This is my final Cowgirl Diaries post! My six month long crazy Canadian cowgirl adventure went faster than I could have imagined and I learned more than I thought possible. Below is a round up of really cool things (and not of cows or horses) that I did during my travels throughout Alberta and British… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A Roundup (geddit?)
My final ranch was a curly horse breeding, training and lesson ranch. I mentioned curly horses in my Calgary Stampede post and really enjoyed learning more about this fascinating breed! Curly horses are bred with a special fur that is hypoallergenic meaning that people who are usually allergic to horses can be around curlies with… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A cowgirl vaults and discovers Maple Snow (Kelowna and the Ookanagan)
I’ve already written two posts about rodeos so far, but this is the Cowgirl Diaries after all so I figure it can deal with a few more rodeo mentions! With rodeo season almost over, I jumped at the chance to attend a much smaller and more authentic rodeo than the Calgary Stampede. The Medicine Lodge… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A cowgirl learns to two-step (Medicine Lodge Rodeo)
This ranch was a quarter horse breeding ranch, which gave me an opportunity I hadn’t had before: Working with and training green and unbroken horses. Round Penning Firstly I was given a three year old gelding, called Chief, to work with and was taught all the fundamentals of round penning. Round penning is a training… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A cowgirl breaks horses, herds cows and cuddles puppies (Alberta, ranch no.2)
After a week of indulging my travel bug it’s time to settle down to one of the main purposes of this trip: Learning some cowgirl skills! I’ve been riding horses almost all my life, but growing up in England I obviously learnt to ride English rather than Western. When I did my first two Workaway… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: Ranch No.1: A Cowgirl learns reining (and Rocky Mountain trail riding)
I’ve already written a post about the three Stampede rodeos I attended back in July, but the rodeo is only part of the whole Stampede. The timing of my arrival in Canada coincided perfectly with the Stampede and I spent four days and nights on the grounds as they were right opposite my hostel. Nashville… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: The Calgary Stampede 2016
As luck, coincidence, or fate would have it, my plans in Canada coincided perfectly with the Calgary Stampede (the world’s biggest rodeo for prize money) so there’s no way a wannabe-cowgirl could miss this opportunity! My original plans were for two days in the city of Calgary and two days on the stampede grounds but… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A cowgirl’s first (and second and third) rodeo
So I have landed in Canada, in Toronto, Ontario to be more exact. When I booked my flights the layovers varied from 2-8 hours. Obviously I booked the eight hour layover with the express purpose of squeezing another city into my time in Canada. After four assurances by airport staff that I could leave my… Continue reading The Cowgirl Diaries: A Cowgirl in Toronto (AKA the busiest layover ever)
The World is Calling me Home 