One Mane Ranch west of Caldwell features an obstacle trail course the resembles what riders would experience in the backcountry of Idaho.
"I call this my Sawtooth elk hunt," said Kelly Jamison of One Mane Ranch. "If you want to go hunting you and your horse better be able to do everything out here and you can practice it right here.”
This obstacle course has everything from suspension bridges, a high bridge, mud, water, gates and other obstacles that require the horses to trust their riders to be able to complete.
"I think it has helped us bond, it’s helped us take on new challenges and learn how to communicate with each other," said Landis Rossi, who is relatively new to this sport. "It is exciting, Kelly and his team are really great at helping us beginners."
This year One Mane Ranch will be sending 20 riders to the mountain trails national championship in Eugene, Oregon in the beginning of November. It is the most riders the ranch has prepared by far.
"The trail is where the trust is built with the horse and the rider," said Jamison. "When you put something in front of your horse and they look down at it, then look at you and go are you serious? And you say yeah, trust me and that horse goes you haven’t hurt me yet, I’ll trust you."
One Mane Ranch has been around for seven years in their location by the Sand Hollow exit on Interstate 84. They have two obstacle courses that Kelly Jamison has built. It takes a lot of work because he constantly changes the course so the horses don't get used to it.
However, this ranch also has a large footprint with indoor and outdoor arenas where they teach horsemanship for rodeo, ranching and they also focus on beginners and people who want to learn how to ride with four different trainers.
"We have horses for those who don’t have a horse and want to learn to ride," said Jamison. "You can bring your own horse and we will start from the ground up, it’s all about building a nice partnership with a horse."
The trails challenge is just another way to build that relationship with a horse in a fun and challenging environment.
"So whether you are a beginner or more advanced there are lots of opportunities to come out and learn about you, your horse and how to work together as a team," said Rossi.
