Reviews of Volunteer Programs in the United States

Morning: After a 7 am wake up use was made of the fantastic bathroom facilities before a hearty breakfast was served at 7:30 am to set us up the morning of riding. After breakfast the horses to be ridden that day were wrangled in, fed, groomed and tacked up. The first few mornings included tuition for those who lacked experience around horses. Copious amounts of sun screen were applied and saddle bags were filled with water and snacks. A typical morning trail ride would last approx. three hours, and during that time we would take in the amazing scenery from atop hills, being able to see for miles in all directions. Upon our return the horses were either groomed or washed down and returned to the corral. A few times during our stay we also went for a ride before breakfast and it was breathtaking to see the sun rise while on horse-back.

Afternoon: After lunch, a two hour break was given to avoid working out in the hottest part of the day. This time could be spent socialising in the air-conditioned hub, drinking an ice cold glass of pink lemonade powdered squash; having a well-deserved nap in our authentic log cabins; going for a walk; reading or sunbathing.

Once the heat had died down a bit there was a variety of afternoon activities that we participated in, with no 'typical' afternoon. Theses activities included another trail ride; working on the ground with the ranch owner and the younger horses, helping prepare them for the eventual acceptance of a saddle and rider; herding and driving cattle; ranch maintenance; Western riding lessons and fun games of tag and barrel racing in the arena.

Evening: Before dinner, each volunteer would do their chore for the day i.e. cleaning the bathroom; helping with the dinner and feeding the horse. Evenings started with a wonderful meal cooked by the country singer chef, and seemed to go on for quite a while with everyone having several servings. On occasions we ventured into the nearby towns to taste the local foods, including yummy buffalo burgers and sour ice cream. One of the authentic cowboy bars even had bullet holes on the wall behind the bar! We also attended the weekly rodeo in Cody and watched local roping teams practice.

Back on the ranch some evenings were spent around the camp fire, under the Milky Way, roasting marshmallows while the ranch owner regaled us with stories of his youth when he once drove 100 cattle 300 miles! One of the volunteers had bought a fiddle with them and so sometimes there would be an impromptu performance.

Read more about volunteering in the USA with Real Gap Experience.