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September 12, 2018September 12, 2018

Brooke Williamson Calls Paws Up the Disneyland of Nature

The California coast meets the foothills of Montana in our next WinterFest event on February 15–18, 2019. Come for a romantic Valentine’s Day, then stay for the coolest culinary event on earth. We’ll have you dining on delectable bites through Presidents’ Day. We’re thrilled to welcome an amazing lineup of winemakers and visionary chefs from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Experience three and a half days of wilderness adventures; intimate cooking classes and demonstrations; wine, beer and spirits tastings; live entertainment and, of course, gourmet, winter-themed feasts—complete with thoughtful wine pairings—created by our award-winning guest chefs.

Chef Brooke Williamson has been one of our featured WinterFest chefs from the very start of the event, and we are honored to sit down with her to chat about her latest endeavors and why she loves returning to Paws Up.

What ingredients are you excited about right now?

I love the transition from summer to fall. Corn and the tomatoes are still in play, but we also start to see squash and sweet root veggies. Seasons are more of a mindset in California, so the shift into fall is more about seasonal cravings. I love a good braised meat, so that might be the biggest bonus to seasonal changes for me. My staple ingredients are always the same though, such as fish sauce, good olive oil and dried mushrooms to name a few.

What’s the most underrated ingredient?

Good olive oil and good salt can make anything taste good.

Which ingredients from Montana are your favorites to work with?

I love cooking with local ingredients whenever I travel, but I’d have to say that some of the best game meat, watermelons and huckleberries (obviously) that I’ve ever eaten have come from Montana.

How many times have you been to Paws Up?

I lost count after about 20 visits, but I’m hoping my visits to Paws Up never end. It’s my happy place.

Why do you keep coming back?

The people, the nature, the activities, the staff, the food. I could go on and on.

What’s your favorite activity on property?

Snowmobiling. If I could snowmobile to work on a daily basis I’d be happy. But, that’s also a California girl talking.

How would you describe Paws Up to someone who has never been?

It’s kind of like the Disneyland of nature. It’s a place where I’m happy relaxing, doing nothing or taking advantage and experiencing everything. But honestly, nothing beats being on the vast open ranch property with everything you could ever need at your disposal. It’s the only place I really feel like I can truly breathe.

You’ve been involved in WinterFest since the first fest. How has it evolved? How would you like to see it continue to grow?

WinterFest has grown a lot since our first year. It’s doubled in numbers of guests and activities but still has the charm of an intimate foodie event. I love the fact that by the end of the weekend I feel like I’ve really gotten to know everyone.

Do you have any new exciting endeavors you’re working on?

My plate is very full right now with travel and the usual day-to-day restaurant stuff, but I am working on a book and a remodeling of my restaurant Hudson House, which we’re super excited about. Hudson House is about to hit 10 years since we opened the doors!

What’s the most important piece of kitchen wisdom you’ve ever received?

That maintaining calm is the key to making it out alive—in any kitchen circumstance.

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017

Our New Holiday-Inspired Spa Treatments

The Resort at Paws Up is celebrating the season with new holiday-inspired spa treatments. Guests can relax, rejuvenate and unwind pre- or post-holiday to renew their skin or calm their seasonal stress with these amazing new offerings. See more here.

October 13, 2017October 16, 2017

8 Best Pie Tips from Pie Expert Kate McDermott

Making great pies isn’t about the recipe—it’s about techniques. Join us at The Resort at Paws Up for Cookbook Live: Art of the Pie, held at Paws Up on November 3–6, 2017. Cookbook Live is a brand-new culinary series that features chefs bringing their acclaimed cookbooks to life through interactive demonstrations, hands-on classes, receptions and world-class meals. For our November Cookbook Live session, author and “pie whisperer” Kate McDermott will walk you through the steps for mixing, rolling and baking perfectly flaky pie crusts every time. Her hands-on classes will help you master essential pie-making skills that all bakers should know. McDermott’s cookbook, Art of the Pie, was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2017. Below is a preview of some amazing pie tips from the book and much more.

What are some of your top pie tips?

