Homeplace Ranch, Alberta

I just finished the day at historic Homeplace Ranch riding with Mac MaKenny. Mac’s place is freindly and serene with nice, well loved horses and plenty of room to ride. We only scratched the surface on our ride through forests of Aspen to a conservation area with a peaceful lake and rolling green grasslands.

I also got to taste Aspen smoked steak at an outdoor BBQ and meet a few of the other guests, who have faithfully returned to enjoy the ranch. With a close proximity to Calgary, a lot of guests ride and attend the stampede or visit other Calgary attractions.

Anchor D's Sheep River, Alberta

We left this morning well fueled for the trip with Anchor D Outfitting into the Sheep River area of Southwest Alberta . Beverly, at Idle Spurs B & B cooked us homemade Eggs Benedict, berry muffins, fresh fruit and piping hot coffee. We packed layers, which are vital for a ride into the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Over the course of the day, we had sun and then once we got up high, a storm rolled in with fierce winds and cold rain. You know those long waxed duster coats you see in Western movies. They come in handy up here.

Dewey’s been guiding riders for over 25 years. He has over 100 horses and takes riders on one day to seven-day rides. He does something unique on his longer rides. Instead of just pack horses, he uses horse drawn wagons to carry supplies, so if you get tired no worries, you can ride.

The trails were beautiful. We passed through meadows filled with wild flowers including the fragrant wild rose, Alberta’s flower, forests of aspen and pine, steep mountain passes leading to vast expanses of rugged mountains covered in pockets of snow. When I say steep, I mean it. You need a good mountain horse to ride through this area, and you yourself can’t be afraid of heights.

We didn’t encounter any grizzlies, which I thought was good. Just some harmless ground squirrels, who popped in and out of the earth amid the colorful flowers—so cute. Here are some photos.

Alberta Impressions- Day One

I am sitting on the porch of Idle Spurs B and B in Black Diamond, Alberta. The sun is shining. It's probably 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the clouds are rolling by in the sky as I sip fresh lemonade. I hope that it's this beautiful tomorrow when we film a ride into the high country.

The Calgary Airport screamed cowboy flavor today. It's Calgary Stampede week, so the city and airport are buzzing with people. There was a western band playing as we exited the gate and someone tried to lasso me, literally! It was funny.

We drove the start of the Cowboy Trail on the way to our first destination. It's really pretty outside of Calgary. The farms that we passed on the Cowboy Trail seemed well kept. There's a lot of open grass with cows and horses grazing. I had heard about cute towns and antique shops, and we passed a really cute antique store in Turner Valley.

We arrived to meet Beverly, the owner of Idle Spurs. She offered us her homemade oatmeal cookies and made us feel really welcome. I've been spending time just looking around at all of the Western art and antiques that she has collected. Beverly and her husband are having a BBQ tonight and invited us. I can't wait to try their grilled steaks!

Backcountry Riding in Alberta

During my research on riding in Alberta in preparation for an upcoming Equitrekking film shoot, I was fortunate to be able to speak with Pam Asheton, author of “Alberta Backcountry Equestrian One-Day Trail Guide” and a former British Horse Society certified teacher and rider with over 30 years experience.

I just posted my interview with Pam here, Backcountry Riding in Alberta. It has some helpful suggestions for Alberta trails and backcountry safety tips.

Alberta Riding

If anyone has had a good experience traveling to Alberta, Canada to ride at a ranch, take a pack trip or ride in a national park, please, please let me know where you went and what you liked about it. I am planning a trip there.
Thanks!