Profile information
Host rating
90 %
Last replied
25 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 4 days
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Details
Description
The ranch has been a community service in the Clear lake area of Riding Mountain National Park for almost 40 years.
A genuine love of horses and the outdoors by such a diversified wilderness area is the base for all our activities.
We maintain and explore true wilderness trails on the ranch and with guests into Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba.
As a teacher, artist, horse trainer and licensed guide with Federal Parks Canada, I'm Anne, owner, and active ranch manager. I've been a dedicated horsemanship coach and outdoor guide for many years. Our very short summer season in Manitoba has been a challenge to provide family oriented horse experiences that are provided at the ranch, and into the Park. Plenty of opportunities to share skills and learn new ones have been experiences enjoyed by many volunteers over the years. it is very important for Workaway volunteers to have proven horse experience in order to enjoy a successful stay at the ranch. The horse volunteers work with horses that require handling and trail experience.
A ranch mandate is for everyone on site to work as a positive minded and co-operative team, to help everyone become the best they can be, in all situations as they occur.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Anne has a professional teaching background, and is conversationally fluent in English, and German.
Helping others with communication and language improvement in English as a second language can be done on a daily basis, as long as volunteers have English fluency as a base to work with.
"Experiencing by doing" is one of our motos, and a total immersion in local festivals, concerts, rodeos and special events whenever possible is always a good idea and is encouraged, by time off arrangement. Regional cultural identity is different in every part of Canada. We live a very pioneering, self sufficient, repurposing and creative lifestyle typical of people who live in the Prairies and Parkland. People who love the challenges of life here, and responsibly pursue sustainable ethics are always welcome here. Raising, training, and working with horses is the spirit and soul of the Ranch, and our connection to the land. We are happy to share the experience with everyone who is genuinely willing to help our mutual efforts to live well with these wonderful animals.
Help
Being non-profit, we seek volunteers with a passion for experiencing new environments, and learning new skills in a team oriented ranch setting. Emphasis will be on learning with responsible behavior as a team. Flexibility and an open, non-judgmental mind is required to experience different values, lifestyles, building skills, new styles of horsemanship and surviving well outdoors in this region of Canada. If this sounds like you, and you are a true adventurer, we'd love to have you join our team this summer!
Fluency in English is the language of instruction, and complete fluency is important and expected for the mutual understanding and safety of all volunteers, animals, and visiting tourists.
Very flexible, weather influenced daily activities are planned, and all help is very much appreciated. Construction of several yard site projects are in order for the 2024 season, as well as daily horse training, beginning mid May, the sooner the better! We need people who are not afraid of working on the land until projects are completed!
This coming 2024 summer season, we'd like to continue upgrading the vegetable garden, plant perennials and berry bushes, install a dog kennel, and continue to upkeep the fencing in the horse pasture and corrals. Cutting and logging storm damaged trees out of the bush areas with horses and tractors is another important activity we require help for. There is also painting and staining, minor repairs and lawn mowing that needs to be done. Appropriate tools and equipment, and machinery is provided for the handy type of volunteer. We are also hoping to build a solar powered
"Ranch Spa", an outdoor washroom/shower house and sauna for ranch volunteers, if we find enough helpers that can contribute their skills for this unique project.
Opportunities to learn how to raise, train and ride horses can be worked into a volunteer stay at the ranch, if that is an interest. Prior experience with horses is very important for horse oriented Workaway volunteers. We will build on the skills you already have. Each volunteer has an individualized program of activities that follow their skill level. This year there are five horses that will be assigned to new and experienced trainers to work with and progress in their round pen and trail training.
We also have guitars, a piano, and other instruments for anyone with a singer song-writer talent. We like to share these activities at our youth horse camp for junior riders here every August.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Accommodation
Accommodation is private bedrooms in a 6 bedroom detached unit, located in a forest. next to the main ranch house, Bedding is provided. and 3 piece bathroom facilities with electricity are in the main house. There is no climate control in the bedrooms. They are subject to the temperatures outside, with no auxiliary heat available. There is also no direct electrical access in the bedrooms. We are planning to offer solar electrical plug ins in the bedrooms for cell phone charging and a light this summer. Other electrical access is in the communal main house. May to September has the best, warmest climate to live and work at the ranch. Volunteers are expected to do their own regular housekeeping, including the preparation of some meals.
What else ...
A pack list, maps, general orientation to the ranch and the region is provided on the web site. Details, including a volunteer agreement will be provided in our communication. * Volunteers are responsible to be properly equipped for all kinds of weather. We look forward to discussing and making individual interests, hopes and dreams for visitors, guests, and volunteers come true as we move into the new 2024 summer season. If you plan to explore beyond the ranch location, it is advised to budget for a rental car. Distances are great in western Canada. If you want to stay closer to the local area, there are bicycles at the ranch you can use. Please invest in your own access to internet/data for your travels. We are in an area where internet access is available, but occasionally unpredictable.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day or more by arrangement, days of the week that are required, depending on the task at hand, and arranged by mutual agreement.
Feedback (13)
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We have been at the ranch for only one week in 2017 when Anne took us in at short notice. We had such a great time that we decided to come back to Canada to stay last summer for six weeks. It never gets boring there. We built a very nice room in the trailer… read more
I was very very well fed and looked after.
She contributed tremendous confidence, despite her small size, with careful hand-to-mouth connection with every horse she rode. She showed excellent natural rythm, balance and flexibility.
By the end of her… read more
My (Ben) work evolved: weed wacking, installing railway ties, fence work, gate hanging, general DIY, yard work, organizing the tent… read more