To avoid filling spilling over, fill the pie pan about 1/2 inch below the rim.
Place the pie it in the lowest part of the oven (if that is where your heating element is) or on a preheated cookie sheet or even a pizza stone to give the bottom crust a blast of heat. This can help with avoiding the dreaded soggy bottom!
If your pie is burned on the top, try lightly scraping it off with a paring knife and brushing the crumbs away much like you would do with burnt toast.
A little ice cream or dollop of whipped cream can camouflage a burn.
And if all else fails, get out the lasagna pan, turn your fruit pie into it, stir lightly to even it out and you will have the best crumble in the world. No one needs to know that you planned something different.
“Don’t overwork the dough” . . . words that we’ve all heard before might also be translated to “stop before you think you are done.” When flour and water are mixed together, they make gluten. The more it is mixed, the tougher the dough. Work the dough lightly, and just enough, so it comes together.
For best flavor, use fresh spices.
Clean your oven before embarking on your holiday baking so as not to get a blast of smoke from a preheated oven!

What is your ultimate baking tip?

It really helps to keep the ingredients for the pastry crust well-chilled. I put my flour in the freezer and sometimes grate frozen butter to ensure it doesn’t melt. Butter starts melting at 59ºF and cold fats are essential for a flaky crust. If my hands feel hot, I hold ice cubes for a minute until they cool down.

Which pies do you make for Thanksgiving?

Pumpkin pie and pear cranberry walnut pie.

Can you tell me how you became a pie expert?

From the time I was a little girl, I loved to bake. In the afternoons after school, I would come home and while my mom taught piano lessons, I would get out the mixing bowl and spoons to make cookies, cakes and bread. Some of these first attempts were disasters but many turned out to be pretty good and kept me interested in baking.

Those years of learning and experimenting later served me well in baking for my young family. We lived “out,” had a big garden and in the kitchen was a wonderful six-burner stove with an oven that could fit six loaves of bread at a time! I loved getting up early to bake for my family.

For a while in the late 1990s, my son Duncan and I lived on a blueberry u-pick farm on the north Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. There was no shortage of berries there. I made blueberry pie, blackberry pie and raspberry pie and combined all the berries to make triple-berry pie.

In 2005, pie became a passion and a two-year exploration of crust ensued. There was lots of experimentation with different flours and fats, ratios and recipes. The dough that we make in my Art of the Pie^® workshops is the culmination of much that was learned along the way.

How many years have you been baking pies?

I’m a lifelong baker. But I got seriously bit by the pie-making bug in the mid-1990s.

Do you have plans for another cookbook?

Kate’s Can-Do Cookbook: Easy as Pie Recipes for Everyday Cooking will be published in Fall 2018 by the Countryman Press/W.W. Norton. Photos once again by Andrew Scrivani.

Why do you love to come to Paws Up?

I love the rustic elegance of Paws Up. Montana is truly Big PIE Country.

September 28, 2017August 16, 2022

Possibly the World’s Most Uplifting Countdown

Make a resolution to finally have the New Year’s Eve of your wildest dreams. No crowds, no traffic. Join us for a weekend filled with wintery outdoor adventures like snowmobiling, horseback riding, snow tubing, and cross-country skiing. Then get cozy inside with movie nights, shopping and bowl game watching. And when it’s time to ring in the new year, you can celebrate in spectacular fashion right here at The Resort. You’ll find a dazzling night that begins with an elegant, five-course dinner and ends with fire dancers, fireworks and a live performance by American Idol’s Crystal Bowersox. After you retire to your private vacation home and wake up to a lavish breakfast buffet, you’re looking at an ideal welcome to 2018.

Our vast menu of activities provides opportunities to do things you love, as well as things you’ve always wanted to try.

Paws Up’s Featured Entertainment

“Crystal has ‘a voice like dirt and diamonds.’ Her music is intended to bring a positive message of love and light to the world—things that folks will be able to take with them on their own journey, so that they, too, can feel truly alive.”

— from crystalbowersox.com

Crystal Bowersox will provide the music for Paws Up’s extravagant end-of-the-year celebration. She will perform with her trio for all New Year’s Eve revelers to enjoy. Crystal Bowersox’s emotive folk-rock-country style catapulted her from the cramped coffeehouses and cavernous subway tunnels of Chicago to millions of homes across the United States when she placed second on Season 9 of American Idol. Along with her old soul of a voice, her carefree style and “don’t mess with me” attitude set her apart from the other contestants and landed the self-taught songstress performances with Joe Cocker, Harry Connick, Jr. and Alanis Morissette.

This Year Between Christmas and New Years, the Holidays Are Even Sweeter at Paws Up.

