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Cavallos, cowboys, country! Sign up for the September Photo Expedition

2010-06-18T15:34:00Z

Photography Expedition - "Capturing True Emotion"

Montana Horses at the Mantle Ranch

Val Westover Photography & Stephanie Adriana Fine Art with special guest Diana Volk

Montana Horses hosts this award winning photo workshop, "Capturing True Emotion" on September 3, 4, 5, 2010. This three-day action-packed expedition is led by international photo safari guides, Val Westover and Stephanie Adriana. This year, we are honored to have Diana Volk join this super-star line up of instructors.

Space is limited, so book your spot now! For more information, please see our website.

VIEW A FANTASTIC SLIDE SHOW FROM THIS JUNE'S WORKSHOP HERE.

Over three days, we provide photo opportunities you can find nowhere else. Capture hundreds of horses stampeding around and past you. Get up close and personal with the horses, cowboys, and cowgirls of the ranch as they rope and ride. Get a little dirty in a bronc riding staged just for you. Learn portraiture from the best in the business. Stand sale horses. Understand fine art photography. View beautiful country and ranch life on this real working horse ranch.

We'll also take you on a day long backcountry ride to the top of the world for backcountry photography of wildlife and mountaintops, and glamour shots of horses roaming freely. Spend a little time with the local flavor of our quaint western towns, experience a special comaraderie with fellow photographers, shoot over the shoulders of rock stars in the industry, and get one-on-one instruction and attention from the best in the business: Val Westover, Stephanie Adriana, and special guest Diana Volk.

Whether you are new to photography or a professional, we have a truly incredible opportunity here for you.

This three-day expedition is also available by the day. BOOK NOW.

Join Our Mailing List!

Visit our Website!

Or call us for more information: 406 285-3541

Here at the Mantle Ranch, near Three Forks, Montana, we lease, sell, and raise outstanding mountain trail horses and ranch horses. We have the very best horses in the business and the experience you need to feel confident about your decision to lease, buy, or ride with us. We mix together incredible horses, beautiful country, and exciting competent people to provide fantastic adventures and life-altering "ah-ha" experiences.

Horse Buying Tips

2010-05-30T16:41:25Z

Buying Tips

Use these tips to help purchase the right horse - whether you buy from us or from someone else. It is important to be well prepared before you go about the process of buying a horse. Understand what you want, where you can expect to find it, how much you can expect to pay, and what you can expect for what you pay. THEN - BE FIRM. Once you determine your criteria, you will be relaxed and confidant when you view a horse. You can eliminate "browsing", which is a waste of time for both buyer and seller. You will not be swayed by the heightened stress of negotiation, because there really won't be any. You will not compromise your desires. You WILL end up with the horse you want.

* WHAT DO YOU WANT? Define your goals and desires. Be specific. Do you want a horse for recreational backcountry use? Trail riding? Ranch work? Packing/hunting? Just a companion? Or perhaps a horse for competition, showing, breeding, training? Buy a horse that is ALREADY trained and ready for what you want. Avoid horses that "need miles" or "some work." Unless you are a trainer, you will be unhappy with a horse that isn't already doing what you want it to do. DO NOT COMPROMISE. Do not look at a horse that isn't exactly what you want, even if he's cheap. You'll end up putting more time and money into the horse than you would have by buying one ready. Know what you can spend and do not deviate.

* KNOW THE BASICS. Understand what ages are appropriate for what activities and what level of experience you have. Know how to roughly determine age by looking at his teeth. You can learn this easily online and then test yourself. We believe one horse year is like three human, in really rough terms. So, a five year old horse can be like a teenager, a ten year old horse is like a thirty year old human and is in his prime, and a twenty year old horse is like a sixty year old. They aren't really "set" in their minds and actions until they are close to ten years old. Horses can live to be thirty years old, and most work quite productively into their twenties. If you need reliability, choose something eight or older.

Understand basic conformation. Does the horse look proportionate? Most horses average 1000#. An average horse is around 15 hands high. One hand = 4 inches, measured from the ground to the top of the whither. An average horse can carry an average person. If you are a big guy, you need a bigger horse.

Know your breeds. Quarter horses, paint horses, appaloosas, and other main-stream breeds make great trail and ranch horses and are versatile. Hot breeds (thoroughbreds, arabs) make hot (spirited) horses and hard keepers. Gaited horses are a breed apart, they don't mix well with others on a trail because they are faster. Big boned draft crosses are naturally quieter, duller. Do you like mares or geldings, and why? We like them both. Avoid studs altogether.

