all my life; the waterfalls, nature, animals in their natural habitats and everything else, it was so tranquil and peaceful.


We walked several miles and by the end of the day my feet were beginning to complain that they would much rather sit down, but we saw things today that will stay with me forever and what made it even more special was being able to share it with the rest of the group.

Monday

Today was categorically awesome. After two of the group members went out wrangling this morning with Hannah and Jess it transpired that none of the horses were on the property, meaning that the fence we put up last week still wasn't stopping the pesky bunch from escaping.

So, it was back to the hay field to wrangle them home which we all knew would mean an opportunity to have a canter - perfect! The horses almost cooperated and only veered off slightly, but despite that it was fun having to go and fetch them again. I think its safe to say that today we rather went for it and got our chance to give our mounts a good leg stretch. Tina loved it, she never ceases to amaze me  as she heads up the front of the herd and manages to keep up, despite being several hands smaller than the rest.

Tina quite literally just went for it. This pony just knows what she's got to do and just does it - no questions asked. You can tell she loves her job and thoroughly relishes in being up at the front herding the rest of the horses. It's starting to hit me that in less than a week I'll no longer be on the ranch and I'm going to have to say say good-bye to this pony I've fallen in love with. There's nothing I wouldn't give to be able to take her back to England, but unfortunately with transportation and quarantine costs so high, it just wouldn't be possible. Plus, she wouldn't have a "job" back home in England like she does here; I'm not sure she's the type to be someones family pet.

The moment we began wrangling the horses home we all began to cheer at the opportunity to do something we all could only dream about doing back home. I couldn't help but laugh out loud and smile to myself as the feeling of being in control of all those horses and playing a part in getting them from one place to another in such an old fashioned way is just overwhelming.

After lunch a yellow school bus full of children from the local came for their last session with MaeCile. They were given the chance to groom, tack up the ponies and then were asked to check each others tacking up skills and point out any faults. It wasn't about picking faults, but more seeing where they could improve. MaeCile and Nate are huge believers in encouraging rather than demotivating those who want to learn and as I looked around the group I could see each child watching and listening to MaeCile like she was the only person in the corral - all with admiration and keen to learn.

The children were split into two groups, with one being the beginner group who we were asked to lead, whilst the others practiced leading the colts and foals. Before they had arrived, Jess and I had been tasked with catching and putting halters on the colts which made for an interesting half hour! None wanted to be caught and thought it was a fun game running around the corral and hiding behind their mum's!

Finally, after lots of walking, chatting to the children and posing for various photos it was time to put the horses to bed and head back up to the ranch ourselves. We were all very tired and so decided tonight was going to be a movie night and all us girls could have the opportunity to drool over the cowboys in "The Longest Ride". I don't think I realised how tired I was until I woke up wedged between poor Kathrin and Hugh on the sofa to the credits rolling and everyone declaring it was bed time. The both of them had acted as rather comfy pillows for me and I'd had the best 2 hours sleep after sinus pain and no sleep the night before!

Tuesday

Another important goal of mine on the famous bucket list was to learn to barrel race, so you can imagine my delight when after groundwork Jess started to put some barrels out and promised to show us how it was done. She started by explaining the do's and dont's of barrel racing, when you would get any penalties and explaining the pattern. Surprisingly there was more to it than I initially thought and whilst a friend and I have previously described it as similar to Pony Club games, I was keen to learn it was actually very different, with a high level of skill required.

Once we had all memorised the pattern and gotten our competitive hats on we decided to have a few goes whilst each person took it in turn to take photos on my camera. I was rather keen to have a canter through the sequence but unfortunately the ground was quite slippy, so we had to stick to trot. Nonetheless Tina proved once again what an agile and keen pony she is and took it all in her stride.

All too soon it was time to head back to the corral and by this point I was feeling even more poorly and sleepy than I had the day before. I knew what was wrong and after speaking to MaeCile she suggested someone take me into Cody so I could go to the Doctors and get some antibiotics. Hugh very kindly offered to drive and Kathrin as a doctor, came along for the drive and to pick up some bits from town. They were both very sweet with Hugh offering to come in to see the doctor with me, whilst Kathrin went off shopping, however I decided it was best to leave him in the waiting room, but was thankful for the offer of company. As it turns out I did need antibiotics and was sent on my way with a diagnosis of tonsillitis and sinusitis, accompanied by some antibiotics and a $150 bill that I now had to claim back from my insurance. I think it all adds to the experience of this trip and was rather keen to share my experiences of going to an American doctors when back home. Once again, they all loved my very British accent and I lost count of how many times they laughed at the way I say Paracetamol. Unfortunately our wait in Walmart for antibiotics was seemingly a long one, which was frustrating as we were supposed to be going out for a sunset ride. However, after a quick text to Hannah and Jess it turned out they were also running late and this was cancelled meaning I could take my time looking round the shop - with a very frustrated Hugh in tow that he hated shopping with girls!

