Guide Training

Activities at the Ranch - self development

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 21:19:00 +0000

Taking to the snowy hills to polish up our archery skills on a cold December morning.

Our interns participated in an afternoon of archery and thereby improved their self development. Here at Chilcotin Holidays we encourage our staff to set self development goals and stick to them, so they can reap the benefits later. The group spent the afternoon surrounded by the beautiful setting that is the Chilcotin Mountains learning this new skill. Most of our interns took to the archery with ease, with several becoming 'pros'. The ranch offers a number of other exciting activities which the interns are free to participate in, examples of such activities include chain sawing, skidder orientation, ice fishing,hiking...the list is endless, as are the possibilities for self development.

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Outdoor guide training continues!

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Here at Chilcotin Holiday Guest Ranch we are always very busy learning new things. As new internships students arrive new experiences are to be had. From learning how to drive a tractor to trying out to do archery, there is always something exciting happening. Our guides are learning more about life outside as they continue their outdoor guide training, despite the program ending! There's always more to learn at Chilcotin Holidays, and always someone to show you what to do.

Recently the new Internship students to the ranch got the opportunity to try out their skills after having a chainsaw orientation of the proper procedure on using a chainsaw.

The staff also had the opportunity to take a lesson in doing archery. Everyone had fun in trying out something special and challenging. What a experience!

An other first time experience for nearly all of them was the visit of Herman, our Vet. He showed our outdoor guide training students how to float a horses teeth and some of them even did it by themselves.

The opportunities at Chilcotin Holiday Guest Ranch are endless and amazing, everyday is a new experience and exciting adventure. We are learning new things every day and take on every opportunity that is thrown at us.

Visit our website like us onFacebook or email us at adventures@chilcotinholidays.com if you would like the opportunity to take on new challenges and join our Chilcotin Holidays Guest Ranch family, and participate in the outdoor guide training.

Take Wilderness Guide School today

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:48:00 +0000

Wilderness Guide School Opportunities

If you love horses and the outdoors, maybe we can open the door to your dream job as a Wilderness Guide. To work as a guide at Chilcotin Holidays it is a requirement to have taken part in our WildernessGuide school Training Program, even though some applicants already have extensive experience in the guiding industry, our guides must be familiar with our own rules and method of operating. These programs cover every job in the wilderness tourism industry and this is a great way to get your foot in the door of this wilderness lifestyle. Completing the guide school gives you the opportunity to play a more varied role at the ranch and the possibility to stay on as a Wilderness Guide school intern for those who have a positive attitude and displayed the right qualities.

Lea's Guide Story - Spruce Lake and Leckie Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 21:25:00 +0000

Lea's Story of how she learnt to become a guide.

My name is Lea and I am from Germany. I study in Denmark near the border and am doing a university internship at the ranch. I came to Chilcotin Holidays to improve my business skills and to learn how to become a guide.

In the end of September I went on my first pack trip – I got the wonderful opportunity to take part in a 4 Day Pack Trip. Together with two other guides, I took care of 10 horses and 5 guests, and explained to them how to saddle, put the bridle on and how to get on and off a horse. I also explained what to do when for example riding downhill or uphill, which is necessary as well, to avoid dangerous situations.

The first day, the guests arrived at the ranch and we showed them their horses and fitted the saddles. Moreover, we had to shoe some horses which should take part in the trip.

Early in the next morning, we met at the barn to get the horses ready and pack the pack horses. During my trip I learned a lot about how to pack a horse and what is important to pay attention to. As for instance that the pack boxes weight equally and that nothing can hurt the horse while moving.

On that first day “on the road”, we rode approximately 9 hours out to Spruce Lake, moving higher and higher with every step the horses took.

It is amazing how sure-footed the Mountain horses are, they can take you up and down on nearly each trail. Finally, we arrived at the camp, where we moved our duffels and saddle bags into our tents and started the little ovens to heat up for the night.

While some of the guests were out with the two other guides to stake the horses, the rest of us prepared dinner for everybody in the cabin.

It was my first time to cook on a propane oven, but it went well. After dinner, all of us were very tired and went to bed. I was happy my first day had been god, and that I was on my way to become a guide in the wilderness!

The next day me and Marie went up to Windy Pass together with three of our guests. We rode approximately 2 hours, surmounting 600 elevation gain with our horses. We rode on small forest trails, crossing rivers and meadows. Indian summer is coming to British Columbia, colouring all trees and bushed in a light yellow colour.

Up at the pass, we spotted a Mountain Goat and some mule deer.

After having enjoyed the view at the top of the world, we walked our horses down to a meadow to take a break and eat our pack lunches.

One of the horses, Mowson, was very busy to find out about the contents of our lunch bags, trying to get a piece of fruit or a cookie. In the evening we arrived back at camp, where we had some delicious hamburger.

On the 3^rd day, we got the horses early from the meadows where they grazed at night, to get them ready for the ride to the next camp, Leckie Camp.

We packed our duffels and packed the pack horses. On our way, we stopped for lunch at Cowboy Camp, exploring the old cabin and the surroundings. After that, we continued our way downhill and went to the Leckie Falls.

The view was awesome and we took a lot of pictures of the water fall and the mountains. Getting back in the saddle, we rode to camp, where we feed the horses and put them into the corral where they stayed over night. We cooked some hot dogs over the camp fire, as the night was clear and it was unnecessary to use the stove in the cabin. Before it was getting dark, we went down to the river to get water for the night and the next morning.

