A New Year Surprise From Your Horse-nality Mascot, Hondo...

Oooo-aaaah, your huggable Hondo had the best Christmas ever, as those dandy gals at PONY sent me a surprise pressie in the mail.  Yes, you guessed it folks – an extra blog post was in my stockin’, so when I woke on Xmas morn, I was all in a feeze (excited)!  

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Go Cowboy Up At The Colorado Trails With Rory

Q. Well, it’s Christmas Eve folks – yee-haah!  I’m ready for the big day, lots of pressies and of course a mighty big turkey – yum.  But before the 25^th arrives we’ve got one last cowboy to interview so give a festive shout out to Cowboy Rory! 

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Vote For Maybell, The Horse Who Loves To Jingle!

Sadly, Maybell is our last Colorado horse-nality, but we Ranch Rider folks hope that you’ve enjoyed meetin’ and greetin’ all our star steeds!  They have too and all of your new four-legged friends would like to send out a BIG western horse hug, a warm thanks for all your votes - and, as it’s that time of year…wish you a very Merry Christmas! Anyhow, before we leave for our festive hoe down at Lost Valley, here’s the low down on our…sniff, sniff…last star steed… 

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Go Cowboy Up At the Vista Verde With Ben!

Q. Well it’s been a whirlwind Colorado kind of tour and we’re back at the Vista Verde, home to Zag, that four-legged father Christmas.  Yes folks, you can vote for the ranch’s gentle giant, so send his name to competition@ranchrider.com if you think Zag should win the horse-nality contest. Anyway, Ben is the General Manager at Vista Verde and he’s feeling Christmassy too! 

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Hondo's Pick Of The Best Western Words!

Oooo-aaaah! Christmas is a comin', and I can hardly wait!  But, if you’re feelin’ a little baa humbug, you should drop by the blog and meet Zag, as he’s our four-legged Father Christmas, and no windies (tall tales) he even pulls Vista Verde’s sleigh! 

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Go Cowboy Up At The Colorado Trails With Mike!

Q. Howdy ranching fans – hope you’re feeling Christmassy!  With all this snow on the ground in Colorado I’m certainly in the mood for pressie wrapping and carolin' round the campfire!  Anyhow, today I’m here with Mike, Barn Manager at the Colorado Trails.  Hi there Mike and Merry Chrimbo!!! 

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Hondo's Horse-nality Christmas Wish List

Well I guess this week I should be goin' "Ho, ho, ho," as one of our latest horse-nalities is a real life Santa on four legs!  Yes, Zag even pulls the Vista Verde sleigh! 

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Vote For Quigley, The Rock Star Steed!

Wagner might have leapt into celebrity superstardom on this year’s UK X Factor competition, but he wouldn’t have stolen quite as much of the limelight if he’d been up against Quigley our rock star steed.  Yes siree, this good-looking gelding has a few more talents up his hoof when it comes to being a first class entertainer, and we’re not just talkin’ about hitting those trails! 

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Vote For Zag, Your Four-Legged FC & Gentle Giant Of The West!

It’s less than ten days til Christmas (yee-haah!!!), so we thought we should give Zag a mention, as rather appropriately, he pulls the sleigh at the Vista Verde Ranch (see pictured right).  Yes  we Ranch Rider folks are feeling festive, and we're not the only ones, as those Lost Valley wranglers and horses are also going jingle bell mad! In fact, the word is that Hondo will be sporting a pair of reindeer antlers this Friday, so you better watch out!  Anyhow, not wanting you to miss meetin’ Zag, here’s a little round up on our ‘gentle giant of the west’. 

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Christmas Wishes & 20 Star Steeds To Choose From!

Oooo-aaaah! Howdy folks, it's sure nice to be back on the horse-nality blog, as I have some extra special Christmassy news.  The BIG FC is comin’ to nearby Buffalo tomorrow, and you bet yer, I’ll be packing my saddle blanket and my wish list in the trailer.  Of course, I’ll be askin’ Santa for a shiny new bucket, and all my hooves are crossed!

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Vote For Kona - A Horsey Tenderfoot That Will Warm Your Heart...