Wednesday

I am rather conscious that I've started every day off with "today was amazing" or "today was the best day ever". I think for anyone thinking of booking a holiday to stay with MaeCile and Nate who is reading this, you've got to realise that everyday spent on the ranch really is something special - and I'm not just saying that because I've been given the opportunity to write for them, or because I want so desperately to go back (I do, but, that's a different story). Horseworks is a typical working ranch that portrays real life living in Wyoming. You could easily pick to go to a ranch with a hot tub and en-suites in your bedrooms, but would you be getting a real taste of cowboy and Wyoming life? The simple answer to that is no. No two days are the same on Horseworks, but equally no day is boring or mundane or even not worth documenting. It's all been so special for me up until now and each day I learn something new about this beautiful country and the culture around where I am staying.

Today was another good day, we were all up bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for early morning chores and the excitement of riding somewhere new. We tacked the horses up and then loaded them into the trailer with the plan of heading over to the Cassie trail for a ride. A beautiful trail, surrounded by stunning scenery and nature at its finest, the Cassie trail is something special. The views reminded me a lot of Cow Camp and I eagerly got my camera out at several opportunities to grab some photos and help remember this extraordinary place.

The flatter land on the Cassie trail allowed for some fantastic canters, both individually and and as a group. It was great to have the chance to canter out as a group as this is something we haven't done much of apart from when herding the horses. I always think there's something extra special and exciting about being able to canter out in a large group. I suppose it's the thrill of hearing the hoofbeats coming up behind you and sharing that moment with those around you. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves and it made a nice change to rise away from the ranch a little more.

All too soon our ride was over and we arrived back at the trailer just before lunch. The plan for the rest of the afternoon was to finish our chores and then prepare to go out in the evening for our last night out as a whole group as two of the team were leaving on Friday.

We all had a lovely evening out at the Cowboy Bar in Meteetse again. Over the last two weeks I'd gotten several opportunities to have bets with Kathrin and Hugh and each time I'd just say "oh buy me a drink" so I used tonight as my chance to cash these in. The three of us spent the evening playing pool, laughing and joking and watching another of our group member get friendly with a local cowboy. It's not at all relevant but I want tonight documenting as the night I managed to beat Hugh in a game of pool - never in my life have I beat a man at Pool - and if he says he let me win, this is definitely not true!

As I sat down to give my feet a rest it dawned on me that in just a few days we would all be splitting up and going back to our everyday lives. Clare and Charlotte were heading back to England on Friday, I was heading to New York on Sunday and the rest had a couple of days left at the ranch, but were then moving on to different adventures. It was bittersweet to reminisce about the days we had spent together, enjoying our once-in-a-lifetime trip and all the memories we had all created and shared with one another. I would definitely miss this.

Thursday

Today we were given the chance to have a small lie-in. When I say lie-in, this means chores and everything must still be done by about 8:45. I wanted to shower before everyone else, so I was up at the crack of dawn again but at least feeling refreshed and ready for our final day as a group.

We all were keen to have various photos taken of us donning the cowboy hat and boots, so I offered to be photographer and asked people to pose in different positions whilst I snapped away. Kathrin very kindly offered to take some photos of me and Tina which have come out lovely. I particularly like the more natural ones of us both in the corral - it is going to be a bittersweet and tough time leaving this pony behind.

Several photos and poses later it was time to go out and wrangle the horses back one last time. We had all had so much fun doing it previously that we asked if we could have one last go. Thankfully MaeCile is very understanding of our requests and asked Hannah and Jess to let some horses out the night before, then push them further afield early that morning. Today we were being left to it and it was up to us alone to wrangle the horses back to the ranch. The girls were there if we needed them, but this time we were effectively on our won - yeeha!

Upon finding the horses I could feel Tina begin to pull and I knew that she knew what was coming up. Everything started off well and as a group we seemed to have everything under control - however I spoke too soon and before we knew it the horses found a gap in the fence and made their way up a rather large mountain until we could no longer see them. At this point I knew there was no way Clare would want to go up there and it wouldn't have been fair to expect her to on her last ride. Thankfully Jess and Hannah intervened and some of us began to make our way up the mountain to get the horses. I had ended up at the back and as I watched their horses slip and slide on some rocks I was sceptical about whether we would all make it up there; Hugh was also behind me on Cav and so I made the decision that I'd stay behind with him and leave the girls to it. We stayed at the bottom of the mountain waiting to see if the horses came back down and having a chat. It was nice to have 10 minutes to chill out after such a fast ride previously.