Understand basic health issues and what is sound. Look at the horses eyes (can he see well?), feet (are they in good shape?), breath (is he heavey, sound abnormal?), and how he travels (does he move soundly/evenly - not limp - at all three gaits?). Look at his legs. Abnormal looks abnormal, you'll easily notice any arthritis, ringbone, knee, hip, or joint issues, founder, etc. by how he looks and how he travels. Is he sound for what you need? If you are looking for a performance horse, ask for a performance vet check. BUT - if you are looking at a ten year old ranch gelding who you just want to take on an occasional trail ride, make sure he is sound to do THAT (not to run the Kentucky Derby), and overlook superficial bumps, scrapes, or scars that do not affect his soundness. They just come from experience.

Temperament. We look for gentle. Is the horse easy to be around, catch, shoe, trailer? Is he quiet or spooky? If you are not confidant handling or riding the horse the day you buy it, IT WILL NOT GET BETTER.

Looking at the horse. Be prepared and qualified. Talk extensively to the seller before you drive in their yard. Do not go look at a horse unless you THINK he is right, based upon what you have learned. Make it worth bringing your checkbook and your horse trailer.(Most professionals require it.) Ask questions. Where did the horse come from, why are they selling him (this is obvious from a professional, that's their business), what experience does he have, what environment has he been in, what issues are there, where does he excel? Get specific and ask according to your needs - does he picket, hobble, pack meat, load in a two-horse trailer (ours won't), cross water, rope? Make the seller ride the horse so that you can see it at all three gaits. Then, ride him yourself. If you can't ride the horse that day, YOU NEVER WILL. Will he ride away from the corral, can you get on and off, do you like his handle/gaits/feel? Do everything you can to assure yourself it is the right horse. Match your questions and assessment to WHAT YOU WANT. Who cares if he can do a flying lead change if you are looking for a pack horse?

*KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. There are many different types of sellers. There are professionals, sales barns/auctions, traders, and private individuals. You can expect different levels of guarantees from each, and this is reflected in the cost of the horse. An auction is probably the most inexpensive place to buy, but you will know the least about what you are buying and can expect NO guarantees. A professional (breeder, trainer, broker, ranch - those who are in the business of selling horses they personally own or represent) is probably the safest place to buy, but will also be the most expensive. You get what you pay for. Private individuals are not professional horse people, so they will base their price and represent their horse based upon their personal knowledge, which may or may not be superior to yours. Traders and sale barns/auctions have bad reputations, not because they sell bad horses, but because buyers expect a level of service for which they are not willing to pay. Sellers go to an auction for a guaranteed sale. Period. There are no guarantees for a buyer at an auction once they leave the sale yard. You might not even know the name of the person from whom you buy a horse at a sale barn, so don't expect more. If you buy from a professional, their future business relies on their reputation. Trust your instincts about people...whatever type of seller.

*KNOW THE MARKET. Look around the area to see what horses are selling for from the various types of sellers. Right now, Spring 2010 in Montana, good solid riding horses, gentle and middle aged, especially geldings, are at an all time high. Expect to pay $3500 - $7500 for a gentle horse who is broke to ride from a professional and at least $2500 from a sale barn with no guarantees. The more experience, the gentler, the more training, the better looking and stouter, the higher the price. Mares are slightly cheaper. Prospects, young horses, unbroke or green horses, broncs and spooky horses are at an all time low. SO, if you are wrong and think you bought a gentle well trained horse but ended up with a bronc, expect to sell him back for 1/10th of your money, or less. It only takes one mistake, on a chance, to negate the savings you might receive by buying from a less reputable seller. The private market is all over the place. You can find bargains there, if you have time to look and know what to look for. Horses are least expensive in the fall and most expensive in the spring.
Know what you can expect. Is there a preview period? If so, what are the conditions? (Expect to be liable for injuries or sickness and to assume all liability.) Is the price firm? (Ours always is.) Is there a guarantee? What kind? How long? Will you get money back or another horse? Is there anything in writing? It's not always necessary, but treat this transaction like any other. Trust your instincts. DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. Remember, a horse is a reflection of his environment. If you buy a ranch horse who is accustomed to running on thousands of acres with hundreds of horses, he will change somewhat when placed in a stall or small pen with no other horses. Feed and work will determine his new identity, and it could change. Horses can as easily be mistrained as trained - by you. Keep this in mind when you establish a relationship with the seller. Think now about how you might handle an issue later.

* KNOW THE RULES. All sales west of the Missouri require a legal brand transfer. This is generally paid for by the seller. A health inspection (this is not the same as a vet check) is required to travel across state lines, generally paid for by the buyer. Transfer of breed registration papers must be signed by the owner listed on the registration or last transfer.