During the night, a lot of rain came down and we were unable to cross the river the next morning, as it originally was planned. The next morning, we showed our guests how to saddle and pack the horses and while everybody worked together, we were soon able to departure. We put all our rain gear and warm clothes on and got back in the saddle to finish the last 6 hours to the ranch. On the way home, we could feel that the horses wanted to go home as well, as they were walking fast. When we arrived at the ranch, we unsaddled the horses and let them into the corral to their friends, where they enjoyed their well – deserved hay. We unpacked the duffels and pack boxes and enjoyed a warm and hot shower after the rainy day. I'm really glad that I did it, and I loved learning how to become a guide for real. I am excited about my next adventure

Starry Skies in the wilderness

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 22:27:00 +0000

Becoming a guide in British Columbia

My name is Maddie and I am 18, from the UK. I decided to come to Chilcotin Holidays on my gap year to do the 1 week Wilderness Guide Training Program, in order to learn more about horses and becoming a guide, and also to challenge myself and grow independently.

On the drive up to the ranch I was really nervous, but the warm welcoming made me feel right at home. We stayed at the ranch for the first few days, and I learnt how to shoe horses and pack them for trips out into the mountains. It was hard work, but completing it successfully was a wonderful feeling. I liked getting closer to realising my dream of becoming a guide, and I was lucky to have an amazing instructor too! I also rolled a bale of hay for the first time. It feels great when it finally rolls of it's own accord down into the pasture!

We rode the horses along mountain ridges and down valleys, and saw marmots and mountain goats along the way. Spending time in nature was a welcome change from city life, and the starry skies were so beautiful. The picturesque morning sunrises at made the early starts to retrieve the horses much better too. Aside from observing the incredible scenery, both out in the mountains and at the ranch, learning how to look after the horses and understand basic veterinary care was really interesting, because at home I'd never been involved in looking after horses beyond simple grooming and riding. However, my inexperience at the beginning of the week didn't hinder me, and by the end of it I had overcome my fears about working so closely with horses in an unfamiliar location, and felt a lot more confident. I am so glad that I pursued my goal of becoming a guide, and I am excited to see what other opportunities are presented to me.

Becoming a guide and meeting my guide horse. Foundation of new knowledge.

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 17:57:00 +0000

Becoming a guide and meeting my guide horse. Foundation of new knowledge.

My name is Merle and I'm a 22 years old student from Germany. Back home, I study English and German to become a primary teacher, and I love to work and be with horses and nature, so that's why I decided to stay at a Ranch in Canada. I also wanted to explore another English speaking country to gain new cultural experiences, meet new people from all over the world and travel on my own to become a more self-confident and experienced person. I was looking forward to meeting my guide horse. Foundation of my guiding skills was developed the moment I arrived at the ranch, when we were introduced to the horses and shown how to look after them.

During my stay at Chilcotin Holidays, I took both the wilderness guide school and the advanced guide school to work with horses as much as possible. Next to target shooting, fishing and a bit of Bush craft survival Training, I learned to shoe a horse's front and back feet and how to pack a horse for a pack trip. Furthermore, I learned all the important basics about guiding people on horse back in the Chilcotin Mountains. It was a very positive experience to strengthen my newly learned guiding and 'teaching' skills by taking out guests on daily rides or even pack trips to the Spruce Lake or Eldorado Camp. I also worked in the office answering Guide School enquiries and doing the monthly Guide School and Native newsletter. It was a very different kind of work and it took me some time to get used to it but by now I'm happy about gaining these skills as well because I became more structured and organised by meeting deadlines, for example.
In addition, I have learned to be very flexible because the life back at a ranch can't be all scheduled and fully planned. However, it was fun to give a hand wherever needed and doing work I've never done before; I learned to drive a tractor and got up at 5am to find horses in the meadows and bring them back home again.
Together with my colleagues I had real wilderness experiences living outside in the bush for a couple of days without any luxury supplies. This way of living encouraged me to focus on the basics and rethink decisions I already made or have to make in the future, for example about my studies, family issues.
I could experience great teamwork in all kinds of work, both back at the ranch or out in the bush. I've always been a team player and it was nice to see that it even works with so many different people with different backgrounds and knowledge about things. To the team of Chilcotin I added my honest and reliable character, my conscientious work and open minded attitude.
Furthermore, living in the wilderness challenged myself to believe in and rely on my strengths and ability to handle different situations. I experienced that I can trust my knowledge and gut instincts how to approach problems and different issues in general. And once more, I became aware of my weakness of not being self confident enough but guiding and living in the wilderness don't allow weakness, so I pushed my limits and left my comfort zone to experience that I can do things as long as I believe in my abilities and use all my knowledge and strengths. When I left the ranch after two months, I already knew that all the physical, psychological and emotional challenges made me a lot stronger and I learned to believe in myself. Back in Germany I'll continue my studies to become a teacher and guiding at Chilcotin taught me that 'teaching' and interacting with many different people is something I really appreciate. I loved building up my relationship with all the guide horse, foundation of friendship which is really important.
Merle

Gold rush dreams - Guide school story, Reto. Guide horse, foundation of my knowledge about the wilderness.