Once the girls had found a route for Clare to head to the hayfield we all began to make our way down. It was still pretty steep and I hope that Clare is proud of her willingness and determination to cover some of the ground we did. I know if I had a fear like hers I wouldn't have attempted half the mountains she did. Soon enough we were back in the hay field and ready to start again. We hoped this time it would go better than before, but unfortunately the horses weren't making life easy and found another gap in the fence, this time making their way to the old ranch. Intervention from Jess and Hannah was required again and before long we were on the right track, until they left us to it again and only three of us were left wrangling. Somehow the rest had gotten left behind and decided just to walk which made for a rather frustrating few minutes as Kerry, Hugh and I realised we were doing this alone and tried to work out the best possible plan. In the end we kept on pushing and the horses ended in a neighbours field which Jess then caught up with us and said we were leaving them there. Phew! A huge part of me was disappointed that we hadn't been able to accomplish something like this alone, but it takes a lot of practice to learn to wrangle successfully and I hope if I return to the ranch in the future it is something I'll be given the opportunity to have a go at again!

Eventually we made it back to the ranch, all rather tired and sad that our time as a group was over. The two were leaving at 4am the next morning and Kathrin, Hugh, Kerry and I were heading off to Montana to go to a Rodeo before I left for New York on Sunday. MaeCile asked if I would consider allowing everyone to look at my pictures on the book screen as a slideshow which I was pleased about. Jess put some cowboy music on and it was nice to sit wedged between Kathrin and Hugh again and watch our adventure as a group unfold once more right from the beginning.

*

Part 5 is the final instalment of my Wyoming adventure, but also one of the most exciting as I get to cross yet another thing of my bucket list. I'll be posting it in the next couple of days!

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HorseWorks, Wyoming - Living life as a Cowgirl - part 3

If you missed parts 1 and 2 of my Wyoming adventure, then you can find them both by clicking the links!

Thursday

The day started quietly, we were all rather tired from Wednesday and didn't go on a long ride because we were saving the horses for our ride to Cow Camp on the Friday. At lunch time Paul announced he had a surprise for everyone and winked at me telling me I'd like this. I was rather excited and couldn't wait to hear exactly what it was! My apprehension soon turned to excitement when I learnt we were going to spend the afternoon having a go at both shooting and roping! Before I go any further, I want to explain how amazing it was and how so very grateful I am to Paul.

Learning to shoot, or simply shooting a gun has been on my bucket list for quite some time now. I've been dying to have a go at Clay Pigeon Shooting at home but have just never quite gotten around to making the time and actually booking to go. Paul set up a car that we had to lean on when holding the gun so no one would get hurt. This was probably sensible as some of us had never done anything like this before! He gave us a debrief on how to hold the gun, how to open and close it and then how to load it. Half way through his instructions I was almost jumping up and down with excitement and just nodding, telling him to let me get on with it!

As it turns out I can't close the correct eye to say I'm right handed. Paul and I were in fits of laughter and he told me if I want to shoot more I need to work on this and an eye patch may be needed! We had three turns each and every time we made one shot, Paul made sure we walked over to the target to see where we had hit and explained how to get closer to the target. This man has the patience of a saint and spent as much time explaining to us all as we wanted.

After shooting we spent some time roping again. It was difficult not having someone there to explain how to do it again, but Kathrin, Hugh and I all managed it in the end.

I must say, Hugh was very brave to allow me to try and rope him and I'm pleased to say I succeeded - even with my eyes shut! Goodness knows why he didn't trust me to try and do it when I'd asked previously.

I never thought I would say this, but out of all the places I've visited in my life, Wyoming has to be my favourite. I've travelled through various beautiful places in South-Africa, but they just don't compare to this stunning location. The views, atmosphere and lifestyle is so very different and one I really wasn't looking forward to leaving behind.

Thursday evening Paul asked if we wanted to go to the Hot Springs in Thermopolis. Hugh, Kathrin, Paul and I spent a lot of time playing Basketball in the outdoor pool and going down the waterslide. It was nice to get away from the ranch with everyone and let our hair down in a different type of environment - we had lots of fun and laughter throwing one another about in the pool and seeing who could go down the slide the fastest.

Soon enough it was time for dinner and we all headed to another local bar for some much needed food and drinks. An exhausting but exhilarating day nonetheless!

