An Authentic Ranch Experience in the Cypress Hills

Since autumn is a great time to experience a ranch vacation, we sent our travel blogger Becky to Historic Reesor Ranch for her most recent trip.

This ranch is called "historic" for a reason. It has been in the Reesor family since 1900, and currently it is owned and operated by Scott and Theresa Reesor. Over the years it has undergone many changes, including becoming a guest ranch and bed and breakfast in the early 1990s. It continues to grow more and more each year, adding "cowboy cabins", more rooms, and enhancing their group facility, which can accommodate more than 100 people at time.

Historic Reesor Ranch is located on the edge of the Cypress Hills, about a kilometre from the Saskatchewan/Alberta border. During their stay, guests are encouraged to walk the short hike from the ranch to the edge of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The view (top right) is amazing and the spot is extra special because some of the conglomerate cliffs are right there. 

The main reason for Becky's visit was to saddle up and take part in one of their tours, Cattle Drive 101. Scott partnered each rider up with a horse encouraged them to get to know it by doing their own brushing and saddling - with Scott's help of course. 

After some instruction the group set out to the fields. The goal was to find cattle that had managed to get themselves into fields where they didn't belong. It didn't take long before the group found a cow and her calf that were at quite a distance from where they were supposed to be. 

Under Scott's leadership, the group managed to separate the lost mother and baby from the rest of the herd they had joined and guided them back towards the ranch. Becky describes the experience as "so much fun and the farthest thing from a typical nose-to-tail trail ride because Scott encouraged us to roam about the field as we wanted to."

See her video below and click here for more photos from her trip.

For more information about Historic Reesor Ranch visit www.reesorranch.com.