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:45:00 +0000

Gold rush dreams - Guide school story, Reto, Guide horse, foundation of my knowledge about the wilderness

My name is Reto from Switzerland and I am 38 years old. 15 years ago I worked as a log home builder for one year in British Columbia. It was a very nice experience. Since this time, I came back twice to explore the wilderness and be out in nature. After this, I was dreaming about travelling on a horse, like in the time of the Gold Rush. So, I found the perfect place for doing that; Chilcotin Holidays.

The first week I was a member of the wilderness guide school. I learned about riding, shoeing the horses, packing the horses, riding up in the mountains, camping, cooking for guests, and lots more. For sure one of the best experiences of my life. I decided to stay two more weeks on the ranch to see what kind of work there is to do all around. I got to see the guide horse foundation learning in action, by watching them training to carry their riders high into the mountains. Together with volunteers from all over the world I helped build on the ranch, maintain trucks, work at a log cabin, scout for wild game, and even assist with guides. There was always time for horse back riding. I learned how to be more patient and how it is to work in the back country without all the special tools right beside me. The time ran out fast and soon I was back home to work as a carpenter in my small company. I will tell all my friends about this special experience. Perhaps I can come back together with some friends for a horse back trip, that would be perfect. Thanks to Kevin and Leandra and all the members of this big family.

Adventure Guide Training: Jorn

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 21:01:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I'm Jorn from the Netherlands and I am 23 years old. I finished my bachelor degree in the Netherlands, and wanted some more out of my life than a 8-5 office job. So I decided I wanted to come to Canada to do adventure guide training. I have been at the ranch for 7 weeks now, and a lot has happened in that time.

It's hard to believe it has been that long already. Time goes fast around here.

In the first couple of days it thought: "Wow, is this really what I want?" As it turns out, it is. I am so happy I chose this adventure. Guide training is challenging, but succeeding is awesome. When you set your mind to do it, everything becomes possible around here. I didn't have any horse experience before I came here, but I got on it after a week. And now I am taking guests out to show them the mountain tops. That is what makes it all worth it. There are some stunning sights in our guiding territory. I like to be up there and enjoy the views, but having guests with you that enjoy it too makes it even better. With all the changes going on in the world, I am afraid what could happen to all the beautiful nature of our world. That's why I love to show others the beauty people have in their backyard, and am grateful that this adventure guide training course has enabled me to see some of the most incredible places on the earth.

Advanced Guide Training

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 23:42:00 +0000

Guide training saw some new people learning the skills they need for trips out into the wilderness. Many of our advanced guide school students arrived yesterday at the ranch and they were ready to work! Upon arrival after eating lunch, they began right away with their horse riding orientation, excited to begin their guide training. After being fitted for saddles, the students found their horses and learned how to equip them properly with their saddles and bridles.

Charles saddling up his horse during guide training.

After the short lesson of preparing the horses it was was finally time to ride them. We took the students on a quick ride to let them practice handling their horses and even to try trotting! To the right you can see a number of our guide students in the yard. After dinner there was time to left to learn how to do horseshoeing. Guide training is difficult sometimes, but very rewarding. All of the students did really well!

Impressions from our One Week Guide School: guides, guide horses and nature

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:42:00 +0000

Here are some more pictures from our most recent Guide School.

As you can see, even though all the Guide Schools so far went to Leckie Camp, none of our Guide Schools gets to see the same things - nature changes so fast that it sometimes is hard to believe! The students and the guide horses had a great time exploring flower-filled alpine meadows and green valleys.

Looking at the pictures makes it difficult not to want to be there. Our next students will be lucky and will be staying at beautiful Spruce Lake Camp form where they can explore a different part of the South Chilcotin Mountain Park on their trust guide horses.

Wilderness Guide and Instructor - Leandra

Guides and their guide horses in Spruce Meadows

Hidden Gem - Beaver Pond

Students enjoying the view, and guide horses enjoying lunch

Wildlife Viewing - Grouse

Learning about guiding horses and guests into the wilderness

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:59:00 +0000

June is here and it is getting hot! After May having been a bit moody, providing us with many showers, it finally feels like summer. Time to be active and outdoors to enjoy the nice weather and blue skies while riding in the shade of the forest.

Our 4th Guide School is starting today and many new guests have arrived. Here they will learn the skills they need for guiding. Horses and their riders journey into the mountains, enjoying beautiful views and learning about guiding horses in the outdoors. But the best news are that the meadows are already yellow – about half a month earlier than usually. And even the beautiful purple Lupin's are out! Our last students who returned this weekend brought back some amazing pictures!

Guiding horses grazing in the beautiful meadows.

Leslie's story about being a horse guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sun, 24 May 2015 04:01:00 +0000

Don't hesitate, just start to LIVE! Leslie's journey to become a horse guide.

It is incredible to watch how our environment can change people in seemingly no time. Most of our guests, students and staff who come to our ranch are in a state of transition. They are up and ready to start to LIVE. This place attracts people who don't want to follow the mainstream – but want to find their own way, and want to challenge themselves and learn how to be a horse guide in the wilderness.

It is a similar story for Leslie, one of our guide school students who is now one week into her training to be a horse guide, her case sounds like it was meant to be.

While trying to find a part-time job at home it started to look like every door in her life was closed until she heard about us on the internet in April.

