Guest Book
2009
We take great joy to get to know
so many wonderful
and interesting guests from all over the world …
Bits and Pieces from the 2009 Ride the Wind Ranch
Guest Book …
May 2009
As in all the previous years we enjoyed once more a great week. Truly enjoyed the horseback riding with Hans, five star cuisine by Kathy and the excellent cabin accommodation. The whole family made this a wonderful week for us. Keep it up!
Werner and Rosemarie, Vancouver Island, B.C.
June 2009
We stayed at beautiful Ride the Wind Ranch for a few days on our trip
from Alberta to B.C. You truly made your dreams come true. We loved
visiting at breakfast and dinner time and we’ll miss the great home
cooked meals. The horseback ride on a sunny day was a special
experience. If we could, we would take our “Bear Room” in the cabin
along on our trip, it is so cozy. Thanks so much for the lovely
hospitality.
June 2009
We three Swiss students spent the whole weekend at Ride the Wind
Ranch. And we had a wonderful time. We studied English in Calgary, so
we took a weekend off and went to Rocky Mountain House. We wanted to
be real Cowboys and Cowgirls. The horseback riding through the
environment and forests of Alberta was a great experience. The best
experience we have done. Everything was great, the cabin, the meals,
the horses. We will never forget the view!
Sabrina, Michael and Kathrin, students in Calgary
Jake and Nan,
Nanton, Alberta
June at Ride the
Wind Ranch: The Texas Longhorn calves come in all different
patterns. Sometimes they are a copy of their Mamas, sometimes they are
all spotted, while their mom is a red cow. The little ones sleep a lot
the first few days and are left quite often hidden in the high grass.
Later they always move with the herd while grazing, try some of the
tasty grass while still drinking the fresh milk their moms offer.
June 2009
Thank you so much for the unforgettable days at your guest ranch. We
learned so much about your life and Canada and the horseback riding was
fantastic. You’ve been excellent hosts and the meals have been so tasty!
Carola and Armin, Germany
June 2009
It was totally awesome!! The trails were great, view spectacular, horses
well trained and responsive. Made us feel like we had ridden for years.
Can not say enough about the hospitality from your whole family. Taylor
loved the company of the boys and had loads of fun. The meals Kathy
prepared were great. You have a wonderful family, we are so glad to have
met you.
Linda and Taylor, Alberta, Canada
June 2009
Each one of us will have our own memories of our stay at Ride the Wind
Ranch. Lynda, the non rider, loved the quiet time when everyone was out
riding, time to read a book, watch the curious deer and the interesting
cattle but especially to watch the herd dynamics and beautiful markings
of the horses. Cameron, our medium-beginner rider, enjoyed the trail
rides and beautiful scenery and liked realizing that his comfort level
with riding improved each ride. He particularly liked being involved in
moving the cattle into their alternate pasture and getting a chance to
ride in with the cattle.
Cam and Lynda especially enjoyed watching the smiles on the face of
their 14 year old daughter as she rose to each new challenge that Kathy
gave her. As Kaleena is an accomplished rider, we were concerned that
she might not get as much out of the trail rides geared to her father’s
ability. But after the trail ride Kaleena went out with Kathy and worked
on the skills for the “cowpuncher certificate” level. She soon realized
that the calm trail horse loved to lope and gallop and knew what to do
on the barrel course. “Kiowa” was very responsive when Kaleena rode her
bareback and they moved effortlessly as a team. But the opportunity to
help Hans separate the cows from the yearling cattle within one of the
small paddocks was especially enjoyable as Kaleena was able to truly
feel the ability of Kiowa as a cow horse.
A special Thanks to the entire family for making us feel so comfortable.
And without saying Kathy’s cooking was superb and even the most picky
teenager enjoyed it immensely. Our stay at the ranch was everything we
expected and More!
Cameron, Lynda and Kaleen, Toronto, Ontario
July 2009
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stay here, for 4 nights in the Moose
Cabin. The riding has been great and Kathy and Hans have been
excellent hosts. They’ve fed us well, been helpful and good company.
The songs and laughs around the campfire were good too. Thanks for
everything.
Paul and Chris, Sheffield, U.K.
Summer
at Ride the Wind Ranch: Mostly Paint Horses and some
Quarter and Appaloosa are the ranch riding horses. They are all
well trained for ranch western riding. They know the trails well,
go surefooted over fallen timber, through wet spots and take good
care of their riders. They show the typical Western Breed traits,
being calm and quiet (as in the picture waiting for their riders
who have left for a bathroom stop before hitting the trails) but
also being energetic and lively, fast if needed, slow if asked
for. We are so proud of each one of them, it is awesome how they
accomplish to have different riders on their back every few days
and still stay sensitive to their riders commands and wanting to
have the best partnership ever, if the rider wants that too.
July 2009 Thank you so much for the wonderful time at your ranch. The
adventurous horseback riding, the cattle work, the superb meals, the
great hospitality and the fun time sitting at the campfire. We will
be thinking back for a long time to come. All the Best.