Because we like to do everything right, down to the last little detail, we’ve arranged for our very own Sugar Plum Fairy to make a visit this winter. Chef Mindy Segal of Chicago’s ever-popular HotChocolate restaurant will be providing heavenly cupfuls of her signature dessert. Stop by the fully stocked HotChocolate Bar for an assortment of concoctions. Winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef and author of Cookie Love, Segal will also be leading cookie-making classes* and creating a featured dessert. As if you needed any other reason to visit during this magical time of year.

September 24, 2017September 25, 2017

10 Reasons to Celebrate Christmas at Paws Up

This holiday season, leave behind the hustle and bustle for something truly magical: Christmastime in Montana. At The Resort at Paws Up, you’re in for a warm and adventurous holiday weekend. We have elves to take care of everything. Here are 10 reasons to spend Christmas at Paws Up in pictures and words.

You get to experience a picture-perfect backdrop of snow-covered mountains.
You’ll rock around your very own decorated tree.
You’ll receive a surprise personal visit from Santa, right in your cozy luxury home with gifts and all.
You’ll experience bonfires with s’mores and downhill snow tubing with a snowmobile chauffeur, followed by hot apple cider.
You’ll participate in a gingerbread house decorating contest.
You’ll enjoy quality family time with bingo game nights and more.
You’ll warm up with indoor activities such as holiday crafts, movie nights and plenty of shopping at our Wilderness Outpost.
You’ll experience a family broomball game on the Paws Up ice skating rink.
You’ll enjoy the best Montana Christmas brunch and a glittering Christmas dinner with live music.
You’ll end each day soaking in a soothing hot tub and then relax by your roaring fireplace.

Enough said? Contact our live chat on pawsup.com now for more information.

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017

Wilderness Workshops This Summer at The Resort at Paws Up

Most vacations, most folks just sit back and relax. But at Paws Up, we have a different attitude. We think, why not create spectacular music, learn to take magnificent photographs or find out what it takes to survive in the wild? Self-improvement? Yes. Boring? Never. With workshops taught by world-renowned experts, your instructor could be a celebrated artist like George Van Hook, a national champion horsewoman like Barbra Schulte or a tough-as-nails mountain man like Gary Steele. From art to music to equestrian activities, outdoor adventures and everything in between, Wilderness Workshops at Paws Up will inspire, educate and fascinate you and your kids all summer long. Pick your passion and take time to explore it—while surrounded by the scenery and nestled in the comforts of The Resort at Paws Up.

Gettin’ Primitive: June 20-23, July 23-29, August 3-9, 2017

Learn about the old ways from an honest-to-goodness mountain man—Paws Up’s resident outdoorsman Gary Steele. For four days at his self-built camp, you and your kids will get hands-on instruction in primitive skills like edible plant identification, fire making, knot tying, longbow archery, music making, orienteering, shelter building, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, tracking and woodsmanship.

Designed for families to come together in an environment that fosters confidence, curiosity, enthusiasm, responsibility and self-esteem, the Gettin’ Primitive workshop is sure to ignite your kids’ imagination. And be on the lookout for our resident mountain man at the Kids Corps of Discovery, around the luxury camps and on chuck wagon rides.

Drum Circle Madness: July 2-8, August 15-21, 2017

If a drum circle happens in our forest, you should make sure you’re around to hear it. We’re pleased to welcome Scott Besaw back to Paws Up for his annual event that turns even the most rhythmically challenged into stellar little drummer boys (or girls, or adults). Besaw hails from Chicago’s world-famous Old Town School of Folk Music and brings with him an infectious passion for all things music. It’s a hands-on (literally, no sticks required) course that teaches basic music principles as well as team building. Come learn how to truly march to the beat of your own drum.

Photography with Stuart Thurlkill

Sunset Photography: July 3, July 19 and August 1, 2017

Nature Walk Photography: July 8 and August 18, 2017

Picture this: the sun is making its final breathtaking appearance across the Montana landscape and, this time, you’ll have the skills to capture it with justice. This summer, let Paws Up Resort Photographer Stuart Thurlkill lead you on a wilderness walk as you learn how to capture that perfect photo. It’s a chance for you and your kids to gain a better understanding of light, composition and color, as well as a deeper appreciation for nature. You’ll see the world through a different lens, and head home with a collection of photographs to cherish your time in Big Sky Country.

Brushes With Greatness: July 10-17, 2017

Renowned American painter George Van Hook honed his artistic skill the old-fashioned way. As a young man, he visited the Louvre and traveled through France, Italy and Holland to study and be inspired by the masters. Now, for more than 35 years, this award-winning artist has painted and exhibited on three continents. He has also helped beginner and experienced painters alike improve their techniques and discover new talents. Van Hook will conduct this “plein air” watercolor workshop in a variety of eye-popping settings throughout The Resort. Go ahead, learn from a true pro and take in the unforgettable surroundings at the same time.