Competitive Trail Ride Weekend Cancelled

2010-05-17T16:07:00Z

Competitive Trail Ride Weekend Cancelled

A BIG HEARTFELT THANKS -

to all of you who expressed an interest in Competitive Trail Riding and THE ULTIMATE HORSE COURSE.

Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, increased insurance rates, lack of profitability, and an error in judgement about a prior ride affiliation: We are permanently cancelling the May 29th Competitive Trail Challenge and the Open House May 30th. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

We hope you will find using the Course a helpful and fun way to work on backcountry and trail horsemanship. The Ultimate Horse Course will be open for your use again this summer beginning June 11th every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday by reservation for $35 per person.

Join Our Mailing List!

Montana Horses, Inc.

9700 Clarkston Rd. | Three Forks, Montana 59752

406 285-3541 or email

Kails' Latest Song

2010-05-10T03:16:56Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIpzAhDD2EI&feature=email

Check out "Andy" - super cute gelding for sale.

2010-05-05T22:38:38Z

Andrews View
"Andy"

2005 ApHC Gelding
A super cute registered leopard Appaloosa, Andy is an extremely friendly and quiet gelding. He is a great trail horse, and has been shown a little in 4-H under english and western tack. He has extensive training. Andy is a beautiful mover, gorgeous conformation, is quiet under saddle, and a nice horse to be around. You can catch him anywhere, he is a well-mannered horse with perfect ground manners and a kind disposition. Buy him in time for the Chief Joseph Trail Ride this July!

5 year old gelding, approx. 15.3hh and 1100#

$4,000
Call or email us for more info.

Stick Horse Derby and Benefit - a great success

2010-05-03T22:19:11Z

Thank you stick horse buyers and jockeys! We raised $3000 for the Wyatt Welch Foundation. Special thanks to Chris Greco, our high bidder. We appreciate you all, and especially our Horse Drive participants who made this the rousing success that it was.

Lori Young and Mark St. John (owner of the winning horse) pictured here with the winning jockey and the prize saddle.

Ranch Wife 101 Guidelines:

2010-05-02T00:34:00Z

These were sent to me by Lonnie Mantle, my father-in-law. They would have been handy about 17 years ago, when I met Kail and the ranch life.

1. Always load your horse last in the trailer so it is the first one unloaded. By the time he's got his horse unloaded, you will have your cinch pulled and be mounted up ready to go - lessening the chance of him riding off without you with your horse trying to follow while you are still trying to get your foot in the stirrup.
2. Never - and I repeat never - ever believe the phrase "We'll be right back," when he has asked you to help him do something out on the ranch. The echoing words, "this will only take a little while" have filtered through generations of ranch wives and still today should invoke sincere distrust in the woman who hears them.
3. Always know there is NO romantic intention when he pleadingly asks you to take a ride in the pickup with him around the ranch while he checks waters and looks at cattle. What that sweet request really means is he wants someone to open and close the gates.
4. He will always expect you to quickly be able to find one stray in a four-section brush-covered pasture, but he will never be able to find the mayonnaise jar in four-square feet of refrigerator.
5. Count every head of everything you see - cattle especially, but sometimes horses, deer, quail or whatever moves. Count it in the gate, out the gate or on the horizon. The first time you don't count is when he will have expected that you did. That blank eyelash-batting look you give him when he asks "How many?" will not be acceptable.
6. Know that you will never be able to ride a horse or drive a pickup to suit him. Given the choice of jobs, choose throwing the feed off the back of the pickup. If he is on the back and you are driving, the opportunity for constant criticism of speed, ability and your eyesight will be utilized to the full extent. "How in the *@*# could you NOT see that hole?"
7. Never let yourself be on foot in the alley when he is sorting cattle horseback. When he has shoved 20 head of running, bucking, kicking yearlings at you and then hollers "Hold 'em, hold 'em at the top of his lungs, don't think that you really can do it without loss of life or limb. Contrary to what he will lead you to believe, walking back to the house is always an option that has been used throughout time.
8. Don't expect him to correctly close the snap-on tops on the plastic refrigerator containers, but know he will expect you to always close every gate. His reasoning, the cows will get out; the food will not.
9. Always praise him when he helps in the kitchen - the very same way he does when you help with the ranch work - or not.
10. Know that when you step out of the house you move from the "wife" department to "hired hand" status. Although the word "hired" indicates there will be a paycheck that you will never see, rest assured you will have job security. The price is just right. And most of the time you will be "the best help he has" even if it is because you are the ONLY help he has.

NEW! Now Offering One-Day Photo Safari During the Drive.

