Missoula News

discovering horses

Dunrovin Ranch: Another World, Just Down the Trail

I grabbed the reigns astride a Tennessee Walking Horse at the Dunrovin Ranch outside Lolo, Montana

By Danielle Lattuga, 7-17-08

"Okay, follow me, and trust your horse."

SuzAnne is astride Power, a commanding dark bay horse. She turns him away from the fallen timber and starts up the embankment along side the trail.

From my vantage point on the back of Whiskey, the embankment appears significantly steeper than it does from my own two feet. The slope is moist. It's early in the spring and for fleeting moments I worry about hooves slipping and Whiskey and me falling. But the only thing that drops is my stomach.

In short order, we are riding through the woods. Over the crest of Whiskey's velvet ear I see slivers of Holland Lake flicker through the trees. The sky is crisp and still snow-covered rocks surround Holland Falls.

In all my dreams of horses, I've never had the chance to turn that floating romanticism into the tactile, pungent, mutual experience of truly riding a horse -- until now.

Early in the day, we met at Dunrovin Ranch. Turning off the main drag in Lolo and winding through a newer housing development, one might think they've lost their way to the ranch. Then, the road turns to dirt and an osprey perches in the bony silhouette of a tree to the left. My eyes shift across the road and find Lady Lonza, her tawny sleekness and wispy mane juxtaposed against the flat barn. The child in me wonders where her unicorn horn has gone. When her charcoal dusted foal, Stormy, steps out from behind her, all legs and wobbly, the spell is cast.

Dunrovin Ranch is nestled up against the Bitterroot River, at the base of the Sapphire Mountains. SuzAnne and Sterling Miller make their home here, with a fleet of Tennessee Walking Horses -- a child-friendly pony named Cool Dude; Senor Kona, a Sicilian Donkey with an attitude straight out of Shrek; and Jewel, a trail dog with a propensity for exploration.

	Me with my nose in Whiskey's neck

The house sits on a small bluff overlooking a meadow and the river. Riders come to climb the Sapphires for a glimpse of wild horses, moonlight and the occasional lion track. Guests swim, float and fish when not taking the horsemanship lessons or other rides offered to visiting and local equestrian club members.

This is where it begins.

"Be careful," SuzAnne says, flashing a mischievous smile. "You might just become addicted to these Tennessee Walking Horses."

Behind SuzAnne's smile dwells the core of this place. A fourth generation Montanan, she exudes respect for people, animals and the natural world. Together with her long-time friend and ranch manager, Sue Matthews, she has built a rare ranch atmosphere, where people from Missoula and beyond can visit for any period of time, and leave with a deeper understanding of horses -- and themselves.

SuzAnne selects a horse that will suit you, based on your experience and level of comfort. Before you step into the ring, she takes time to show you the proper mount and dismount, ensuring that you put as little stress on the animal's body as possible.

"These are sentient beings," SuzAnne says. "They will respond to your subtle movement and any tension that you have." She grasps the reins with her thumbs angled up and back toward her body. "You want a straight line from their mouth to your elbows."

She glides around the ring and I see for the first time why they call Tennessee Walking Horses the Cadillac of all horses. Her head isn't bobbing around, her body is not jerking awkwardly in the saddle. She's sailing.

"These horses have a gait that is like a fast walk -- three legs are always touching the ground." She uses her fingers to demonstrate how other horses alternate two legs on the ground.

	SuzAnne instructing in the ring

Out in the woods, I get my chance to sail, as we urge the horses up a wide section of old road.. A goofy smile crosses my face and I giggle with the smooth speed of our climb. These are not your average trail horse: lustrous healthy coats, a responsiveness that builds confidence for anyone open to learning and individual quirkiness embraced by club riders.

One by one, our horses drop down a small rise back onto the trail and turn to step over a downed tree. Whiskey and I are next in line and I lean back in the saddle to let him control his momentum more effectively. As we return to the trail, he continues to move across it, a steeper and much more daunting route.

"Whoa, Whiskey. Back, Back, Back."

My voice spills from me with unexpected authority. I mimic the rein control SuzAnne demonstrated earlier. Whiskey backs up and I turn him to face the log. We step over and fall back in line. I lean forward and inhale the rich layered scent of this horse. I know, with the weight of my bones felt so acutely against the muscle of Whiskey’s back, that I am addicted.

Dunrovin Ranch offers a range of equestrian experiences, centered around learning, exploration, trust and empowerment. Perhaps the most enticing for all the little girls who loved horses and are now aspiring or established equestrians, is the Women's Equestrian Club.

Many contemporary westerners are concerned about their impact on the environment but still want to have an authentic western experience on horses, in the backcountry. But horses are costly, learning to handle and ride them can be intimidating, and caring for them takes a lot of time and energy, not to mention finding the land and barn. Add in most novices' lack of access to an equestrian community and the notion becomes quite daunting.

	The Lady Lonza and her foal, Stormy

Becoming a member of the Women's Equestrian Club enables women to improve their equestrian skills, develop a sense of ownership with the horses, and to share their interest with others in a supportive environment. Club trips take women and horses all over Montana. Trips are often theme-based, like the "Both Sides of the Bob" trip, where riders learn about the history of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and its flora and fauna.

SuzAnne's 35-year career as a professional biometrician in natural resource management has taken her from Chile to Alaska, which translates to field expertise and an adventurousness that does not expire when the trip is over. Club members are not surprised to receive Dunrovin emails that contain more information about the Pine Martin they saw from horseback or the unusual wildflower that littered the meadows at their feet.

Back on the ranch, women can participate in the Discover Horses program to learn the basics of owning and working with a horse, or they can take a short ride across the river, just to get out, in between work, kids, and day-to-day activities.

"The equestrian club allows people to live in high density areas and still have the joy of both horse and ranch ownership," SuzAnne says. "They live in the city and have a short commute to the country only when they ride, rather than living in the country and commuting to the city daily. They do not need to purchase, drive and maintain trucks and trailers; they do not need to know the countryside or research where to ride."

How do we embrace the lifestyle that we love, in the rapidly changing face of what is our home? Perhaps by climbing astride a Tennessee Walking Horse and asking SuzAnne Miller to teach you a thing or two. You might get addicted, too.

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