Kona might be one of the younger horses at the Vista Verde Ranch, but this summer she’s been loping to her hearts content.  If you’re a tenderfoot who’s not quite sure about western riding then this mare will be your BFF, as she’s new to the trail too. In fact, mention ‘Indian Hill' (her fave ride), and Kona will be high tailing it into the corral before you can finish your western breakfast. 

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Go Cowboy Up At Lost Valley With Charlie!

Q. Hey there folks!  Now as Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, I’ve borrowed Hondo’s BIG FC hat for this interview, and I’m planning to have a snowball fight with Cowboy Charlie later, but first off here are some more juicy ranch bites from Charlie himself. 

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Vote For Yoder, The Kate Moss Of The Horsey World!

A true stylista, when we captured Yoder on camera (pictured above) we thought she was the Kate Moss of the horse world. Just look at that pose and tell us this mesmerising mare wouldn’t be up for first prize in the Elite Model Look 2011 contest. Well, if they ever decide to use horses, we're sure she'd be in the running!

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Go Cowgirl Up At The Colorado Trails With Emily!

Q. This Thursday we’re back down at the Colorado Trails Ranch with Head Wrangler, Emily!  Howdy Em, it’s mighty fine to make your acquaintance – so tell us, what do you get up to around here? 

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More Words That Will Make You Head West!

Why if I could do cartwheels, I’d be spinning around the corral in next to no time - or perhaps doin' somethin' similar to cowboy Josh (pictured above).  Want to know why?  Well, you’ll have to take a peek at my next PONY Magazine blog, but until then here’s a few more western words to get you in a feeze for the yuletide season – OOOO-AAAH! 

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Go Cowboy Up At The North Fork Ranch With Casey!

Q. Ho, Ho Ho – horse-nality fans!  Yes, I’m in the mood for a Christmas hoe down this Wednesday, and I’ve just been carolin’ with cowboy Casey at the North Fork Ranch and impressin’ him with my very own western version of Jingle Bells.  Anyhow Casey, I guess I should ask what you do here on the ranch and why it’s just THE BEST JOB in the world?!!! 

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Christmas Wishes & Horse-nality Lists From Hondo!

Hi ranch fans – it’s Hondo here with your weekly update on those star horse-nalities!  


We had our first real snow this week – that’s right the kind that makes Lost Valley look like a winter wonderland.  Oooo-aaaah!  Cowboy Nick and I had a fun snowball fight, more of that on my Friday blog folks, and as I’ve been feeling kind of Christmassy, I thought it was time to start my Big FC list. In fact, come the 25^th of December I’m expecting a shiny new bucket or two. Yes siree! 

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Vote For Mary, The Speediest Steed By Far!

If you want to enjoy a fun trail ride with all the trimmings, you should ask for Mary at the North Fork Ranch. The speediest steed by far, this star horse-nality is no average loper. Whether you’re looking for a swift sprint through the high country meadows or decide to zip through the Colorado aspens, Mary will run across the range in record time! 

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Vote For Kenosha, Colorado’s Starlet Steed!

Kenosha might be more familiar with trotting rather than treading the boards, but being quite the actress she didn’t need any treats to sign up for our horse-nality contest.    In fact, while we’re not sure about her singing potential, or should we say neighing ability – we wouldn’t rule out a spot on the X Factor if Simon Cowell finds himself loping along to the North Fork Ranch. 

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More Mighty Fine Christmassy Conversation From The Corral!

Well folks, I hope you’re makin’ the most of the snow, as it doesn’t last forever.  And, you might well ask, what have I been up to? Well, I’ve been bouncin’ those flakes off my nose and throwin’ around a few buckets with CP! In fact, I’ve added a nice shiny NEW bucket to my BIG FC list, so I hope Santa’s been listenin’! 

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Go Cowboy Up At Lost Valley with Nick!

Q. Hi there Nick!  It’s real nice to be back at Lost Valley – even if the chill and the snow has started to set in – brrrrrrr…

A. Yes siree, it’s certainly turnin’ colder out here on the range! 

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