Block Printing and Mosaics: July 17-21, 2017

Channel your inner artist at this Paws Up Wilderness Workshop with Artist in Residency Jill Schulman as she teaches adults and children the art of block carving and printing, as well as mosaic making. Schulman is a renowned sculptor and ceramic artist who is passionate about teaching her craft to others. No previous experience is required to take part in the workshop—just a willingness to think outside the “block.”

Paint ‘N’ Pour: July 22, 2017

There’s nothing like a little wine to wake up your inner Picasso, Renoir or Van Gogh. So allow us to pour you a glass while the talented Linds Sanders instructs you on the finer points of painting in a hands-on art session designed for all skill levels. Sanders will join guests at Paws Up throughout the summer as part of the popular Paint ’n’ Pour Wilderness Workshop. With step-by-step guidance in a fun and friendly atmosphere, you’ll be creating your own personal masterpiece in no time. All you have to do is show up with an open mind—the canvases, paint, wine and laughter are all provided.

Starry Night Photography: August 11-14, 2017

Get to know acclaimed ranch-life photographer and Cowgirl Hall of Fame honoree Barbara Van Cleve while taking part in a unique and captivating photography workshop. Known for her spectacular nighttime imagery, Van Cleve will instruct workshop participants on how to capture vivid, dreamy photographs under a starry, moonlit sky. With more than 50 solo photography exhibits to her name and a lifetime of experience in the West and on ranches, she’ll show you new ways of visualizing, conceptualizing and capturing the images you want to share with the world. You might also run into her on a trail ride or around a campfire.

Champion Horsemanship: August 11-14, 2017

Take your horsemanship skills up a notch with instruction from the real deal, National Cowgirl Hall of Fame honoree Barbara Schulte. With an emphasis on mental toughness, she’s helped elite riders all over the country reach their full potential. Here, with her guidance, you’ll focus on control as you wind through obstacle courses along scenic trails, and you’ll practice your aim on horseback with water-gun mounted shooting. Class sizes are small, and you’ll have ample opportunity to get to know this horse-riding legend. It’s a fun and exciting way to learn just what it takes to be an authentic champion cowboy or cowgirl.

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017

3 Summer Picnics Worth Traveling For

It may come as no surprise, but Montana’s culinary resources are as outsized as the landscape itself. Which means, when you take part in a Montana Long Table at The Resort at Paws Up you’re in for an ever-loving foodie kind of evening. Of course, that only partly explains why these events are so popular. There’s also the single, long table set up in a beautiful spot with sweeping views of the ranch and first-rate live music, often from acclaimed local artists.This summer Paws Up is offering three incredible Long Table Events where guests will come face-to-face with an abundant supply of foods and the artisans behind them as well as get to know them by name, hear their stories and have the opportunity to show appreciation for all their hard work.

Artisanal Picnic: June 17, 2017

When was the last time you dined outdoors on artistically prepared fried chicken, sausage garnished with foie gras and hand-cut duck fat fries? This year’s first Montana Long Table is a picnic like none you’ve ever seen. We’re bringing together three of the country’s most talented chefs: the masterminds behind Chicago’s Honey Butter Fried Chicken and cult food icon Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s. And when it’s time to sit down and dine, you’ll be joined by the very ranchers, farmers and food artisans responsible for the food in front of you.

Note: This event is open to locals.

A Long-Standing Tradition: July 15, 2017

This July, pull up a seat as we celebrate the local food traditions of Montana. It’s a farm-to-white-tablecloth experience, starting with an authentic farmers market featuring local ranchers, farmers and food artisans as well as music from Montana’s own Dan Dubuque. Next, you’ll sit down to an exquisite dinner created by Paws Up Executive Chef Ben Jones. His close relationships with area purveyors always makes for a truly inspired menu. But don’t take our word for it—instead, take advantage of the unique opportunity to dine alongside the very people who made your meal possible. We hope you’ll join us as we pay tribute to all the incredible culinary resources Montana has to offer.

Note: This event is open to locals.

