I really like riding horses, but you also get to sleep in tepees, do archery and go swimming. The kids put in busy days and got together with the adults at dinner time. The kids have a lot of freedom and it's very safe and relaxing. Between 300 and 400 guest ranches operate in the western United States, according to Futterer. It should be a home away from home.
Some ranches are near national parks and offer forest trail rides with naturalists.
Others get wildlife rescuers to bring in native animals such as eagles, hawks and owls, allowing guests a close-up look. That philosophy extends to the ranch's 100 horses. The ranch also is committed to preserving the environment, which means using recycled, reusable and organic products wherever possible. We let them try it out. Honeymooners Joe and Dawn Simonetti of Cleveland, Ohio, felt a bit out of step with the Indian philosophy, but tried the sweat lodge.