Kathrin and Jerome, Switzerland
July 2009
I’m so happy we picked this ranch. All the horses are
beautiful and gentle. Everyone is so nice here. I’m sad to
leave.
We loved our stay at Ride the Wind Ranch. Everything
exceeded our expectations- the horses, the views, the
meals and the great company at all times. We would love to
return.
Linda, Emma and Sarah Baker, Mississauga, Ontario
July 2009
We arrived at Ride the Wind Ranch at the end of a
fabulous trip around Alberta and leaving it to last
was a brilliant idea as this is the place to relax and
unwind – and if you have any- to leave your troubles
behind! We knew nothing about the ranch, but simply
choose it from our feeling on the internet. But we
made the right choice, because there is absolutely
everything right here. The first thing you see is “THE
VIEW”, wow! The second thing you see are the fabulous,
beautiful horses! They are kind and gentle and
extremely tolerant of all the different people who
ride them. They have been superbly trained and are
clearly cared for so well as they are content and
calm. Our cabin was warm and cozy, attention to little
things made it home from home. Kathy’s amazing skills
in the kitchen; wonderfully tasty, healthy, delicious,
can’t think of enough words to describe it. Hans’s
knowledge of just about anything kept us well informed
about Western ways and his wicked sense of humour was
a delight! As you can probably tell, we had a
wonderful time!
Ric and Jayne, Suffolk, England
July 2009
Thank you so much for a wonderful week here! I
love coming here every year! I love spending time
with the horses, being able to feed them, saddle
them up, trotting, loping , it’s all fantastic!
Your family and hospitality is great. The meals
are excellent. I feel so comfortable and relaxed
here, listening to the horses and the sandhill
cranes. You really do have an amazing family,
amazing place and amazing horses. I hope to be
back soon!
Anjella and Nicole, Sue and Irv, Alberta and
B.C.,Canada
July 2009
Your hospitality should be legendary! From the
moment I arrived I felt at home. What a great
place to come to get away from the hustle and
bustle of life! It is a wonderful place for
dreaming and inspiration. I’m spoiled now, how
can I go back to my own meagre cooking after a
week of the best meals I’ve ever had? Perhaps
a “learn to cook” package should be offered?
The campfires, the overall camaraderie of
fellow guests was a delight. I couldn’t
possibly say in words my thanks, so I suppose
I’ll have to show by appreciation in action
and come back next year!
Kim Cheel, Calgary
Summer at Ride the Wind Ranch:
Us, the ‘Rissi Family’, Hans and Kathy,
the parents (moved to Canada from
Switzerland in 1993; made their
dreams come true…) and sons Joe and
Ben (born in Canada) welcome you to
our Ride the Wind Ranch Guest Ranch.
In the picture is our ranch house,
where we serve breakfast and dinner.
Your accommodation will be in guest
cabins beside the ranch house with the
same view of the West Country to the
Rockies in the distance.
August 2009
Staying at your ranch was such a nice
experience- I really enjoyed the trail
rides with Kiowa and getting some
practice riding the Western Style.
Dear Kathy, Hans, Joe and Ben, you’re
not only real horse people, you’re
wonderful hosts and a great family!
Thank you for sharing your home with
us – this is the most peaceful place
I’ve ever visited. I’d love to come
back some day! A special thanks to
Kathy for her delicious vegetarian
meals for me!
Mareike Koog, Switzerland
Summer at Ride the Wind Ranch:
Whenever the riders are out on the
trails, the horses in the pasture
are calling out for
them every once in a while and running
to the fence to get the first look at
the riders emerging from the forest.
August 2009
We had such a wonderful and
relaxing time here at your
beautiful ranch. You have a way of
making guests feel like family.
The trail rides were awesome. So
much beauty and variety in the
forest. Cheyenne and Winddancer
were great to ride. These are
memories we will treasure!
Sue and Julia,
August 2009
Dear Kathy, Hans, Joe and
Ben, I really enjoyed my
stay at your ranch. These
three weeks were just
amazing and a beautiful end
to my stay in Canada. The
cabins are really nice and
every meal was delicious! It
was fun to spend some time
with Joe and Ben, they are
nice boys. The trails were
great, but also the Barrel
Race and moving the Cattle
was a lot of fun. To sit on
a horse without a saddle was
a great experience for me.
Winterhawk is such a great
and beautiful horse! I’ll
miss him!
Caroline, Hinterkappelen,
Switzerland
August 2009
What a great stay we have
had here at Ride the Wind
Ranch! We have had wonderful
weather, excellent riding,
beautiful scenery,
scrumptious food and
gracious hospitality. We
especially enjoyed our
conversations at meals and
in the evening. Thanks for
sharing your home with us.
Charlotte and Michael,
Georgia, USA
Summer at Ride the Wind
Ranch: “Are you gonna
come and pet me?” – The
horses are always on
pastures nearby the cabins
and love the attention.