Bounty on the Blackfoot: August 19, 2017

This August, take a tour through Montana’s vast culinary traditions with one of the country’s most celebrated chefs as your guide. Join 2017 Bravo Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson as she creates a true farm-to-table tasting menu before your very eyes. She’ll visit the Missoula farmers market to select peak-season ingredients, then masterfully turn them into a one-of-a-kind dinner. By evening, you’ll sit down to dine on the banks of the legendary Blackfoot River with the local purveyors who helped make your meal possible.

January 18, 2017June 30, 2023

The Resort at Paws Up Introduces North Bank Camp

It used to be next to impossible to get this close to Montana’s unbridled nature while enjoying all the rich comforts of a luxury resort. Then the masterminds at Paws Up invented glamping®. And ever since, adventure seekers have been gazing out from our well-appointed tents and casting their eyes over a pristine landscape, complete with the rush of water just 50 feet below.

To help ensure our guests can reserve a stay and enjoy the experience they crave, we’re expanding our glamping options—and we’re doing it in a way that keeps the wilderness intact.

Sneak Peak

On a beautiful site about a half-mile downriver from the chuck wagon dining area, the new North Bank camp will offer beautiful views of the Blackfoot River. It’ll encompass the same safari-style tents as our other camps and include the same uncompromising amenities, such as rustic chic décor, sumptuous bed linens and en suite bathrooms with heated floors. Each tent will have a private deck overlooking the majestic river. And like the other camps, North Bank will be the perfect jumping-off point for any number of exciting outdoor activities.

What makes the new camp different is its size. According to Brian Bandy, project manager for The Resort at Paws Up, while the other camps have four double tents and two single tents, the new camp will have four doubles and two triples, and the triples will have two full baths instead of one. This means North Bank will ideal for larger families and groups wanting to buy out an entire site.

To accommodate more people, North Bank’s Dining Pavilion will be about 30 percent larger than the pavilions at the other camps. It will also feature sliding glass doors, so guests will be able to take in the magnificent view while dining.

Of course, in keeping with the Paws Up aesthetic and our strict environmental principles, Bandy pointed out, “Whenever we build a camp, we’re concerned about the Blackfoot corridor; we want to make sure nothing looks out of place. We do as little excavation as possible. We don’t remove trees, and we do as little trimming as possible.” In other words, anything Paws Up creates needs to be in harmony with nature. Guests can look forward to seeing the finished North Bank camp in late May 2017.

What’s new this year in all our camps? Paws Up is installing complimentary Wi-Fi, not just in the pavilions, but in the tents as well. To plan your stay at North Bank or any of our other incredible sites, don’t wait. We’re already taking reservations for unforgettable stays under Montana’s Big Sky. Click here for more.

October 23, 2016October 24, 2016

How 10 Paws Up Horses Got Their Names

Have you ever wondered how horses get their names? Here’s an inside look on the names choices of ten horses at The Resort at Paws Up.

Traveller was named after General Robert E. Lee’s famous horse that he rode during several battles in the Civil War. Traveller was a tall grey horse, but he wasn’t a draft horse like our Traveller is. Lee’s Traveller actually outlived Lee by several months before the horse died as well.

Little Joe was named after the old country song “Little Joe the Wrangler.” The song is one of the most iconic cowboy songs of all time. It was first recorded in the 1900s and has been covered by such famous Western singers as Chris LeDoux and Marty Robbins.

Rojo means “red” in Spanish, so our horse Rojo was named for his beautiful copper red coloring. Wranglers refer to this type of horse as a sorrel horse. Horses come in all shapes sizes and colors, and wranglers have a different name for almost every type of horse.
Kodiak was named after the Kodiak bear. That type of bear and Kodiak have the same coloring. However, Kodiak has a much better temperament than most bears. He is a sweetheart and loves anyone who gives him a good ear rub!

Biscuit has kind of a silly name. He was born a twin, and rumor has it that his twin’s name is Gravy. We don’t own Gravy, however, so we can neither confirm or deny this fun story.

Tuffy is an old ranch horse who is one of the most mellow and kind horses we’ve ever met—right up until you get him around cows. Then, he remembers the old days, and every now and then he will try to teach the cows a lesson or two.

Spook was raised and trained by our very own ranch manager Kyle Kelly. Spook has a little ghost on his forehead. He is one of our best horses, and we use him as our go-to kids’ horse!

Cherokee was named after the American Indian tribe. He is a black-and-white paint horse with a proud face. At the time that horses were brought to the Americas by Europeans and through until the mid-20th century, paint horses and Appaloosas were considered to be of a lesser quality and not desirable by most prominent horse owners. Thus, horses like Cherokee would have been sent or sold to outlying settlements or traded to the natives much more readily than a solid colored horse. The horse tribes of the Western plains especially took a liking to these “paints” and prized them as mounts.