2010-04-06T22:27:00Z

NEW! One- Day Photo Safari During the Drive!

Annual Horse Roundup and Drive
Photo Expedition

DATE: Saturday, April 24th, 2010

TIME: 7:30am - 4pm

LOCATION: Winter range to Three Forks, MT

Cost: $350 (lodging available separately)

Join award winning photographers Val Westover and Stephanie Adriana for a one-day workshop during the horse drive. This is an exclusive opportunity to photograph right in the action with instruction from two of the best in the business.

Horses will be running down Main Street early afternoon, Saturday, April 24th.

4pm - Stick Horse Auction and Races - To Benefit Wyatt Welch and Family

Fine Art Gallery Exhibit and Signing.

Wine Tasting - Purple Cowboy Wines - Sales Benefit "Tough Enough to Wear Pink"
Cowboy Music, Comedy, and Poetry - Under the Big Top at The Sacajawea Hotel

Contact us for more information.

Montana Horses, Inc.

9700 Clarkston Rd.

Three Forks, Montana 59752

Hey, all you Competitive Trail Riders!

2010-03-29T20:15:00Z

Hey all you Competitive Trail Riders! The May 29th ACTHA Competitive Trail Challenge has been changed. Join us instead for the Ultimate Horse Course Trail Challenge. Same day, same trail, same ride, more obstacles, different sponsors, different goals. Call or email for details.

Kail's "Wreck of the Week"

2010-03-05T02:21:27Z

Well it's that time of year again when we look far and wide for replacement horses. Over the last week we've driven 3500 miles and were in three states and came up with a whopping 17 horses. "Gramma Geldings" is the term I came up with that describes what we look for in a horse. This basically means I can put Gramma on him today with no problem.

Now, mother-in-law geldings are an entirely different deal and last year I wound up with one of them.not on purpose of course, but this was his address for awhile, nonetheless. He had the typical description in the catalog about how he loved mountains and brandings and people and work and the like and even though I know there are no mountains in Minnesota, his price finally fell through the "can't stop myself" line and I bought him. Incidentally, I've noticed over the last couple years that there seems to be more horses at the sale that have "drug calves to the FIAR" than there are calves in the whole 3 state area.and this is especially amusing because I know the guy selling this horse and he doesn't own any cattle. I'm just curious whose calves and whose fires, that's all.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I'm getting ready to test drive the mother-in-law horse. He's a 1200lb lineback buckskin gelding with a super gentle disposition and he seems very willing. He's not lame or anything. I saddle him up and lead him around. no problem. I swing into the saddle expecting an explosion.and still no problem. I walk him out the gate and look back over my shoulder to inform my wife what an astute horse buying expert she's married to, when it happens. My new buddy and I have inadvertently entered a Zero Gravity Area. Time to sit down and pay attention, as the gravity here is very sporadic and quite unpredictable. There's no-one home on the other end of my reins. He's doing remarkably well despite all the supernatural conditions, but they seem to be lasting quite long and there may be an oxygen deficit, too.

The first row of trees are behind us now and they have removed my shirt and some of the hide between the buckskin's eyes.which incidentally were between his front legs at the time. The Russian olive patch is coming into view and it doesn't appear we're slowing down much. It's hard to tell though, with all the pig noises coming from down under my saddle somewhere. Have you ever heard a baseball bat break? That's kind of what it sounded like when ole bucky bulldozed down the olive tree with his head. It slowed him down enough that there's a little give in the reins. His head comes up, we stop and everything's quiet except for the wheezing of the horse and rider trying to recuperate from the oxygen free zone.

The birds are singing, somewhere a frog croaks and a gentle breeze teases the new leaves as I ride half naked back into the corral.

The smirk on my wife's face gets bigger. "Know what I named him?" she quips, with clipboard in hand.

"No, what?"

"Briar," she howls, as I jerk my saddle off him and turn him loose.

"When does your Mom show up, again?"

Events at the Mantle Ranch

2010-02-26T00:55:00Z

2010 Events at the Ranch
February, 2010

SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE!

Check out our new look. We're proud to welcome Lori Fisher back on board. She hasn't been wasting time. See the new beautiful website she has created at www.MontanaHorses.com

Plus, Shop.MontanaHorses.com, our new online store will be launched any day now - stay tuned! Just in time for your summer season equipment needs and Horse Drive gear.

Join Us on Facebook

Ranch Weeks: Featured in Western Horseman

Read the Western Horseman Ranch Weeks Article here.

