School Information at a Glance...
“I really enjoyed my stay at the Ranch because I got to know so many nice people from different countries, because I had the chance to try a lot of new things, because I took part in the Western lifestyle and last but not least because of the amazing countryside surrounding the Ranch!!”
- Location:
- In the Chilcotin Mountains, 5 hours from Vancouver, BC
- Course Length:
- 1, 2, or 4 weeks. (customized courses can be arranged).
- Minimum age:
- 18 +
- Levels:
- Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
- Teacher/student ratio:
- Up to 10 students per teacher.
- Teacher Qualifications:
- TESOL, First Aid, Wilderness Guide
- Classroom hours:
- 15 per week
- Start dates:
- First Monday of each month.
- Transportation:
- Shuttle bus from Vancouver
Course Information
Course Fees are inclusive of:
“When you spend a lot of time with a lot of people then you learn to know them well and become really good friends. Now I can say that I now have friends in Japan and Germany and I didn’t know people from these countries before!”
- 15 hours classroom tuition per week
- Horse riding and ranch associated activities in the afternoons
- Use of saddles, tack and other ranch equipment as nessessary
- Accommodation and all meals
There are many levels of ESL tuition available at the school, from basic beginner to Advanced levels. Students are tested on arrival to determine the level of English ability they are at.
Our classes are no larger than 10 students per teacher. Our teachers are not only highly qualified in ESL instruction but also in riding and wilderness guiding.
Courses start on the first Monday of each month, students can enroll for either:
Level I, our ESL Standard course with activities
Our Standard course consists of 15 hours classroom study per week followed by “Western” riding experience and other ranch based activities.
Conversational English with the staff in the afternoons and evenings greatly enhances the student’s language skills.
Courses longer than 4 weeks are available.
Afternoons are spent practicing English in fun, interactive activities around the ranch.
Whether it is learning the parts of a horse, riding a horse to a hilltop to look out and describe the valley, hiking through the forest to look for animal tracks in the snow, or learning how to throw a lasso, students will go through lots of exercises to improve their communication.
At the end of the program, students are awarded a certificate to recognize their achievements.
Level II, our ESL Wilderness Activity Based course
Our Wilderness Activity Based course also consists of 15 hours classroom study per week, but the afternoons take the Student onto a more advanced program. Instead of casual riding or fishing, we take the Student on a more formal approach to learning the arts of being a Wilderness, Horse Guide and the use and care of horses in the backcountry. Topics covered include:
- Wrangling: catching and releasing
- Saddling: saddles, bridles
- Riding: horsemanship and horse sense
- Packing: equipment, horses, knots and hitches
- Shoeing — Trimming and Shoeing your own horse:
- Staking, Hobbling and Belling:
- Basic Horse Training:
- Back Country Vet:
- Harness work and Basic Horse Logging:
- Wilderness skills:
- Map Use:
- Bear and Cougar Safety:
At the end of the program, students are awarded a certificate to recognize their achievements.