Doc is another of our cow horses from the Angus ranch days of Paws Up, like Tuffy and Spook. Most horses, being herd animals, are prone to get attached to a particular group of horses. Doc is not. Like his namesake, Doc Holliday, Doc is more of a maverick. He’s just as happy on his own miles from the herd as he is in a pasture with other horses.

Cactus is another of our fantastic kids’ horses. He was named Cactus because of his compact size—he’s obviously not a Saguaro—and the C-shaped white marking on his forehead.

September 19, 2016

An Insiders Look at our Head Wrangler Dustin Call

Dustin Call has been riding horses since he was four years old. He grew up riding at his family’s home in Wallburg, North Carolina, and became a member of the United States Pony Club at a young age. Call eventually “fell into the cowboy way” in college, switching to Western saddle riding and even holding down a summer job at a Wild West theme park as a stunt performer. After college, Call knew he wanted to become a professional horseman, so he headed west and became enamored with the cowboy way of life. After landing a job at a ranch in Colorado, Call was able to dedicate his life to caring for and riding horses, as well as educating and leading others in their own horsemanship. Call came to Paws Up as Horse Manager in 2015. He is the leader of Paws Up’s outstanding equestrian program, where he continues to share his love of horses with visitors to the ranch and “anyone with a sense of adventure and an open mind.”

1. What’s your favorite thing about working at Paws Up?

Helping to connect people with horses! It’s really at the core of what I love about this resort. I think horses are the most amazing creatures and are truly good for people in so many ways, and here I get to help people rediscover that relationship, or find it for the first time.

2. How is the equestrian experience different at Paws Up than at other ranch destinations?

Our flexibility. For one, we have an amazing array of trails and different times you can ride, anywhere from early morning to chasing the sunset, so no matter what your schedule or vacation style is, we can find a time and a place for you to ride. We also have horses and programs that can engage anyone, from first-time riders to those who ride on a regular basis and have horses of their own.

3. What’s your favorite thing Chef Ben cooks up on the ranch?

The Gnarly Burger! He serves it at breakfast, but I could eat it three meals a day. Talk about stick-to-your-ribs good!

4. What music are you currently listening to?

Hayseed Dixie! Give ’em a try—they’re a good time.

5. If you could ride horses with one famous person, who would it be?

Buck Brannaman, my favorite horseman. You can never stop learning with horses, and he has an amazing amount of knowledge and insight to share. Or Viggo Mortensen—he’s the coolest.

6. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An astrophysicist, then an architect, then an actor, then an archaeologist. I’ve covered a lot of ground…

7. What is your second-favorite activity at the ranch? (We know horseback riding is first!)

White water rafting! I own my own boat, but I’m nowhere near as good a captain as our guides are.

8. Besides horseback, what is your favorite method of transportation?

My two feet. I love to hike and run and explore. I’ve hiked most of our trails as well.

9. We know you love all of the horses at Paws Up, but which one edges out the others and why?

My go-to good buddy is Ink. He’s an amazing little ranch horse who I can really get a job done with, whether it’s checking miles of fence on our own, roping a cow, bringing in our horse herd in the morning or leading a trail ride. When I first got to the resort he had some serious problems we had to work through, and that journey together makes his reliability and kindness now that much more rewarding. He’s a very good friend of mine.

10. How do horses inspire you?

The thing that inspires me most about a horse is his capacity for forgiveness. What you need to know about a “bad” horse is that—99 percent of the time—whatever he is doing that you wish he wouldn’t, somebody taught him that. But if you treat him right, he’ll trust and love you as deeply as a child. I strive to have that strength in my life, and I think everyone could use at least a little in theirs!

11. What advice do you give to someone who has never been on a horse before? RELAX! This is good advice for any new adventure, but especially true with horses. Our horses are trained extensively to be safe and considerate to novice riders, so there’s no need to worry. The horses want nothing more than to please you, and a relaxed, happy rider is the best reward you can give them.

12. What are some of the funniest moments you’ve witnessed between guests and horses?

Oh boy … too many to count. Kids and horses are always a good bet for hilarity, especially a 6-year-old riding a 1,600-pound draft horse cross! Cattle drives are usually a pretty good time as well. There’s nothing like watching successful, mature adults screaming at cows.