Convinced that wilderness guiding would be the change she needed in her life, she booked herself into our second horse guide training program of the year.

“It feels like some sort of horse therapy”, Leslie says. Horses are sensitive – they feel you, read your body language and they will test you. Our horse Steel did exactly that on Leslie's first day, while she was trying to trim Steel's front hoof. Leslie was nervous and afraid of working on the foot of a 300kg animal. For many people it is quite a scary thing to do. But she understood that everybody here goes through the same process and other students needed more instructions and pointers too, not just her. On the second day after Leslie felt more confident and comfortable doing it, the 'miracle' happened and Steel held her hoof up for her right away - gently and voluntary.

Working with horses, learning the different knots and being able to saddle it up all by themselves is what makes people feel involved and more confident. Shoeing a horse takes patience – mostly with yourself and with the horse. We take another approach here, we believe that failures are not the end of the road and there is always something beyond. We learn from our failures and we celebrate our successes, give our best and work step by step towards the end goal. It might be hard in the beginning, but pursuing your goal of becoming a horse guide IS achievable.

This whole environment that we provide is what sets us apart. During our horse guide training, people experience lots of new things they might be afraid of. But fear is only a lack of exposure. What matters most is the attitude about it. Having students learn how to shoe horses is the perfect example. It is a lot to learn and a lot of of hard work, but with the right attitude it can be done. And where else can you gain “hands-on” experience on how to trim and shoe a horse within 2 days? You don't need to have experience to do a horse guide school. Many of our students have never even sat on a horse before. It's all about the right attitude and mindset! All you need to bring here is yourself – your true self – there is no need to pretend to be someone else but who you are when you work with horses. They see through us right away. When you are here you can be honest about who you are – and in return you'll probably learn more about yourself and your hidden strengths and weaknesses.

Take every challenge with a smile on your face and keep the end goal of becoming a horse guide in mind. You'll soon find yourself making one huge step after the other. We have seen this progress with everyone who has been to the ranch.

Story of a horse guide school student

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sat, 02 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Day 2 – Horse Guide Training

Today we spent the morning learning to trim hoofs and then practicing on our assigned horses. My horse Tepee had particularly bad hoofs and I didn’t end up finishing even the 2 front hoofs we were supposed to have prepared in time to shoe tomorrow. This is a hard part of being a horse guide, but feels good when you get it right eventually.

In the afternoon we practiced packing with a packing saddle and a wooden horse. There are so many different knots to remember that I think I will need to do them 100 times more before I can remember all of them and I can do them automatically.

Just before dinner we walked up to the hay corral in the upper paddock where the horses spend the night. We had to unroll one of the round bales for the herd to eat. It is difficult to explain why, but rolling hay is quickly becoming a highlight. There is something strangely satisfying about tipping over a 1200 pond chunk of hay and then watching it roll down a hill.

After dinner we finished getting our horses ready for our ride and this time the plan was to practice leading a packhorse while we rode, another part of being a horse guide. Tepee and I ended up with a horse named Lorna. She wasn’t actually carrying anything; she just came along for the ride. It takes a lot of coordination when you have to manage your riding horse with one hand on your pack horse with the other one and still remember to shift your weight in the appropriate direction on slopes as well as follow any other directions your lead horse guide might have.

Lorna and Tepee and I were doing pretty well until we came to a section of trail with a very steep downhill then a creek crossing and then a very steep uphill. We managed to do the steep downhill in one piece and then Tepee and I crossed the river and had charged half way up the steep uphill before I realized that Lorna was not coming with us. I didn’t want to try to stop Tepee in the middle of climbing the hill because of his momentum and so I let go of the rope attached to Lorna. I turned around when we got to the top to see where she was. She stopped to take a drink in the creek and that is why she didn’t follow us the steep side. There is probably a “you can lead a horse to water” joke in there somewhere but I’m too drained after today to invent it. I had another great day learning how to be a horse guide, and I'm looking forward to some more.

Kyla 26 from Victoria

First horse trail guide school of the year

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 22:12:00 +0000

Horse trail Guide School 2015

Yesterday on the 27th of April, the first horse trail Guide School for this year started. After the Students arrived they had lunch and started right away with the riding orientation.

They learned how to saddle a horse, how to put a bridle on and how to hop on and off a horse correctly, which forms the foundation of knowledge that a horse trail guide needs. Everybody got a horse that matches their ability and also a saddle that fits.

After this introduction they went to the Gymkhana to practice their western riding skills and then they headed out for the first horse trail guide ride down to the river, everybody enjoyed it. After they came back they fed the horses, unsaddled them and brought them back into the corral, then they all went for their well deserved dinner.

Horse trail guide school starts early, so the next morning they had to get up to chase the horses down into the coral and feed them. After a delicious breakfast they got a trimming orientation and everyone had to trim the two front hoofs of their own horse. You could see that it was a hard job for them but everybody succeeded.

Now in the afternoon they got a packing orientation and they are training their new skills right away on a wooden horse, and are well on their way to being excellent horse trail guide people.

We will keep you posted.

In horse trail guide school you learn how to pack a horse properly on a wooden saddle.