Friday

Today was the much anticipated Cow Camp day, something we had all been looking forward to since the very start of our trip. The aim of the day was to ride up the mountains over-looking cow camp in the hope of finding several of the ranches loose horses that had all escaped and herd them back to the ranch. We were all rather excited and giddy at the thought of spending potentially 8 hours in the saddle, but at the same time slightly apprehensive. All of us had never herded horses before and weren't quite sure what to expect. Paul and Hannah had made it look so easy the other day, but would it be like that for us amateurs?

In the morning we all made ourselves sandwiches and packed some goodies into our saddle bags. Mine consisted of several chocolate bars and bottles of Sunny Delight to keep me going for what was going to be a long day. Hugh mocked my varying choice of snacks but was soon asking for some once we got riding - ha women are always the best prepared!

On the way to Cow Camp I rode upfront with Jess as Hannah wasn't able to join us again. It was nice to get to know Jess a little better and hear about her life back in England and how she splits her time between there and America. This girl is literally living the dream, I think most of us were more than envious when she explained she spends winter in England and summer in America!

The ride to Cow Camp was stunning, I had to keep asking if we could stop for various photo opportunities and I probably took more selfies on that ride than ever before (which according to the others is hard to believe!). All of us were required to wear orange throughout the ride as it makes us stand out to potential hunters who may mistake our horses for bears and so on. I joked that it looked like we had all just escaped prison and between us we looked rather funny.

The spirits were high on this ride, we were all eager to find and discover Cow Camp and wrangle the horses back. Finally after about 3.5 hours we reached the top of the mountain and all stopped in awe of the breathtaking views. You quite literally feel on top of the world stood up there; there's no other way to describe the true beauty of the place and the rolling hills for miles and miles upon end. I wanted to photograph the view in my head so I had it forever. A photo on my camera or mobile phone just didn't seem to do it justice and can't describe the pure beauty of what I was experiencing. At this moment I felt like the luckiest girl alive - I had been given this opportunity by luck and chance and I shall always be thankful to those who helped me get there through various means.

Soon enough after casting our eyes down into Cow Camp for 10 minutes we spotted several legs and bodies, all looking suspiciously like they shouldn't be there, but rather in MaeCile's corral! However... we had rode all this way up and now we needed to get down - somehow. Poor Clare was on tenterhooks wondering just how we were going to get down. Jess and I rode around for a few minutes and were really struggling to find a path suited to all. I suggested to Jess that we take a route which involved dropping down a rock ledge but then looked relatively sturdy. In the back of my mind I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew Clare was afraid of heights and we had to bear this in mind when it came to finding a path. Thankfully Jess looked at the path, suggested it to Clare and she agreed she would give it a go! Slowly we made our way down, which was both fun but also slightly terrifying as we were so far up! I was apprehensive that the route had been my suggestion and I didn't want anyone to get into trouble and it be my fault.

Tina is fantastic; if you let her get on with it she finds her own footing and steps down and up rocks where she needs to without any interference. It took about an hour to get down to Cow Camp and by the time we made it we were all more than ready to jump off our horses and give both them and us a rest as well as some much needed grub!

It was Paul's last day today, so Hugh and I spent a fair amount of time talking to him. He's a true Cowboy and his stories, jokes and anecdotes never tire to amaze me. There's something about him that I can't put my finger on - he is genuinely one of the most welcoming and admirable man I've ever met. Hugh and I ate lunch together whilst his horse Cav and Tina had a rest, which was nice. He's easy to get on with and chat to which I like - the conversation just flows and I enjoy we can have some banter with one another but also a serious conversation. (If he's reading this, i'm sure his heads just grown a considerable amount).
I'm sure between him and Kathrin I have hopefully made two friends for life.

After a 30 minute dinner it was time to jump back onto our horses and begin to herd the loose ones back to the ranch. We had a plan (not that plans ever go to plan) that Jess would be the lead horse which means she had to stay at the front of the herd and continuously shout "come horse". I would then ride at the front of our group and push the loose ones forward, with the rest of the group forming a semi-circle to stop any strays veering off. Honestly? It all sounded relatively easy at this point but soon enough, like plans always do, it went wrong. The aim had been to keep the loose horses in a walk or trot but as we rode through a gate we managed to get behind them and they broke off into a canter.

Much to my delight, Paul shouted "Tina, go with Jess now!" and we both cantered off after them to find where they were heading and attempt to steer them back to the group. We hopped up a steep mountain that we were sure they had gone up, but unfortunately we lost them and they were nowhere to be seen! Finally the others caught up with us and quickly we had to come up with a plan. Paul knew I was more than eager to get involved as much as possible and go fast at any given opportunity, so he shouted for Jess and I to go the way we originally wanted the horses to go and the rest of the group would go the way we thought they had gone. If one group found the horses, they were to ride back to the ranch and take the horses, if not, we would meet back at the windmill.

