mcginnis meadows cattle and guest ranch

Im a riding instructor myself and wanted a combo of horsemanship and western dude style ranch trip. It was overall a great experience. The unfortunate thing is that there is zero freedom for you to ever take a galop in the field, go for a ride by yourself, sit bareback on the field and have that "have a horse for a week"FeelingI got yelled at by a wrangled for an innocent canter as he came after me and said "you cant canter our horses".that was very upsetting to me. The staff is awesome and cabins luxurious. The settings beautiful. But if i want to go for an experience next time where i can "let loose" a bit and just experience that freedom on a horse and go for a gallop , i wont go here. The riding is super super structured. AllRiding and horse activities are.

If you are going here for the horseback riding and to enjoy the nature, go on rides without the owner. Both you and your wrangler will have a much better time not being insulted. The most prominent thing I remember about my trip to this ranch was the owner insulting the guests and the wranglers time and time again. The owner is a very good rider, and can communicate very well with horses, but he should not be teaching guests. I have never been more insulted by someone giving me riding instruction, and I have dealt with some pretty tough english riding instructors. The owner is there to show of his ability to ride, not to help the guests improve. I also feel very sorry for the staff. The owner is belittling and rude to them, as if it makes him look better. I worked on a guest ranch for 3 summers in Colorado and the owners were the most wonderful people. When we made mistakes, they worked with us and gave constructive criticism, not mean and insulting remarks.

Shayne is THE Shame.... He owns the Ranch, and he believes this gives him the rights to insult his employees, be ironic with the customers, ans ruin the all staff's efforts to make our stay enjoyable.This guy spends his day yelling at his people, or trying to make them look stupid on front of other people.All he does is looking for a new victim, and then he starts talking to the guests about how rich he is, how well he rides, and how bad our riding skills are ! ! ! ! ! This can go on for hours. Watch me!!! Listen!!! You don't know what you're doing!!!Outside of him, the crew is fantastic. I liked Dori very much. Allways smiling, available, trying to arrange everything. Same for Nathan, Stephanie, Roby...Very very interesting to watch Roby training different horses each day. Very talented horseman.Horses are very well mannered for most of them.Food is excellent. Accomodation is great. Cabins are just perfect. Wireless network is not available in the cabins unfortunatelyToo bad there is not much cattlle in this ranch. You can spend hours in the saddle, finding a dozen cows in the mountain.Nothing comparable with real working ranchs I've been to in other places.Will never go back, mainly because of the bossNote: Was there in August 2013. System says 2014, but this is only because I had no better choice

I recently visited McGinnis Meadows cattle ranch for the first time this fall. At first I did not know what to expect as I am not an experienced rider. With in the first few minutes of arriving my fears evaporated as I was welcomed warmly by the staff and other guests ( many of them returning year after year). The accommodations were well appointed as well as being decorated in a western motif. The food was delicious as well as filling. Every effort was made to meet everyones dietary needs. Happy hour included wine, beer and a different appetizer every evening. All the staff from housekeeping to wranglers were kind, thoughtful and willing to please. My favorite part of visiting the ranch was riding the well trained and well kept horses along with learning the Buck Brannaman style of horsemanship. Each wrangler added to my growing knowledge through their extensive training in this style. I will be going back next fall- this time for 2 weeks!

Gorgeous setting, excellent accommodations & food, hard working staff...so why the poor review? The utter hypocrisy & arrogance of the owner. If you know nothing & want a "dude ranch" week, you may be placated. But if you desire & have signed up for true "horsemanship" as advertised, save yourself the heartache. He spends most of his time literally demoralizing guests. He rides on the coattails of his mentor, who I DO respect, but should not be posing as an instructor himself. This isn't constructive (tough) instruction...I've ridden w/ some of the world's best...this is EGO driven/captive audience malarkey. He is disrespectful, personally attacking, ill equipped to actually teach, sets up dangerous exercises, has no empathy, etc. His right hand man & one other aspiring/talented wrangler CAN teach effectively, so plan accordingly. (Or be prepared to be insulted, bored & regretful.)

My friends and I recently spent a week at McGinnis Ranch. We do horseback riding trips almost every year. This one was great because of the great Wranglers and their instruction. Roby, Christine, Nathan, Desiree and Austin were talented horseman. The horses were terrific. The scenery was beautiful and the food was fantastic--really really great. The ranch managers Randy and Dori do a great job of having everything run smoothly. We stayed in a cabin and it was comfortable and clean.