For more information about the Guide School visit our Website www.chilcotinholidays.com or write us an E-mail at adventures@chilcotinholidays.com

Horseback Adventure Guide in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 02:03:00 +0000

Wilderness Training - Become a Horseback Adventure Guide

Chilcotin Holidays has been teaching Guide Schools for over 25 years now, and been graduating people into the fantastic world that is being a horseback adventure guide. We love to share our passion of and knowledge about horses, mountains and nature. In all these years we've trained many students who sought the education for their personal reasons and interests, but we have also trained many who followed their dream of pursuing a career as a horseback adventure guide. Looking back, we'd like to share a few of our past students careers.

For about a decade I harbored this idea to eventually run my own little Eco-retreat in the wilderness, giving my guests guided tours and educate them about the critters and plants to help them reconnect with nature. My name is Berit, and I am a 33 year old German wildlife ecologist.

"I decided to leave the academic lifestyle and I love being in the outdoors, living and working in remote places and I felt that I wanted to make this passion of mine a way of earning a living. When I stumbled across Chilcotin Holidays during my internet searches for horseback adventure guide training courses, I felt that they offered exactly what I was looking for with their 2-week Wilderness Guide School, which gives you the experience to work as a horseback adventure guide.

Berit's Guide School Group

I packed my stuff for a year's adventure in Canada, a country I had only been to once before, about 20 years ago. Now, after my training as a horseback adventure guide, I feel even stronger about establishing myself in the nature tourism industry, and my time at the ranch has provided many opportunities to try out new activities as well as acquire new skills - some of which I never thought I would ever be doing, such as shoeing a horse or shooting a rifle. And riding the horses in the flowery alpine meadows under snow-capped mountain peaks was simply amazing.

Enjoying the view on her first Pack Trip

At Chilcotin Holidays I also helped out with the Wilderness Stewardship Foundation, an organization that conducts research projects into the conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat in the adjacent area. During this time I learnt a lot about the local flora and fauna, and especially realized the extent of the spread of invasive plants, which even occur in such remote areas as here, causing a threat to the health of the local ecosystems.

All in all my stay at Chilcotin Holidays was a real eye-opener to the possibilities offered by the nature tourism industry, and I truly loved learning how to become a horseback adventure guide. Working in the stunning Canadian wilderness truly has set my mind to keep pursuing my plans to combine my ecology background with the outdoor tourism lifestyle."

Do you dream of being a Horseback Adventure Guide or starting your own business one day? Send us an email to adventures@chilcotinholidays.com or give us a call at 1-250-234-2274 to learn more about the opportunities we offer!

The challenges of horseback guide school

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 16:35:00 +0000

Horseback Guide School - to grow as a person

One of our past Horseback Guide School students tells about her feelings and experiences:

"But I somehow didn't really want to admit to myself that I could be too weak to do this. I wanted to be a horseback guide but the challenges sometimes seemed impossible to overcome. But I had dreamed for so long of becoming a horseback guide, and I wasn't prepared to give up. And I liked the people and the general environment. So I took the challenge, stayed and went on the pack trip... me - the business suit girl who is always overdressed, wearing high heels and never camped in her whole life rode around into the mountains on horseback. Guide training really can change you! I guess that was one of the best weeks in my life. Out there we had the chance to practice what we learned in horseback guide school, and learn more by doing. I started to understand why some skills are necessary when you want to be a horseback guide. I started to see a reason why I am doing this. And I enjoyed laid-back evenings at the camp fire, amazing sceneries and bloody cold baths in the river."

Irene (25)

Breathtaking experience - riding a horse to the mountain top.

It's amazing to see all our students mastering challenges and achieving a lot more than they would have ever thought they could. Our Horseback Guide School programs are a perfect way to explore, feel and be part of nature and to grow as a person. Are you ready for your unique adventure in the beautiful South Chilcotin Mountains? Let us know and we will find the perfect program for you!

adventures@chilcotinholidays.com

Horseback riding guide - Learning first aid

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 20:10:00 +0000

EQUINE FIRST AID

It was a long trip to Vancouver but it was a good one. After a six hour drive, a happy reunion with our intern Marie, who went on a family vacation for a few weeks, and a restful sleep, we were ready for an exciting day of learning new things about equine first aid, an integral piece of knowledge for a horseback riding guide. If anything happens whilst you are out in the mountains, as the horseback riding guide you are responsible for looking after your horse before help arrives.

Hanna, Marie and David taking the vital signs.

Theresa, our teacher for the day, welcomed us with a delicious breakfast at her small farm in the countryside of Vancouver. Besides the six of us, three more people took part in the course. The first part started with an interesting presentation about general behaviour and signs of horses. We talked about past experiences we made with sick or injured horses that we had learned since starting horseback riding guide training and Theresa gave us a lot of valuable input by summing up some of her past challenging situations. One thing that became evident from this was that: if your horse gets injured or sick, most of the times the best solution is the most creative and resourceful one!

After two hours of theoretical learning we went outside and started to practice on Theresa’s extremely patient horse Dixie the things that we had discussed earlier. We tried out everything beginning with checking the horse from its ears to its tail by taking all the vital signs like the heartbeat, measuring the body temperature and looking for any signs of dehydration. Everyone got the chance to give it a try and everybody would agree that finding and hearing the horse’s heart beat was the biggest challenge!

Training how to bandage a horse leg.