I was more than excited to get the opportunity to go with Jess and secretly hoped we were the ones to find the horses. We set out into a gallop in an attempt to try and catch up with the horses if they had gone the way we were heading and all the way were vigilant, checking for fresh hoof prints on the ground below.

Galloping along, chasing some horses in the middle of Wyoming felt surreal. It felt like I was dreaming and in any moment I'd wake up back in England, in my own bed, gutted to find it had all been some sort of dream. But it wasn't, and I was brought back to reality when suddenly I noticed a fresh hoof print and Jess shouted to me to push on as we must be on the right track. The feeling of seeing those horses over the next hill grazing was just fantastic. Jess and I squealed with excitement that we would be the ones to have to get them back to the ranch. It would be tricky with just two of us, but I was more than ready to give it a go! Jess explained that the horses would know their path home, so what we needed to do was push them forwards ensuring that none strayed or turned back around. I couldn't help but laugh with exhilaration and anticipation and we both high-fived one another. This was going to be an experience I was definitely never going to forget.

Tina immediately started to pull at the reins and excuse the pun - chomp at the bit! She knew what was coming and seemed just as enthusiastic as me. We set out at a canter, pushing the herd for home and all Jess and I could do was laugh - what a feeling!

We had several canters and trots and every so often allowed the horses to stop for a breather. The others knew to stop at every gate so we could open it for them - which gave us time to grab a quick swig of our drink before it was time to push on again!

Upon arriving at one particular gate we saw a stray cow from the neighbouring field and I was elated when Jess looked at me and asked if I wanted to herd it back into its field. Did she need to even ask? Of course I wanted to! So, I pushed Tina forwards to a canter and when I caught up with it, I had to slowly turn it around to push it back to the gate. Tina knew exactly what to do and every twist and turn that cow took, Tina followed. Nearer to the gate, Jess galloped up to me and together we pushed it through back to its mum and soon enough it was time to turn our attention back to our loose horses and getting them home!

Finally after 8 hours in the saddle, shattered and starving we arrived back at the ranch on a high, full of stories to tell the rest of the group. It was an exhausting day, but one I'll remember and cherish forever. You don't forget memories and experiences like that easily and what better way to experience it than on a horse.

Saturday

Today constituted of a days shopping in Cody and then picking up our hire car ready for Yellowstone on the Sunday. We all had such an amazing day together, laughing and helping one another pick which cowboy boots to buy. We went to the local western store called Boot Barn which can only be described as my heaven! I got myself some boots and a pair of Cowgirl jeans. The rest of the gang also got some bits and bobs and upon leaving the shop we all felt like we fitted in with the locals now!

After going to pick up our car and having some dinner, the gang dropped Kathrin and I at the Legacy Inn hotel in Cody we had decided to stay at so we could have a night out just the two of us. We had such a great evening playing pool and dancing to the live band in Silver Dollar, as well as chatting to a few locals about England. The funny thing is, they absolutely love our accent here - as soon as anyone finds out we're British we get asked to say various words in our "awesome accent".

The question is, would we get up in time to meet the rest of the group at 7:30am to head to Yellowstone?

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HorseWorks, Wyoming - Living life as a Cowgirl - part 2

If you missed Part 1 you can view it here!

I couldn't have been anymore wrong that I'd not get to experience all that I'd ever hoped to whilst out here. But that's another day...

Monday: 

With the horses in tow we headed back to the ranch and were given our ride for the duration of our trip. Poor Hugh was given the job of driving the truck and trailer back - which I must say is so very different to our trailers and horse boxes in the UK. I just had to take photos to show everyone back home how many horses they put into one trailer here. It really made me think how much we nanny our horses back home.

I was given a gorgeous appaloosa mare called Tina that was no bigger than Ceaser but apparently was "all business" and liked to get on with a job. Once we'd become acquainted to our rides, we were shown how to tack up Western style and headed to the round pen to get used to this completely different way of life.

Once comfortable we had to go and move some cows from near the ranch further into the fields. Tina was absolutely awesome and quite possibly I think that's the only way to describe her. She had to be up the front of the herd as she hated being at the back and was somewhat of a pro when it came to herding horses and cattle, so she knew exactly what to do. As soon as her eyes spotted the cattle she anticipated what was about to come and started to stride out ready to focus on the job she knew she was going to be asked to do. I had to pinch myself as were pushing the cows forward into a spot where we wanted them. I couldn't quite believe I was there in Wyoming. It just goes to show that dreams can come true.

