 Bear IT Design & Photography
Dryhead Ranch 2011 - The Experience
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So how does this horse training information fit with my objective of photographing from the back of a horse? I reasoned that if I was going to continue to photograph mustangs and ranch work, I’d better know a lot more about horses and horse training. That led me to training Pepper and learning to ride and figure out how to carry my camera and shoot from the horse. As far as horse training goes, Pepper has learned to trust me and respond to my commands after a year of patiently working with her using positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. I have been accused of being “too gentle” with my training and, of course, it has taken me much longer than it would have for an traditionally-trained and experienced horse trainer. But, that’s fine by me if it benefits the animal. I’m in no hurry and I’ve learned a great deal about horses, horse training, riding, and horse trainers.
Once I felt confident that I wanted to continue my quest of learning to shoot off of a horse, I went to a bag maker and requested that they design and produce a horn bag that would accommodate my camera with its large lens, which they did. I tried it out a little on trail rides with Pepper, but wanted to really give it and me real trial. So, I found Dryhead Ranch on the Web after a lot of searching. I wanted an experience somewhat different than what the run-of-the-mill dude ranch could offer. Since Dryhead Ranch professed to be a “working” cattle and horse ranch, and allowing me the freedom to choose which type of work to be a part of, I booked a mini-horse drive with them right away. The rest of the story follows.
Sunday June 12
It was getting to be late afternoon and Michelle and I were racing up and down the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway toward Cody, WY, trying hard to keep our eyes on the road ahead and view the beautiful scenery all around us. We were expected to arrive in Lovell, WY at 6P to meet Iris Bassett and the rest of the folks that were to be staying at Dryhead Ranch.
Realizing that we were going to be late, I gave Iris a call from Cody to let her know where we were and that we might be late. She told me we were about an hour away and that we’d encounter roadwork getting to Lovell. Finally, we met everyone at the Conoco gas station at about 6:40. Iris introduced us to her family and the other guests and told us we’d have another hour’s ride to the ranch.
We followed Jennifer, Iris’s daughter, driving through the Bighorn National Recreation Area, the Pryor Mt. Mustang Herd Management Area, and on to the Crow Indian Reservation, arriving about an hour later at the ranch. Jennifer, the ranch manager, showed us to our room in the bunkhouse and gave a few other instructions, which were to be continued in the morning. Everyone got settled in their rooms, talked for a while over dinner, then went to bed anxious to see what we would encounter the next day.
Monday June 13
The next morning we met in the cook house for breakfast, then moved on to the main house where Jennifer briefed us on the ranch and what to expect during our week on the ranch for the next week. We were given a wild rag, a bottle of water and spurs, if you needed them. We could pack a lunch and snacks in the cook house to take along for the day’s ride, although some days we’d be back for lunch. We could purchase needed items or souvenirs in their modest gift-shop, while coffee, lemonade and snacks were always available in the cook house. Questions on horses, riding, tack etc. could be answered by the ranch’s two cowboys, Jake and Sky or other staff folks as needed. Then off we went to pack a lunch and get a horse.
Since I don’t generally eat lunch, I skipped that part, and went directly for the halter for my horse. Jake and Sky were up at the round pen roping horses from the cavy to give to each of us, picking a horse that suited our riding experience. Jake gave me Chester, a chestnut quarter horse. I brought my own saddle and pad, so I just needed a bridle, which they provided. We saddled up, mounted and headed out to see some of the most beautiful Montana country I’ve seen.
We spent the day getting used to the horses, checking fences and herding some cattle from one place to another. We viewed only a small portion of the ranch’s 21,000 acres, made up mainly of low sage and a ton of wildflowers. There were some juniper trees at the lower elevations and limber pine at the higher, but were sparse everywhere. Trees and shrubs were more plentiful in the canyon bottoms along streams that we crossed several times during each ride. The horses had no problems with crossing water, but you needed to guide them through the middle or get knocked off of your horse by a low-hanging branch. I came close a couple of times.
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