Afterwards we learned how to stretch a horse to make it feel comfortable every day. Theresa showed us a number of different exercises and before we went back inside for a lunch break we practised our horse stretching skills. Even if it feels a bit strange at the beginning to pull on the horse’s tail or checking the spine with a hoof pick for any tension, everyone got comfortable with it extremely fast.

The second part of the course in the afternoon gave us a lot of new knowledge about how to handle horse injuries if no vet is around and how to analyze symptoms and react in critical situations. All this information gave us a lot of certainty and confidence in preparation for any upcoming situations as horseback riding guides. But as we know: theoretically knowing how to do something is one thing but actually doing it is usually a lot more challenging! And so we went outside again and practised in small groups on different horses. Each group got nine different simulated situations of injures or difficulties and had to find fitting solutions for them. So everyone got the chance to bandage different parts of the horse and to check its vital signs. It was a lot of fun and we should be grateful to the horses who worked as patient models.

Alina and Lina finding a way to bandage the injury.

In the final part of the course we got a demonstration of a perfectly equipped first aid kit and some unusual but extremely helpful tools. The course finished in the late afternoon and we left the farm with numerous bags of new useful knowledge and interesting information about equine first aid, and we all felt more prepared to be horseback riding guide people.

Guide lessons - Being a wilderness guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 18:28:00 +0000

First Guide School of the Upcoming Season

Spring has arrived at the ranch! The days get longer and warmer, our horses loose their thick winter fur, the plants and trees around the ranch start to bloom in wonderful colours and it's less than two weeks left until our first guide lessons of the first Guide School of this season will start. When you hear 'guide lessons', you may be imagining boring classrooms and homework, but rest assured, these guide lessons are anything but mundane. For example, in one of our guide lessons you may be outdoors, learning how to shoe a horse, and the next of your guide lessons will see you on the top of a mountain, viewing animals and enjoying the beautiful view.

Creating unique memories with a horse on top of a mountain. Take your guide lessons in the outdoors.

Everyone is excited and has started counting the days until the two-week program begins. Some of the students have already arrived at the ranch and they can't wait to begin their guide lessons, and learn everything about horse shoeing, packing, saddling, western mountain riding and camp preparation to become professional guides and being able to survive in the wilderness by training how to be self-sufficient in the back country.

Learning how to shoe a horse will be one of your guide lessons.

In the last weeks our interns set up the tents, oiled the saddles, trained the horses and got everything ready for the season. Beside that, we had already the chance to see a lot of wild animals in our territory: sheep climbing up steep slopes, a Mountain Goat billy eating the first fresh graze, a lot of deer cheerfully jumping around and on top of that the first Black Bear was seen in Gold Bridge close to our ranch. Hopefully, we will have great chances to see a lot of wildlife during our trips through the blossoming mountains!

Nasim's passion for horses and for making a difference in her home country after taking guiding lessons at Chilcotin Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 19:36:00 +0000

Have you ever considered guiding as a career you'd like to pursuit? One of our past staff Nasim from Iran, came here to take a Wilderness Guide School course a few years ago. It was her dream to and some day she decided to take initiative to take the steps necessary to turn this dream into reality. She took guiding lessons, rode into the mountains, and pushed herself to the limit. And she made it! Here is her story.

I think my first contact with horses was when I was 6 years old when I and my family was going to weekend holidays to the ski resort in winter time.

I was asking my parents let me ride the horse, however, always somebody led the horses and I didn’t ride them alone I‘m quite sure that experience describe when my passion about horses was began.

There was some obstacle for me to start my favorite sport more earlier. The very first one was horseback riding was military and luxury sport, there was no public schooling stable for ordinary people. Even though my uncle was able to find me a private stable, it was too far away and too expensive for my parents to support me in that time.

Nasim as a student in one of our Guide Schools

Between my graduation from high school and university, I had 6 month to go and follow my dream” horseback riding”. I found the governmental stable who related to the military who run the horseback riding class. I had my driving license and I was mature enough to go anywhere by myself. I was independent. I registered on horseback riding class, I took 6 month class, 3 days in a week. That was one of the best period of my life. University made it difficult to keep up these classes, but I was lucky enough to get an internship with a German woman who had an Asil ( Arabian) Horse Breeding Center. I learned so much there. After I had finished I took my first chance to work annually as an assistant guide for a horseback riding tour operator. And last but not least purchased my own mare.

Getting her horse from a nearby meadow on a pack trip

After that I got to work as an assistant instructor, take part the Eco-tourism courses and acquired a Eco-tour leader license. In 2008 I started to work in a travel agency, running the incoming section focusing on horseback riding tours.

2010 was definitely a turning point in my life. I started breeding my mare, had my first foal and I made the decision to enroll in the Wilderness Guide School for guiding lessons and gain valuable work experience in Canada as a wilderness guide. I came to Chilcotin Holidays in May 2010. After completing the first course of guiding lessons I decided to take the Advanced Wilderness Guide and Tourism Management course to learn as much as possible about guiding and the business and am hoping to start my own business some day. After completing the three courses I decided to stay on to gain more experience. I acquired a very specific knowledge about how things work in Canada. Unfortunately things work differently in Iran but once you understand the principles of how things are connected and what you need to be aware of it is much easier to learn the regulations and norms of another country.