Spring is barely peeking around the corner, but we're already geared up for an exciting year of riding opportunities here at the the Mantle Ranch, home of Montana Horses. We're kicking the season off with our Annual Spring Horse Roundup & Drive in April and YES! we still have a few riding positions available. Check out our website and this newsletter for more information about the activities we have in store for the year.

Events at The Mantle Ranch

April 16th, 17th, 18th - Red Rock Hounds Three Forks Hunt

April 23rd, 24th, 25th - Annual Spring Horse Roundup & Drive and Photography Expedition

May 1st - Summer Season Leases Begin

May 8th - 16th - Wrangler School

May 29th - ACTHA Montana Horses Competitive Trail Challenge

May 20th - Ultimate Horse Course Opens

June 4th, 5th, 6th - Photography Expedition

July 11th - Breakfast on the Missouri - Trail Rides Begin

July 11th - 17th - Ranch Week

August 1st - 7th - Ranch Week

September 3rd, 4th, 5th - Photography Expedition

October 2nd - Annual Kid Horse Sale

About Us

Welcome to Montana Horses, the largest family of horses in the country, run by a family that has been in the horse business for over a century.

Highest quality horses for lease by the trip or season, rock solid horses for sale, and home of the "Montana Invitational Horse Stampede."

Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle

Montana Horses, Inc.

9700 Clarkston Rd.

Three Forks, MT 59752

406 285-3541

info@montanahorses.com

Forward email

Interns and Training Programs - Our Perspective.

2010-02-14T20:04:57Z

In the business of the horse world, there are really only two kinds of people: Those who make money with horses and those who spend money on horses.

Equine businesses are contacted often by bright, eager, young people looking for experience in the world of horses. Many are enrolled in college equine programs, most are horse lovers to the core, and all are looking for practical experience in an environment that is productive, interesting, and fun. They are following their passions and striking out, fulfilling their dreams and hoping to find a job that will result in making a living doing what they love. Their enthusiasm, energy and blind belief is admirable.

How we, in the professional horse world, deal with these future equine professionals is very important. Equally as important is the tone the university programs set. Most important is the interns' real understanding of the business based upon those interactions.

How has the business world so severely neglected to convey to future professionals the fundamental aspect of the horse business: that it is BUSINESS? How has the academic world failed so badly to properly give students real skills that will equip them to make a living with horses? And how have students overlooked the primary reason for gaining education - to achieve skills that will result in employment?

Students should at the very least be able to ask the right questions of their equine program, whether that be a formal university program, or an internship or work-study program at a real business.

In our opinion, most academic equine programs are unable to prepare students with practical skills, though they may do a fine job of teaching the business aspects. Students can tell us exactly how to feed a horse, but have never held a pitchfork. Functioning horse businesses are rarely successful enough at business to afford to have a student around while they teach them how to gain the skills necessary to be on their own. They desire unskilled help and can show students how to run a pitchfork, but are unable to pay for it because the operation isn't a proper example of a good business.

Romantic lifestyles, dreams, and aspirations aside; a good business will always ask a person it is going to spend money/time on, "How can you benefit my horse business?" and will only ask someone who is spending money on the horse business, "How can I benefit you?"

Businesses that are making money with horses are looking for interns who can and will be business people. Operations that are spending money on horses are looking for employees. INTERNS, figure out which one you are and then decide for which type of operation you want to work. Do you want to work for an operation that makes money with horses or one that spends money on horses? ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, of yourself and your training program:

1. What do I want to do for a living? (Be specific. If by your senior year you still have no idea what you want to do with your training, you are in for many more years of specialty training.)

2. What work does this specifically prepare me to do? (Learning to break one or two colts in an educational environment does not prepare you to be a horse trainer, but it might help you decide you want to learn to become a trainer. It might get you in with a real money-earning trainer who needs some help, while you learn.)

3. After my training, what additional experience will I require?

4. Am I good enough? What is my competition and is there a market for what I want to do and my abilities.

5. Is the level of income and the kind of lifestyle of those established in the business acceptable to me? Where do I want to be in twenty years? Is this going to get me there?

6. Am I willing and able to continue to SPEND MONEY (remember, time IS money) to invest in a future living MAKING MONEY with horses?

7. Is this the right program for me? Does it provide the training required in the answers to these questions?

When we are approached by equine program students looking for internships, they are still SPENDING MONEY ON HORSES, to gain more education. In our world, they are no different than our clients who pay us to train them or to participate in an experience. This is usually an intern's first real world experience with an equine professional and it is the bridge between their current status and "the other side." Trainees lack the skills to be an income generating asset to any real equine business. To gain those skills, it will require an outlay of resources from the equine business. Therefore, interns must understand that it is simply more training and education they are PAYING FOR not MAKING MONEY from.