In October of 2014, I spent a wonderful week at McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch in Northwest Montana (www.mmgranch.net), a spectacular 42,000 acre working cattle ranch.As you drive through the big western gate to McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch you are treated to the sight of nearly a hundred beautiful horses grazing peacefully in the meadow. Next you see the main lodge, several log cabins, the games room and tack shelter on your right. To the left are large holding pens for cattle and horses, as well as the beautiful indoor arena. Parked in the lane are two of the biggest International 4400 trucks I have ever seen, each attached to horse trailers capable of hauling at least eight horses each.Friendly ranch hands greet you and help settle you into your accommodation. Cabins and rooms are decorated with authentic western décor like Navajo rugs and pillows, cattle hides on the wall and genuine Montana artwork. The gathering room in the lodge has the biggest buffalo head I have ever seen on the wall above the fireplace and right beside it is a stone outcropping with a huge wolf mounted on it. It’s an amazingly cozy room where guests gather to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine before a fantastic meal. (Be sure to leave room for expansion in your jeans!) Guests from all over the world visit MMGR. During my week there were people from Finland, U.K., Canada, Brazil, Texas, California and many of the Eastern States.I have three words to describe the Ranch Wranglers – gorgeous, handsome and tall. The girls had flowing auburn hair, sparkling earrings, colourful silk scarves and shiny belt buckles on their designer jeans. The guys had broad shoulders, narrow waists, wore rugged vests and had legs that went all the way to the ground in their fringed chaps. One cowboy must have been 6’6” on his own and was even taller with his high-heeled pointy towed boots. They all look great and add to the authentic and romantic atmosphere of a western cattle ranch. The wranglers work as a team to instruct each guest in good horsemanship to ensure you have the best ride possible. They don’t even laugh at you when you put your chinks on backwards, hold your reins upside down or call the lead line a biscotti or Bacardi instead of a mecate. All I can say about the MM Ranch horses is they are the gentlest and best trained horses I have ever had the pleasure of riding. Nearly a hundred horses stand quietly in a large holding pen while the wranglers and guests move amongst them and halter up the horses chosen to work that day. All horses head willingly to the high line for their morning grooming and then off to be saddled. Feed bags are strapped on and the horses toss their heads in enjoyment as they munch on their own particular ration. A long, cool drink at the trough and then the wranglers help the guests properly bridle their horses and mount up. Every day the Ranch provides six to eight hours of riding depending on which activity you choose. It can be an all day trip out to round up cattle and explore the “Graze” leased land, a three or six hour trail ride up in the mountains, cattle work in the meadows, horsemanship training in the arena or a fun event like finding the lost steer. (I found it! He was green ear tag #7.)Shayne Jackson, owner of McGinnis Meadows Ranch is an amazing and generous person who takes a personal interest in all of his guests. Somehow he manages to learn everyone’s name and gives us tips at our individual level of horsemanship. I love his expression “Get your horse to canter out and enjoy the ride across a Montana meadow. That’s what you’re here for.” Thank you Shayne, for sharing your beautiful horses and wonderful ranch with us.Kathy Freeman, Kaslo, B.C. Oct. 2014

Fabulous location, well-maintainted infrastructure, good food and most of all fantastic team and horses.

Our week at McGinnis was overall a fantastic experience. The wranglers and the kitchen staff were all fabulous and our cabins were luxurious. The horses were well trained and cared for and the whole valley at McGinnis was just beautiful. We found the owner's morning displays of horsemanship very informative and encouraging.....but the next day and the next day, it all seemed overdone and way too long, sitting on our horses.After our week, we do feel inspired to tackle a more western style of horsemanship with our own horses , using Buck's natural horsemanship. Our thanks to everyone.