During her 2 year stay she got to experience all the seasons

Apart from gaining a better understanding about guiding and taking care of guests I learned many valuable soft skills, most importantly time management. If you have never done it before then it is hard to imagine how much planning and organizing even the shortest trip into the bush takes; it is essential to ensure that everything goes well and on time and you return with satisfied guests. Here I learned the importance of procedures and how to make my own procedures and plan and then to actually put them into action. I also learned that you can overcome anything no matter how challenging it appears at first, that if you are pro-active in trying to look for a solution, you can be a part of the solution rather than being a part of the problem.

The greatest experience for me was that women can freely present their talent and that we are just as capable as men. I saw lots girls from as young as 17 take guiding lessons and guide groups of guests professionally through the wilderness and saw that the guests and Kevan trusted them, regardless of gender. It was a great encouragement for me to be more confident in myself. If you trust yourself, others will trust you too.

Nasim and Tyaughton on a more challenging Pack Trip

From then on until today I remain positive and patient, I follow my dream wherever I am. I also want to develop Iranian horseback riding tours so that the country's horse riding potential is realized. I'm positive that the 2 years of work experience and amazing guiding lessons at Chilcotin Holidays will definitely guide me through any upcoming challenges in the future.

Wilderness Guide Opportunities - How to become a guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:33:00 +0000

Are you looking for a change of career? Tired of sitting in an office, or stuck in a job that you are no longer passionate about? Well, with multiple wilderness job opportunities starting now, you have to look no further. We are currently looking for people who want to find out how to become a guide. If this interests you, just follow the link http://wildernessjobs.ca/job/wilderness-guides/ - it's that simple. Learning how to

become a guide, enabled you to experience places unique to this beautiful landscape. Lead guests on horse-based multi day pack trips through the spectacular Canadian mountains.

If you don't have any experience but still want to learn how to become a guide, don't worry! People from all walks of life come to us to find their path on how to become a guide. Contact us to find out about our Guide Training Program.
Seasonal position, full time from May till October. Accommodation provided on site. Must be willing to relocate.

Home in the mountains - Learn to be a guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Hi! I’m Leandra from Switzerland. In 2012 I came to the ranch to take the ESL school. I took the course for one month and I was amazed by the beauty of the nature surrounding me. The wild and wide views, the wildlife, the mountains and the horses – just incredible. I saw a lynx, a bobcat, a grizzly mum with two cubs and a few black bears.

Getting the horse ready

I completed the guide school in late fall 2012 and that was another great experience for me. I had always wanted to learn to be a guide, and having the opportunity right in front of me was thrilling. During the course I first learned to saddle a horse western style! I like the concept of neck-reined horses and longer saddles for the comfort of the horse. Then you also learn how to handle horses in the wilderness, how to pack them, how to stake them and what you need to bring on a horseback trip into the wild. After this truly fulfilling adventure, I decided to come back to experience more nature and learn about myself. To learn to be a guide lets you explore the beautiful nature that surrounds the ranch.

Leandra and her first Guide School students

In July 2013 I was assigned for the guide program and so I became a teacher. I had three good students who all wanted to learn to be a guide and apart from teaching I learned a lot about myself during this guide program. I realized that I know a lot and I’m able to show and teach this knowledge to others. There is always a lot to learn! To be a guide you are responsible for a lot, but after the training, you are much more confident.

I had a lot of personal breakthroughs in the beginning. But once they were overcome, everything went smoothly and I soon found myself out in the bush with my first guests. The family was very nice and we had a great week with our 13 horses and enjoyed incredible mountain views. That season I was mostly guiding families with kids about 12 years of age through the bush and to my surprise they described me as a very responsible and confident person. They had the adventure of their lifetime, and so did I!

Leandra and her Cayuse horse Castle

During my trips, Castle the horse I rode, became my best friend and my GPS for every situation. But we also had lots of challenges along the way: searching for horses, deciding where to stake them, running up and down the mountains to find the best grassy spots for them or watering the horses and of course meeting wildlife like bears, deer and marmots.

The feeling to be on the top of the mountains is not easy to describe for me. But this is the place where I feel my home is = on the back of a horse in the mountains. I am so glad I made the decision to learn to be a guide.

So ever since I came back in 2013 if you are looking for me, you can find me in the mountains. See you there!

Leading guests on a Level 3 Pack Trip

Horse Logging Training Program - Lesson guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 18:19:00 +0000

Our first Training Program this year will start soon!

"The horse, with beauty unsurpassed, strength immeasurable and grace unlike any other, still remains humble enough to carry a man's loads." (Amber Senti)

Chilcotin Holidays owns and operates a 600 hectare woodlot which provides an ideal training ground for our Horse Logging Programs. Learn about logging in a unique wilderness lesson. Guide horses as they pull huge trees to provide firewood or building materials.

The increasing demands for sustainable logging practices makes select logging with horses an obvious choice. Licensees and woodlot owners are recognizing the advantages of logging with horses. Our woodlot provides important comparisons of forest management for both areas that were logged with horses and areas that were logged with mechanical methods.

The Program combines theoretical and practical hands on experience. Each objective is achieved under guided supervision and time is allocated for individual practice, study and each lesson. Guide a strong cayuse horse and get more in touch with nature. The first third of the Program is based out of the Ranch, where theoretical and practical hands on experience is provided in a controlled environment. The last two thirds is spent in our woodlot where the students have first hand experience by applying their newly learned skills to the "real thing".