Here at the Mantle Ranch, we categorically reject equine program students because they are always looking to learn a skill in a practical environment that they FAILED TO LEARN from their academic environment. So, if for example you learned how to create a great website, market a horse for sale, or are becoming proficient at some practical horseman's skill, come see us. If you are on the road to becoming a horse trainer, bronc rider, farmer, or truck driver, understand those are skills from which we can benefit and for which we are willing to pay you with time and money. However, if you want to ride off into the sunset on a different horse every day because you were never allowed to touch one in school - you shouldn't have wasted your time in school in the first place. You can pay for that experience like every other non-horse professional. You should have spent your money and your time beginning to learn the real skills necessary.

STUDENTS - DEMAND SOMETHING FROM YOUR PROGRAM AND FROM YOURSELF. EQUIP YOURSELF TO MAKE A LIVING. GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR BY KNOWING WHAT YOU ARE BUYING.

SCHOOLS - PROVIDE YOUR STUDENTS WITH REAL SKILLS AND A REALITY BASED EDUCATION. DON'T ASK YOUR STUDENTS TO GAIN ALL THEIR SKILLS FROM AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. YOU ARE ROBBING THEM OF MONEY AND TIME THEY MIGHT HAVE BETTER SPENT IN A NON-ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT. DO NOT PERPETUATE THE MENTALITY THAT IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUSINESS WORLD TO TURN YOUR STUDENTS INTO BUSINESSPEOPLE. IT IS THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY AND YOURS TO INFORM THEM SO.

BUSINESSES - DON'T FORSAKE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF YOUR OPERATION (BUSINESS PRINCIPALS) BY TAKING ON AN INTERN THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD (with time or money) AND WHO WILL ULTIMATELY DO NOTHING TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS. THIS TEACHES FALSE REALITIES ABOUT THE BUSINESS THEY ARE ENTERING. IT SERVES NO ONE.

We're not knocking Universities. There is much to be learned and applied to life. However; they are not the key that unlocks the door to success in the horse business. Equine training, perhaps more than any other discipline, may best be left in the non-academic world. More often then not, a novice horseman who has a desire to become a professional is better served spending his/her time and money gutting it out in the real world of horses, living as a starving horseman in training instead of a starving student waiting for his time to be the former.

A NOTE TO ALL PROSPECTIVE INTERNS: If you want a position here at the Mantle Ranch, we assume you have already determined the experience will be of benefit to you. HOW WILL YOU SPECIFICALLY BE OF BENEFIT TO US?

"The Roundup" Wins Photo of the Year

2010-02-09T03:48:12Z

"The Roundup" Wins Photo of the Year

Three Forks, Montana - February 8, 2010 - Stephanie Adriana's "The Roundup" has won the prestigious Cowboys and Indians magazine Equine Photo of the Year. The spectacular photo of stampeding horses was taken during the Montana Horses Annual Horse Roundup and Drive in Three Forks last year.

Stephanie, a photographer with Val Westover Photography in California, will be back in Montana this spring with Val Westover to lead a new Photography Expedition held in conjunction with the Three Forks Horse Roundup and Drive. The expedition is an addition to the event and offers photographers an exclusive opportunity to experience the Horse Drive while photographing the action from behind the scenes. Val and Stephanie are both award winning photographers, long-time photography instructors, and have guided photo safaris across the world. They will also conduct two more Photo Expeditions at the Mantle Ranch in June and September.

"The Roundup" will be featured during a gallery exhibition of fine art associated with the Horse Drive. Meet Stephanie Adriana, Val Westover, and other photographers on April 24 after the horses trail through town. The exhibit and reception will be located at the Drive headquarters in Three Forks at the newly remodeled and reopened Sacajawea Hotel.

Cowboys and Indians March issue is on stands now. For more information about the Annual Horse Roundup and Drive and Photography Expedition, or the Val Westover Photo Safaris at Montana Horses, see www.MontanaHorses.com or call 406 285-2541. Framed fine art productions of "The Roundup" and all of the gallery photography are available at Shop.MontanaHorses.com

Wrong Direction

2010-01-23T17:19:00Z

Another song by Kail Mantle
This happened this morning and I am very sorry
Renee says I should have been working -Kail

January News from Montana Horses

2010-01-14T23:29:00Z

January 2010
"Out With the Old,

In With the New!"

We're Gearing Up for the New Year with Exciting Changes and Additions.

We're in the News!

Watch for the article on our Wrangler School in February's

Western Horseman.

CONGRATULATIONS to Stephanie Adriana! See her photo

"The Roundup" in March's

Cowboy's & Indians.