After riding and getting to grips with everything Hannah had arranged for a couple of local cowboys to come over and show us how to rope. To begin with I had absolutely zero hand-eye coordination, but I knew I would! It took me a good 15 minutes to get to grips with the swing of the rope but thankfully one of the cowboys, Justin was very patient with me and before long we had something that resembled the correct way to do it and I managed to rope him.

I've no idea why Hugh objected to me using him as target practice after I declared I couldn't rope with my eyes open and I was much better at it when I had my eyes closed! I wonder why!?

 Result - you might make a cowgirl out of me yet!

Before long it was time to head into Meeteetse which is about half an hour away for a couple of drinks and to play some pool. The bars are just like you'd imagine a true cowboy bar to be like - on one side of the room you've got various animal heads hanging on the wall and on the other you've got several cowboys sitting at the bar either with their cowboy hat positioned closely next to them or on their heads where they belong. From the corner of the room you can hear one country song after another playing out the Juke Box which each cowboy almost takes it in turns to go up and put some dollars in. Several times I found myself taking a moment to stop, look around the room and simply breath everything in. It's almost as it time would stop still for those few seconds and each time I did it over the next three weeks I spotted something different about this town, the way the cowboys lived and then I thought of something else I'd miss once it came to returning home. Home, that seemed a million miles away from this place that had so much more to offer.

Tuesday

When I entered todays entry into my handwritten diary I seem to have gone overboard on the amount of exclamation marks I used. I think today consitutes as one of the 'best days' I'll ever have, but I have a feeling I'm going to be saying that about a lot of my days on the ranch.

MaeCile, Paul and Hannah were all stumped as to where the horses were escaping from so it was up to us to put an end to the mystery once and for all today. We were required to ride and keep on riding until we found out where they were escaping. Initially when Paul pointed to where we would be riding I anticipated we would be riding around the mountains, not over them! At one stage riding up to the mountain I questioned with Hannah that we would be riding over "that". "Of course" she said, a little wearily. At that moment I must admit my heart stopped for a second. At home I'd never even imagine asking a horse to navigate its way up and down the mountain Hannah was adamant we were tackling! One of the ladies with us was scared of heights so making our way up was interesting. I wasn't panicking too much until I asked Hannah which route we were taking and she quietly replied "I don't know, I've never been this way before!". It was one of those moments where you know you have to keep calm, but inside you're absolutely bricking it. After what seemed like eternity we finally made it to where we wanted to be and Paul and Hannah went off exploring to find the route the escapees were taking. When they found where it was we all couldn't believe the horses would even contemplate going down there - and to say we were worried about going up the mountain we'd just gone up; it was nothing compared to what they were going up and down to get to the hay field.

After a few photos it was time to head back to the ranch and have an afternoon of relaxation. Cowboy Paul said he had to nip into the local town, Thermopolis to send some text messages and run some errands, so Hugh and I decided to head out with him whilst everyone had a nap or just relaxed.

The three of us had such a lovely afternoon going in and out cowboy shops, playing pool and grabbing some supplies such as sweeties for our rides out. Everyone back at the ranch had given us a list of what they wanted so our small shop resulted in one large one!

Hugh and I had a fantastic time in the cowboy shop trying some hats on, looking at chaps, spurs and varying types of ropes. I made it my aim to buy a rope before I left to go back to England; I was determined to take one back home for all the Pony Club kids to have a go on. Overall it was a really nice afternoon spending time with the boys and listening to Cowboy Paul's stories, which never cease to amaze me.

On our drive back to the ranch Hannah text me to say the cowboy who had helped me with he roping from the previous evening wanted to know if I'd be interested in going out for dinner with her and the boy she was seeing as they were brothers. We had a fun evening, and it was great to experience how different America was to England.

Wednesday

We were supposed to be doing the long ride to Cow Camp today, but because Hannah had college we rescheduled it for another day. Instead we went on what is known as the windmill ride with Paul, who I'll never get tired of riding out with. Tina likes being up at the front so I'm quite lucky that I got to ride with Paul for most of the time. I think he knew I was quite keen to learn all there is to know about America and living out here in the wilderness, so tested me on certain droppings and what animal I thought they came from and so on - needless to say I only got about 1 out of 5 correct. I'm so English!

As we were riding along Paul began to talk about my bucket list and what else was on it. At first I was sceptical to talk about it, I wondered if he was asking just to be polite, but it turned out he wanted to help me cross as much off as I could whilst here at the ranch. I'll never forget his kindness and willingness to help me, as well as offering a friendly ear to listen to all I had to say. I told him I wanted to herd cows and have a faster ride on Tina at some point or when given the opportunity.