I have been to other working dude ranches and had a spectacular time. The cattle work and horsemanship was amazing and the owners were great people who were gracious and kind to the guests. This ranch experience was disappointing and I was really looking forward to a great vacation. Going to Graze was a trail ride on steep terrain to where you had to walk the horses, no cattle were seen some days, and it was not a full day of riding. Horsemanship in the arena was a day of sitting in the saddle listening to the owner brag and talk about about himself. His style of teaching was based on degrading and embarrassing you instead of teaching with encouragement. The owner also degraded his wranglers and staff over the radio when guests are invited to bring there own 2 way radios. He also degraded the wranglers and staff in front of guests. Very unprofessional and it makes for a very uncomfortable environment to endure. Supper time was horrible and painful to endure. The owner is an egotistical maniac who bragged endlessly about his masonry business, money, horsemanship skills and his helicopter. He talked down to guests and showed absolutely no interest in getting to know the guests. The horses are great and well trained. The wranglers work hard and do there best to make the environment of the ranch friendly. Christine is one wrangler who stood out and saved my vacation from being a disaster. She is knowledgeable, friendly, and kind. She showed genuine interest in teaching horsemanship, reading and gathering cattle, and working with us to advance our skills daily. She was very encouraging and also worked with us individually to meet specially goals for the week. At the end of the week I felt that my horse and I were together. This ranch is not worth the money, degrading attitude from the owner, and an uncomfortable environment. I wish the staff and wranglers Good Luck!!!!

As returning guests we were disappointed in the Ranch this year. "Cattle work" consists of searching for a few specific ear tags in a 100 yearling herd over several thousand acres. It was a bit like being at a zoo, you got to see cattle on occasion but if they weren't the few you were seeking high on the ridges you just got to look at them as you rode by. We actually worked cattle one day for a couple of hours. The remainder of the vacation was a glorified trail ride. In the past it was a cow/calf operation with all the cattle work you wanted to do - moving cattle in the Spring & Summer, gathering in the Fall, big drives, sorting, looking for strays, etc. Worst of all the owner's ego is bigger than the Montana sky. Dinners were painful to endure as he bragged endlessly about his masonry business, his helicopter, his horsemanship skills and showed zero interest in his guests. The horses are excellent and the staff tries hard to work around the obvious issues, but at the end of the day it is just not worth the money or the patronizing attitude. Not for advanced riders seeking cattle work. Beginners who want to learn basic horsemanship skills and go on trail rides are a better fit.

The ranch and programme each day is structured but at the same time its enjoyable and at times challenging. If you want to have a holiday on horseback with a bent towards an educational element, the ranch is a good place to be at. The environs and equipment is good and the general attention to detail is excellent. I travelled from Australia and was not disappointed with what I found. Some people might like a more free running agenda each day, but this place does have an emphasis on horsemanship and the well being of the mount. All in all there is something at McGinnis for every skill type and recreational need. Liked the food, the company, the staff.

I spent a week here. This is not the place to go if you are an avid horseback rider. They follow, with almost a cult-like devotion, an awkward style of horsemanship that only a novice could possibly enjoy. You'll get saddle sore, not from all the riding, but all the sitting in the arena as the owner blathers on endlessly about himself. As Oscar Wilde so aptly said - he's a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. I came away with my ears dulled by this non-stop pontificating windbag who has the audacity to talk down to his guests in a snarky manner. His lackeys do the real work, there's the wannabe right-hand man who kowtows around with his obvious "If only this was MY place to run" kind of fantasy. You'll endure the obligatory prayer before each meal, just as phony as the owner, or you can enjoy the day rounding up their cattle for them. You know, cause you're paying them to work for them to make more money for them. Quite the racket! The food is sub-par. The horses were well-behaved but you'll never get past a trot so you might as well be in a ring all day. This place caters to people who have more money than sense. You won't get an authentic ranch experience here, but they provide plenty of liquor, maybe that's what makes everyone think they're having such a great time. Find a true ranch where you can ride the traditional Western seat without all the looping reins crap. They're just trying to market their line to the next sucker with a hedgefund and not much else to do.

My daughter and I spent an incredible week at McGinnis Meadows. We spent as many hours as possible with the horses we had been assigned. I spent most of my time helping to move cattle between wooded pastures in the surrounding hills, while my daughter combined that with horsemanship and groundwork classes led by wranglers trained in the Buck Brannaman style of horsemanship. The horses at McGinnis are not your typical touristy horses. This is a working cattle ranch, and the horses are exceptionally trained and know how to do their job. The cabin we stayed in was perfect, each meal was delicious, and the atmosphere helped our large group to create lasting friendships. I cannot wait to return!

We have been visiting this ranch since 2002 and have just enjoyed another fantastic two week trip which included cutting new trails and pushing the very first steers on to the the new grazing allotment on Davis Mountain. The new graze is very challenging but very rewarding for those who want to venture out of the confines of the ranch and put their horsemanship skills to the test. The work put in to these new pastures by Randy, Dori and their crews have been immense. Well done to all and if you visit for the horsemanship, which is fantastic, do give graze at least one day of your time and give your skills a real work out