I recently visited this small
family owned ranch called Colbert Ranch in Bertram, Texas, which is about an
hour from campus if you don’t get lost. This place offers horseback riding
throughout the hill country on this beautiful land that hugs the South San
Gabriel River.
My friend and I got lost getting
there because we went from the busy crowded traffic filled freeways of Austin,
to open road highways that don’t have the big signs of which exit is which like
we are so accustomed to. We were looking for small “Farm to Market” roads that
had small signs you have to really look out for. For instance we were looking
for “S FM 1174” which is the road you can find Colbert Ranch on. We passed it
up probably 5 times. Shows what happens when you get taken out of the city, you
suddenly become directionally challenged.
We finally found it in this gated
area and pull up to a neat and nice looking ranch, where the horse’s heads were
peaking out of their stables. From the moment I stepped out of the car and onto
the dirt and breathed in the air, I could tell it was going to be such a great
and relaxing day away from the city! We signed our life away before we got
started with the insurance waiver and then got hooked up with our horse for the
day. My horses name was Rocky. Colbert Ranch is considered a “retirement home”
for horses. Which simply means the horses they have are older more experienced
horses that have had work before the ranch. Like all of us they each had their
stories of where they came from and what they did, my horse for instance
carried in the U.S. flag at rodeos year round, he was also part of what they
call a drill team, which is kind of like synchronized swimming, but with horses
doing different movements together, which is also performed at the rodeo.
We got started on the hour and a
half ride through the hill country of the Colbert Ranch and I couldn’t help but
notice how open and free it seemed, no roads, just small pathways where the
horses would go through their daily tours. It was nice being in the country and
seeing trees and open land. We passed by the San Gabriel River on our trail
where the horses stopped and drank from.
However, the river was very low and dry looking from the drought. Our tour
guide told us there are many spiders and snakes around in the area. In fact on
the trail we saw two huge spider webs that went across the trail we were
following. Whenever someone would see it they would yell and you would have to
move so you wouldn’t run straight into it. I didn’t get the memo on one of them
and ended up breaking the web. Another interesting thing we encountered was this
plant that the Indians that settled on the land long ago used for tooth aches
to numb the mouth. I can’t remember the name, but it smelled good and minty and
there were thorns on them so they would take those off first and then chew on
them. No one tried it though; we just took her word for it.
Being out in nature was such a
great time, and experiencing it through riding an actual animal such as a horse
made my time there even better. I would absolutely recommend Colbert Ranch to
anyone who likes horseback riding and would want to experience the hill country
in a different way.
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