May/Jun 2008 - German World Magazine

40
military norms, Americans try to “read” the natural instincts of the
horses and to engage them in training. The goal is to build mutual
trust between steed and rider and make the ride enjoyable for
both.
Guests who saddle up and ride across the vast fields with the
cowboys will experience unforgettable moments. The ranch lies
in the Ozark Mountains, a low mountain range with hilly, thickly
forested countryside, numerous rivers, lakes, and a lot of pristine
nature. Eagles and buzzards circle, and in the summers fishermen
catch their share of trout in the rivers.
The Bucks and Spurs Ranch frequently receives vacationers
from Germany – and especially for Europeans this year is optimal
for traveling to the United States because of the favorable
exchange rate of euros to dollars.
And more and more ranches have realized that having Germanspeaking
staff gives them an edge on the competition.
Nicht jedermann kennt sich mit amerikanischen Western-
Reitbegriffen auf Anhieb aus. Daher hier ein Kurzwörterbuch
mit den wichtigsten Begriffen:
STIR UP – Steigbügel
CINCH – Sattelgurt
BRIDLE – Zaumzeug
REINS – Zügel
WARM UP – Warmtreiben der Pferde vor einem Ritt
CUTTING – Schneller Umritt einer Rinderherde mit
einem Ranchpferd, meist im Galopp
PENNING – Umtrieb einer Herde von einer Weide auf
eine andere, braucht zwei Cowboys
BARRELING – extrem schneller Antritts-Renngalopp
der Ranchpferde (nur für Cowboys)
LOPE – langsamer, gemütlicher Arbeitsgalopp
CANTER – normaler, zügiger Galopp
(erfordert gute Reitkenntnisse)
GALLOP – Renngalopp
(nur für sehr fortgeschrittene Reiter)
TROT – Trab
SLIDING STOP – „Notbremse”, Stop aus vollem Galopp
bei dem die Hinterbeine schleudern (nur für Cowboys)
TACK – Sammelbegriff für Sattel/Zaumzeug/Decken
HORN – Sattelhorn beim Western Sattel
www.german-world.com May/June 2008
TRAVELING TIPS
Dude ranches typically lie in remote areas. Thus it is almost
always necessary to fly into a small airport in the American hinterland,
and then drive a few hours with a car to the ranch. However,
the ranch owner typically picks up guests from the airport and
drives them back.
Most dude ranches are located in the Western United States, and
nearly all of them require connecting flights from Dallas, Denver,
Phoenix or Los Angeles.
RIDING EXPERIENCE
Of course previous riding experience comes in handy but is not
mandatory. Many ranches have brought absolute novices so far in
their horsemanship skills that they can ride out at a gallop with the
cowboys.
But guests should definitely bring a love of animals with them –
besides horses and cows most ranches also have quite a wide
range of other fauna such as hens, sheep, goats, dogs, cats,
ducks, geese and native wild predators such as foxes, wolves,
coyotes, and bears.
CHILDREN FRIENDLY
All ranches are very children friendly and offer numerous programs
for children of every age.
ROOM AND BOARD
Most accommodations are rustic, but very comfortable. Guests at
the Bucks and Spurs Ranch are housed in log cabins. The food is
generally quite hearty. American breakfast with eggs, toast,
bacon, roast potatoes, orange juice and coffee. Lunch usually
consists of sandwiches. There is often a good-sized steak with
vegetables for dinner.
PRICES
Lodging on these ranches costs between 70 and 600 dollars a
night per person, depending on meals, length of stay, housing and
other services. The average price per night at the Bucks and
Spurs Ranch is around 270 dollars. Guests who leave the ranch
and explore the area on their own with a rental car will be pleasantly
surprised. Most expenses such as eating, drinking, souvenirs
and gas are much cheaper than in the urban centers of the
USA and Europe.
INFO
The Bucks and Spurs Ranch has a web site:
www.bucksandspurs.com
Tips for ranches in nearly every American state
can be found at www.DudeRanches.com