As if by magic as we were riding out we saw two neighbours cows that were loose and had escaped from their field. Paul explained that here, all neighbours help one another and because we had spotted the cows we were going to get them back and check they had water. He looked at me and said "here's your chance, go get your critter to get those cows!". (Here in America, they seem to call all animals critters; it took some getting used to as I wasn't sure what he meant at first!). I squealed with excitement as I sent Tina cantering up the hill in an attempt to round up the two cows and couldn't help but shout over to a fellow intern that this was the best holiday ever - to which she agreed! Tina knew exactly what she was doing and before long we were back with the rest of the group pushing the cows forward in a steady walk having got them on the right track.

Paul thought the cows were escaping because of lack of water and wondered if their only source had dried up due to the hot weather, or if the pipes weren't working correctly. In the distance we could see a corral where we thought the source of water would be and when Paul mentioned we could ride up to there but it would take a while I gave him a cheeky smile and he replied "Oh go on, but pick someone to ride with you!" so I shouted to Clare and off we galloped to check for water. Tina is amazing, she just gets right on with the job in hand and I now know fully what MaeCile and Hannah meant about being a pony that's all about business. Clare and I had the best half an hour - we cantered around the corral looking for water, got stuck opening a gate as I couldn't manage it, cantered back to Paul, only to be sent back again and so on - it was as if time stood still and I didn't want the afternoon to end. Thankfully we found that the cows did have water and the two stragglers had simply escaped. We were all on cloud nine, especially Clare and I whom had both had the chance to do some faster work; in fact we were like cheshire cats grinning from ear-to-ear and keen to tell everyone else about our experience!

After lunch, albeit a little tired we all hiked up to the North fence to fix the fencing at the part where we thought the horses were escaping. Between us we carried all the tools, fencing posts, wire, cold drinks to keep us hydrated and so on. It was so great to see everyone rallying around together and helping one another. It was a long way up to walk carrying all the heavy tools, but we all kept each other in good spirits. It really made me realise the things we take for granted in England; we don't have to trek several miles up a mountain carrying tools because we have a jeep or quad bike and the hills aren't at all like the ones in Grass Creek. However here it's second nature - Paul didn't think twice about having to walk up there and was confused as to why we all emphasised "WALK, carrying all THAT?!".

Soon enough we were done with fence fixing and all rushed home to have a shower and get ready before making our way into Meeteetse for dinner again. It was nice to have Nate and MaeCile join us for the evening, as well as Hannah's cowboy friends that taught some of us how to two step. Oh, I also managed to cross number 15 off my bucket list and get a photo of it this time. For those wondering what I'm on about, go on and check it out!

Thursday

Time is going far too quickly, I wish it would slow down. Today was another of those incredible days that will just stay engraved in both your head and heart forever. It turns out when Paul was asking me about my bucket list the day before, he had been listening with interest and intent to help me cross more things off. I'd told him I wanted to learn to shoot something like clay pigeons or similar and have another go at roping. Never in a million years did I expect him to throw a surprise in to our day on Thursday afternoon.....

To be continued...

For more information on HorseWorks please visit their website

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HorseWorks, Wyoming - Living life as a Cowgirl - part 1

It sounds cliche, but I've wanted to experience living like a cowgirl since I was as young as I can remember. I've always thought I was born in the wrong country and era; I'm not the type of girl that enjoys shopping for high heels or a tight dress to wear out clubbing. I'm much more comfortable in a pair of jeans, boots and in the company of horses.

Back in May when I mutually ended a 5-year relationship with my other half, I had to think of ways to keep busy and adapt to possibly one of the biggest changes in my short 24 years. I'd always been the sensible one out of my friends, the voice of reasoning and the one with the 'old head' on 'young shoulders', but for once I had a feeling that I didn't want to be the one that talked friends down from silly situations, I wanted to live and I had a strong urge to travel. With this in mind, my "65 things to do before I turn 30" bucket list was born. If you haven't read this you can find it here.

Of course one of the things I wanted to cross off was 'live like a cowgirl' and my saviour came in the form of Horseworks Ranch in Wyoming. The owner was looking for journalists to go and take part in their internship for 3-weeks and before I knew it my flights were booked and I was on the countdown until my plane took off from Heathrow.

Nestled deep in Grass Creek between Cody and Thermopolis, Wyoming near the beautiful Yellowstone National Park, HorseWorks is surrounded by 66,000 acres ranging from sage brush flats to expansive scrub pine mountains. If you want complete peace and tranquility then HorseWorks ticks both of those boxes.