EQUINE WINNER OF THE YEAR!

Stephanie and Val Westover Photography join us again for several amazing photo expeditions this year - including theAnnual Horse Roundup and Drive , a ranch workshop in June, and backcountry photo safari in September.

ONLINE STORE

We're just about ready to launch our new Online Store! We have been working hard to create an incredible lineup of gear and tack, fine art from the photographers and artists of Montana Horses, unique gifts made by our friends, books and music by and about our world, clothing suitable for our kind of riding, even horses and events, all of which we proudly endorse and use ourselves.

We even have a Ranch Line that is designed for Guest Ranches, where you can outfit your entire string of dude horses AND your wranglers. Watch for the announcement and come Shop.MontanaHorses.com.

Welcome to 2010. We are grateful to have ridden the wild and crazy ride over the last year and still be astride. In fact, we're looking at this year ahead as one of our greatest. There are exciting and wonderful new things on our horizon that we want to share with you. And as always, our ranch's solid foundation - our fantastic horses - are ready for another year and rearing to go.

Check out this newsletter for some tidbits about what's happening at the Mantle Ranch. For more information, see our website for the latest updates. We look forward to hearing from you, so give us a call at (406) 285-3541 or (888) 685-3697.

Warm Regards,
Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle
Montana Horses at the Mantle Ranch

SUMMER HORSES FOR LEASE

You asked for it. You got it.

The 2010 Summer Season is right around the corner and we've made some changes that we think you'll appreciate. With only a few months of riding weather and a short guest season, we all need to take advantage of the sunshine. So, we've done away with the September deadline. You can keep your summer horses, at no additional charge, as long into September as you need. Take advantage of Labor Day and those last few days of warm weather. Return your horses when you are ready, the Fall extensions do not start until October. This could save you $50 a head! And who couldn't use an extra fifty bucks?

Returning clients - WE APPRECIATE YOU. If you are returning this year and are taking the same horses, send in your contract to reserve those horses by February 1 and receive 10% off your summer horse lease.

We're proud of our horses. They just keep getting better and better!

Horse Drive Stampedes This Way

BIG APRIL EVENTS LEAD AN ACTION-PACKED YEAR

The Annual Horse Roundup and Drive is just around the corner - April 23, 24, 25. We still have riding positions available! If you want to join us, reserve your horse now. New this year: The Horse Drive Photography Expedition, an exclusive opportunity for photographers to capture the Horse Drive, while participating fully in the action. If you need even more adrenaline riding or want to spend some more time in beautiful Montana, sign up for the extended itinerary and ride with Red Rock Hounds - April 16, 17, 18. Then, we'll show you the local view of Yellowstone and our favorite haunts.

Check out our Event Schedule. The Wrangler School and ACTHA Competitive Trail Challenge will be held in May this year. Join us on the Ultimate Horse Course, open June - August, complete with summer competition series. Hone your photography skills during the June Photo Expedition and ride with us for a backcountry Photo Safari in September.

With Ranch Weeks, Trail Rides, another Chokecherry Jam, and even a guided Fox Hunting/Castle Clambering/Pub Hopping Trip to Ireland in December, we've got a staggering lineup of exciting Events this year, and we're adding more every day.

COME RIDE WITH US!

Our 2010 Resolution:

COMMUNICATION. We are committed to improving our communication with you and with our horses. Let us know what you need. We are listening. Almost all horsemanship and horse behavior issues can be fixed, if they are isolated and corrected at the time they start. Don't be afraid to call us, even if you think it's a little problem. We can tell you how to correct the horse's behavior by changing your inputs/cues. If you don't get the results you want, bring him home. Our Ultimate Horse Course is an excellent way to help new clients and old alike improve their communication with horses and with us. This year, we'd like to ride with you here to introduce you to your new lease horses or show off the new horse you just bought from us.

Watch for our monthly newsletter, Facebook updates, BLOG entries, and website changes. We'll keep you posted on what's happening here. In return, let us know what we can do for you.

We appreciate your business and we're looking forward to another incredible year at the Mantle Ranch.

Save 10%	RETURNING SUMMER SEASON HORSE LESSEES: Just want more of the same? If you are a returning summer season lessee and are requesting the same horses back again this year, send in your contract to reserve your horses by February 1st and receive 10% off your entire summer horse lease.* *This applies to horse lease only. This does not apply to shoeing, delivery, tack rental, or other charges.

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Montana Horses, Inc. | 9700 Clarkston Rd. | Three Forks | MT | 59752

A page from an 87 yr old horsewoman's journal.