Dates available: April 19th until 25th

A happy New Year! Looking forward to future lessons with outdoor guide school!

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 04:02:00 +0000

It's finally here: 2015!

May it bring all of you many meaningful meetings, exciting adventures and plentiful opportunities to grow and the insights you need to become the best you can be. In the spirit of New Year, we are looking back at the year of successful outdoor guide school classes and also excited about the prospect of more outdoor guide lesson pupils next year. There's nothing quite like learning how to become a guide outdoor! Guide school gives you the opportunity to take guests into the back country and see sights very few people have seen before.

May the year be full with warmth and merriment!

Christmas at the Ranch - Skills to become a guide

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 04:33:00 +0000

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday? We sure did!

Having many international students staying at our ranch every year we usually celebrate both the European Christmas Day on the 24th and the Canadian one on the 25th. Both days we had a lot of fun feeding all our 39 horses a special Christmas treat - oats and carrots.

Our new staff members were very keen to learn new skills that you use to become a guide so we gave them an orientation of how to trim horse feet. Four of our darlings got a nice pedicure and we a good work out!

On the 25th we got a "treat" in return and got practice our bareback riding skills. Have you ever tried? We had a fun time practicing to jump on without a saddle to hold on. It's quite a challenge!

But eventually everyone managed thanks to our guide's useful tips. He himself made it look so easy! Now we are looking forward to finding out more about how to become a guide.

Now that the holidays are over we are looking forward to the New Year and all it's new challenges and opportunities and changes! A happy New Year to all our readers, may it be even better than the last one!

Nothing is impossible, if you can dream it you can do it. Mountain guide school.

noreply@blogger.com (Chilcotin Holidays) — Fri, 26 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000

With the year so close to drawing to an end, we cannot help but reflecting on the past year and the wonderful people we got to meet. We watched them struggle, grow and eventually fly off with their wings wide spread, full of new dreams and possibilities. We've journeyed ourselves, and all grown as people. We've had journeys around the ranch too, into alpine meadows and ridden along the tops of many a huge mountain. Guide school has produced many successful graduates this year, and we are excited to see them in action for the next mountain guide school on horseback.

One certain energetic and ambitious female especially springs into our mind:

Ella from Sweden.

She had stayed with us on an internship for 4 months the year before and after returning home for a while decided to come back to see what the summer season looks like in the South Chilcotin Mountains.
In July she took a one week mountain guide school on horseback, which made her a certified guide and opened up the door to a whole new world of possibilities for her. She shared her story with us and we now want to share it with you.

"It was July and a lot was happening at the time. So pretty much right after the mountain guide school on the horses was over I got to go out on pack trips on a regular basis as an assistant guide. Broadening my horizons along the way and learning something new each time.

Nothing is like being up in the mountains and I can never describe it well enough in words.

It is just breathtaking.

Amazing.

Out of this world.

Climbing mountain ridges on a horse is among the best things I have ever done.
During this time I got to practice taking more responsibility, working on my leadership skills and to take charge, which was just what I liked and wanted to do. How can you receive a better training than that, while being out in the stunning wilderness of British Columbia all the time or on the side of a mountain? Guide school gives you that opportunity.

In between some of our pack trips I got the opportunity to work on my leadership skills. I was put into the role of the outside manager. This was challenging in many ways, the biggest challenge being the management of a team of about six people, who all came from different cultural backgrounds.

It was a valuable experience for me to be sure and something I want to keep working on in the future.

With the advancing fall season our hunt season came up. To assist on hunting trips had been a goal of mine even before I came here. I had not counted on actually getting to assist with the guided pack trips before, but now it was all possible and I found myself scheduled for my first camp based hunt trip up in the alpine meadows.

I know that going hunting is the ultimate nature experience, because you have to act and think like an animal in order to be able to get a chance to shoot anything. And I got to practice it all, scouting and tracking, spending hours hiking up mountains and glassing for wildlife in the valleys, climbing ridges before the sun woke up and only getting back to camp with the last light of the fading sun.

All in all I got exposed to many amazing things during my second visit at the ranch - again!

I already had grown a lot as a person during my first stay. When I was encountering to me totally unknown situations. Eventually realizing that my limitations were way beyond what I had thought them to be.

This time around the challenges were of a different kind, but I still grew a lot. There's no doubt about that. I spend a lot of time practicing my leader-ship skills, doing more coordinating and took charge more than before. I did not realize until afterwards that I had taken a lot more responsibility than ever before.

Like last time, I got to meet a bunch of amazing and inspiring people. Meeting and interacting with them has given me so much in a different way. I love seeing people grow and evolve at the ranch and I have made friends for a lifetime. Mountain guide school was my stepping stone into this fantastic opportunity and allowed me to meet all these people and I am so grateful for it. And who knows, whether we’ll meet here again some day or maybe somewhere else.

I'll return to Sweden for another exciting winter season. But when summer comes around I want to find an outdoor recreation lodge or something similar in the north of Sweden to get to experience what the industry is like in my home country and to make use of my skills that I've learned in mountain guide school here. Or I might go to another country and try to do the same, if my traveling heart longs to be on the road again…

Because, you know: 'Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing'. "
We wish Ella all the best for her future and hope she'll find some amazing places to make good use of her guiding skills!