Cowboy Breakfast Ride at The Hills Health Ranch
Jada and Raven at Succour Lake
Cowboy Breakfast Ride at The Hills Health Ranch
By Viv Chapleo, photos by Jill Hoelting
Previous Post: Day 2 – Horse Riding and Horse Whispering
DAY 3 – COWBOY BREAKFAST AND TRAIL RIDE
Up and at ’em cowgirls! Jill and I once again rose with the sun and enjoyed coffee on the deck of our chalet before waking Jada from her slumber. It was a slow process to get her to wake up, but as soon as we told her we were off for a ride to the teepee she jumped out of bed and quickly dressed.
By 7:45 AM we were down at the barn and waiting for Wrangler Amber to get the horses ready for our 4-hour Cowboy Breakfast Ride. Jada was very happy to be assigned Raven for the morning – she had ridden her the previous day and was smitten.
Teepee at The Hills Health Ranch
There were 6 riders in total for the ride to the teepee, where a hearty and tasty breakfast of blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, baked beans, country potatoes, sausages and bacon had been prepared over the campfire. Once we had filled our bellies with a plate full of goodness and a steaming mug of coffee, we took the leftover pancakes out to our horses – they quickly devoured one of their favorite treats.
Cowboy Breakfast Ride
Jada Feeds Pancakes to Raven
Then it was time to get back in the saddle and ride out on the trails and up to the top of a lookout point. Here we took a break while enjoying views looking back towards The Hills Health Ranch and over to 108 Lake. Our ride then continued further along ranch meadows and trails and around Succour Lake before we turned back towards the barn.
Jada with Viv and Jill
By noon we were dismounting and returned to our chalet for a quick lunch – Jada wanted to take another ride in the afternoon… this girl is addicted! She was lucky to be able to ride out with Amber again for a two-hour trail ride with just three other kids – sisters and their brother from Germany – and once again thoroughly loved the outing on Raven.
During the time Jada was off for her ride, Jill and I went for a short hike on some of the ranch trails that were close by. The Hills has some of the best riding, hiking and mountain biking trails in the entire Cariboo region (they have over 150 km/100 miles of marked and mapped trails).
Jada with Hills Miniature Donkeys
Of course, once Jada was finished with her ride she wanted to spend time grooming the miniature donkeys. Then as soon as we could drag her away from them we asked what she wanted to do next… “Let’s go swimming!” was her response. So, while Jill lounged on the chalet’s deck and read her book, Jada and I left her in peace for an hour while we went and had fun in the indoor swimming pool and hot tub over at the main building.
Jada Goes Swimming
As it was a Friday night, the Hills Summer BBQ Buffet was offered in the Trails End Dining Room. We had all worked up quite an appetite with our outdoor activities and fresh air, so we dined on a tasty selection of salads, seasonal vegetables, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, fire-grilled chicken breast, west coast plank-baked salmon and fire-grilled New York steak. Amazingly enough, we even had room for a little dessert – we couldn’t say no to another chance to eat the sticky toffee cake.
After dinner we strolled around the ranch one more time before heading back to our chalet to play Jada’s favorite game – Cat-opoly!
Jada Plays Her Favorite Game – Cat-Opoly
READ MORE
Day 1 – Hayrides and Much More | Day 2 – Horse Riding and Horse Whispering | Day 4 – Final Ride on the Range |
IF YOU GO:
THE RANCH WILL REOPEN JULY 18, 2016 as Spruce Hill Resort
Spruce Hill Resort
108 Mile Ranch, British Columbia, Canada
Note: WAVEJourney were guests at The Hills Health Ranch for this review in August, 2014. All opinions, reviews and commentary are our own. Read our full disclosure statement to see our review policy.