August
2009 We want to thank the
Rissi’s for a
wonderful week! They
have been generous
hosts – willing to
share their
knowledge of cowboy
traditions and
native culture. The
delicious meals
shared at their
ranch house allowed
us to meet
vacationers from
Canada and Europe so
while we enjoyed our
meals we made new
friends too. The
daily trail rides
around the ranch and
forests provided
excitement and
adventure as well as
tranquil moments to
enjoy the native
flowers and trees.
Thanks so much for
letting us share
your home for one
week.
Joan and Kathlynn,
VA, USA
August 2009
Dear Kathy, Hans,
Joe and Ben, we
couldn’t imagine to
travel to Canada
without staying at
your guest ranch
once again. We are
so happy we found
your special place
years ago and be
able to return often
to Ride the Wind
Ranch’s kind,
sincere and genuine
way. A view to dream
about, the gentle
horses, impressive
Longhorns and the
wonderful meals.
Thank you so much.
Ruth and Urs,
Switzerland
September
2009
What an amazing
experience; fell
in love with
Ride the Wind
Ranch! Hans,
Kathy and family
are wonderful
and gracious
hosts..
everything was
just terrific.
Loved the
beautiful horses
and saw deer
early in the
morning. Didn’t
want to go…
Kerry and Mitch,
Red Deer,
Alberta
September
2009
Dear Kathy,
Hans, Joe and
Ben, Never
dreamed of being
back so soon…
very glad it has
turned out this
way! Thank you
so much for
everything: the
fun horseback
rides on
Winterhawk and
Winddancer,
delicious meals
in great company
and canoeing at
Twin Lakes. Not
to forget about
the Hot Tub- how
relaxing to
start the new
day watching a
cowboy movie
(Hans taking the
horses into the
corral) while
soaking in the
hot tub. We have
enjoyed every
minute!
Mirjam and
Andreas,
Switzerland
September
2009
I
thought
I was a
city
girl,
but then
I came
to Ride
the Wind
Ranch
and
discovered
the
cowgirl
side of
me. This
was my
first
legitimate
time on
horseback
and I
had a
fantastic
time!
Hans and
Kathy
are
wonderful
teachers.
They are
very
warm and
friendly
and made
me feel
welcome
here.
Their
hospitality
is
1.rate.
Kathy’s
cooking
is
delicious!
I will
recommend
this
place to
all my
family
and
friends
and will
most
definitely
come
back.
Sheiligh,
Red
Deer,
Alberta
September
Days:
in
the
picture
is
beautiful
Abraham
Lake,
an
easy
hours
drive
from
the
ranch.
For
riders
there
is
time
in
the
afternoons
if
they
wish
to
drive
to
explore
Central
Alberta
and
for
our
non
riding
guests,
there
are
so
many pleasant
day
trips
to
do
during
the
day
and
come
back
to
the
comfy
cabin,
good
meals
and
company
at
the
ranch.
September
2009
It
was
so
wonderful
to
be
out
in
nature
and
to
see
such
breathtaking
views-
to
be
around
such
good
natured
horses
which
can
traverse
through
various
terrain
with
ease
and
sure
footedness
– to
have
such
warm
and
hospitable
hosts
who
take
so
much
pride
in
their
ranch,
the
area’s
rich
heritage
and
in
Canada
at
large.
Keep
up
the
good
work.
Laura,
Red
Deer,
Alberta
September
2009
After
a
two
week
trip
through
Western
Canada
we
stayed
a
week
at
Ride
the
Wind
Ranch.
For
Adrian
the
first
time,
for
Isabelle
the
7th
time
at
the
ranch.
Your
hospitality
and
your
way
with
your
animals
is
great.
We
got
the
feeling
we
were
invited
by
good
friends
to
spend
some
time.
Hope
to
see
you
soon
again.
Adrian
and
Isabelle,
Switzerland
September
2009
Thank
you
for
the
wonderful
experience!
This
place
was
even
better
than
what
I
imagined!
The
riding
was
fantastic
and
all
the
meals
have
been
wonderful-
a
great
treat.
Thanks
again.
Jacelyn,
Halifax,
Nova
Scotia
September
2009
Thanks
for
an
absolutely
perfect
weekend!
The
experience
totally
surpassed
our
expectations!
We
can’t
wait
for
our
next
stay
here
at
Ride
the
Wind
Ranch.
Richard
and
Julie,
Calmar,
Alberta
September
2009
We
have
had
a
wonderful
week
at
your
ranch.
Not
having
done
anything
like
this
before
we
didn’t
know
what
to
expect
but
we
feel
that
you
have
set
the
bar
really
high!
The
food
was
excellent,
your
hospitality
was
amazing
and
the
cabins
so
comfortable.
Best
of
all
has
to
be
the
horses
(particularly
Bear!)
and
the
trail
riding
–
I
sincerely
feel
that
we
would
not
have
experienced
this
elsewhere.
We
enjoyed
ourselves
so
much
that
we
are
already
planning
our
return
visit
in
2011.
Dee
and
Lynne,
London,
U.K.
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