2009-12-16T02:03:10Z

A page from an 87 yr old horsewoman's journal

I Ride

I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women
who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with
power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once
considered out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel
manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the
vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery, change a tire on a horse trailer
by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out before getting down
to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride.

The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication.
At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it 'the
sickness'. It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl bouncing
my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse.
Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of 'the
sickness'. It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do and, in
some ways, who we are as women and human beings.

I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some
trailhead somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I
breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and
savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my
sunscreen smeared face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world
fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My
gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his
sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the
walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks
and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.

I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I
ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend
through the Manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in
my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a
real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my
seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride.
And I feel better for doing so.

The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to find
lakes that remain for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold
beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The
Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats
on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.

I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how
competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch.. We haul 40ft
rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up
camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love
our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we
encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you
also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and
you travel with out makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the
'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a
model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.

"My treasures do not chink or glitter, They gleam in the sun and neigh
in the night".

EAST MEETS WEST! Extended Riding Itinerary Available During Horse Drive 2010!

2009-11-17T22:13:07Z

ANOTHER UNIQUE MONTANA RIDING ADVENTURE!

RIDE YOUR HORSE DRIVE HORSE EARLY AND GET TO KNOW THE RANCH AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRY!

Hunt with Lynn Lloyd's RED ROCK HOUNDS on a traditional Fox Hunt complete with all the revelry.

April 16th, 17th, 18th

Then spend three days touring Yellowstone and the Tetons between horseback thrill rides.

Tour famous Yellowstone National Park and see the Tetons. Visit local horse ranches, breweries, and stay at historic hotels along the way to overnight in Jackson, Wyoming. Complete with an entertaining guide to show you the local flavor and insider's scoop.

EXTENDED ITINERARY

Arrive in Bozeman Thursday, April 15th | Depart after Horse Drive on Monday, April 26th

Cost: Add-on $2250 (Total Eleven Day Riding Adventure - $5500)

Spend eleven nights and ten days of exciting horseback riding and exploration in Montana.

First, join famed Huntsman and Master of Red Rock Hounds, Lynn Lloyd during her Annual Fox Hunt ("The Superbowl of Foxhunting") in Three Forks, then rest your riding legs while touring our treasured and gorgeous National Parks of Montana and Wyoming (if you don't see a coyote on the foxhunt, maybe a grizzly or wolf in Yellowstone), come back in time for the grand finale -

"The Montana Invitational Horse Stampede"

Montana Horses' Annual Spring Roundup and Drive.

We'll provide your horse, tack (bring your own, if you prefer), capping fees, entrance fees, guides, drivers, lodging, and meals. You bring your sense of adventure and sense of humor, both are essential.

Arrive on Thursday, April 15th and we'll bring you to the Sacajawea Hotel where we've arranged your lodging and meals at the headquarters for the Foxhunt and where all the action takes place. You'll hunt three days on the ranches surrounding the Headwaters of the Missouri and the Mantle Ranch on your trusty and capable horse. This is a traditional English foxhunt and you have the rare opportunity to experience this in Montana as a guest. It's okay if you're a beginner, we'll show you how.

After three days of hard riding, you'll be ready for a the trip through Yellowstone Park and down past the Tetons to Jackson, WY. Your driver is a local and knows the best spots for pictures, moose sightings, and food and drink. Each night, you'll enjoy a new beautiful and historic lodging in different unique hotels, including "The Wort" in Jackson. He'll get you back in time to meet with the rest of the riders in for the Horse Drive on Thursday night.

Montana Horses Photo Expedition SLIDESHOW.

2009-10-04T23:18:00Z

Click here to see the awesome slideshow of : September Photo Workshop

NOW TAKING RESERVATION FOR 2010 EXPEDITIONS.
See www.valwestoverphotography.com and www.stephanieadriana.com .

UHC Open for the Last Day of the Season - Saturday, September 26th

2009-09-25T20:45:00Z

UPDATE: ACTHA Trail Challenge Rescheduled New Date, May 29th

Thank you, Heiko Rodde, for your beautiful pictures of Cress Nelson on the UHC August 2009!

ACTHA Trail Challenge

Montana Horses, Inc.

DATE: May 29th, 2010

The Trail Challenge scheduled for this weekend (September 26th) has been rescheduled to May 29th, 2010.

The Ultimate Horse Course will be open for use this Saturday. Come out and ride the Course for the last time this year, before we close for winter!

$35 per person, open 10am - 5pm Saturday, September 26th. Call ahead (406) 285-3541 for details and to let us know you're coming.

See you on the Course!

Montana Horses, Inc.

9700 Clarkston Rd.

Three Forks, Montana 59752