Owners, Nate and MaeCile Brown have both invested not only money, but also several hours of their time and personal experiences to create a place that feels like a home away from home to all visitors and guests that drive through their gates. Their bubbly yet friendly and welcoming personalities shine through the moment you meet them and instantly you know you're going to have the trip of a lifetime.

Born in Wyoming in 1921, Nate has ridden and cowboyed all his life. To those who know him - and even those who don't - Nate is a living legend and a true cowboy through and through. Although he can't ride as much as he used to, it doesn't mean to say he doesn't enjoy hearing all about what his horses have been up to and the twinkle that appears in his eye when you mention his favourite horse, Nicole is something you almost can't put into words.

MaeCile came to Wyoming in 1994 after living abroad for ten years to pursue her true loves: Nate and horses. With strong beliefs of correct horsemanship, years and years of knowledge and western tradition experience, MaeCile truly comes alive when showing interns the importance of groundwork and cowboy ways.

Whilst at Horseworks you'll bunk in rustic 12' x 16' log cabins with electricity and propane heat. Camp in homesteads dating from the late 1800s when the three Dickie boys came to Grass Creek from Scotland, immigrating into to this territory with their band of sheep, then built the area into one of the premier sheep, cattle and horse ranches in the country. You may also expect an overnight stay at Prospect Cow Camp.

Since the late 90's it has always been Nate and MaeCile's personal goal to "get off the grid" and live more like the way Nate lived as a young cowboy growing up in Wyoming in the 20's - immersed in nature, learning from the land and livestock.

Both Nate and MaeCile are firm believers that each guest is an individual and will do their very best to ensure they have the most magical time whilst at HorseWorks. MaeCile told me that Nate has always believed in matching horses to the guests personalities and both horse and rider almost pick one another, rather than the relationship between the two being forced.

Part 1:

I didn't make things easy for myself; the day I was due to leave for Heathrow I decided it would be a good idea to compete Ceaser near Luton which seemed like a good idea at the time, but all my thoughts were taken up with the apprehension of what was to come for the next three weeks and my attention was more on the prospect of living like a cowgirl. Ceaser went beautifully for me and I was pleased with our middle ground placing in the Dressage to Music Championships, but couldn't wait to be on my way home and leaving for Heathrow at midnight. It was all becoming real now and after months of counting down and October seeming like a lifetime away, it was finally here.

The prospect of a 19-hour long journey to the ranch made me all the more excited. I had visions of what it would look like, what the people would be like and how much of a different way of life it would be to England. Flying into Cody airport at 8pm on the Sunday evening was one of the most magical experiences one can experience. It's hard to imagine we're still on earth when you see the scenery, it's simply beautiful.

We were met at the airport by head wrangler, Hannah and "Cowboy Paul" whom is Nate's Cousin. You'll learn much more about Paul as he went on to become one of my heroes. Once we'd all been introduced and said hello we headed to a Cowboy bar in Cody called Silver Dollar to grab some food and a much-needed drink!

I was in complete awe of this bar - I knew obviously that Cowboys and towns like this existed, but I never in a million years imagined I'd ever have the opportunity to experience it.

Before long we were all yawning away and ready to head to bed, but still full of anticipation of what the next 3 weeks would bring us all. On the hours drive back to the ranch it gave me a great opportunity to get to know both Kathrin, Hugh and of course Cowboy paul. Boy did he have some stories that I just couldn't wait to hear more of.

Upon arriving back at the ranch Kathrin and I decided to share a cabin together as we both liked to be hot and agreed we could have the heating on the majority of time we were in our cabin! Phew - a girl after my own heart!

Kathrin and I both fell to sleep pretty quick that night, we were well and truly exhausted and more than ready for a decent nights sleep after spending 19 hours on several planes and sat waiting around in the airports. Home seemed like a world away at this point.

Monday

Waking up and opening the cabin door to the wilderness of Grass Creek was simply amazing and something I'll never be able to describe without being able to use the photos I took to help do the talking. It was peaceful, full of tranquility and the only noise I could hear was birds tweeting.

The day started off slow which gave us a good chance to look around and get to know where everything was and in my case try to learn peoples names (something I'm rather terrible at!).

In the morning we had to take the trailer to fetch some horses which had escaped over the last few days. We sat in the back of the trailer to the field where they were; again, something that is just so foreign to us English people, but all part of the Wyoming experience.

It was at this point we got our first sense of what herding horses looks like. It's something I've always wanted to do after watching endless cowboy movies and programs but never thought I'd get the opportunity. How wrong could I be...

To be continued...

For more information on HorseWorks please visit their website

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