Windy Wild Horse Mesa Riding.

Rebecca on Dude, on Wild Horse Mesa, aka 'The Friday Ride.'

I'm one of them, one of the lucky souls on planet earth who is forever changed by my riding experiences at the Lazy L&B Ranch in Dubois Wyoming. I am fortunate enough to have lived and worked, and most recently even honeymooned at the Lazy L&B. I have been blessed by the people, the horses, the land, and the wind of my wild Wyoming. I have a plethora of experiences as varied as the wildflowers in the spring to share, but have chosen to concentrate on a particular windy ride for my first contribution to this blog.

The Friday Ride Up to Wild Horse Mesa.

Here's what the riding does to you, at least some of what it did to me. Once you visit and ride, you can tell me what it did to you in your own words. For me it forever fused two intrinsic elements of my core happiness, horses and landscapes to the wind. I hail from the Green Mountain State more commonly known as Vermont. We have mountains and horses, and even wind, but the mountains and the wind in Wyoming, paired with the riding ruined me in the loveliest of ways. Every time the wind blows where ever I am now, I can't help but think about that wind in Wyoming. I hope I can smell the sage brush mixed with leather oils. The wind in Wyoming did something to me, it hardened me, it softened me, it loved me and fulfilled me. So while you're riding on Wild Horse Mesa you will feel this wind against your body, you will hold your hat on your head, if you haven't invested in Stampede Strings (you can purchase them at the store right on the ranch, which I suggest you do), and you will be amazed that something so invisible has such a presence.

Vista from the Friday Ride up to Wild Horse Mesa.

Okay, enough of my windy diatribe, Here's a more black and white explanation of the Friday ride up Wild Horse Mesa. You head to the corral in the morning, you meet your faithful equine companion, and you eagerly chat with all the wonderful friends you've made throughout the week. You may even choose to get some pictures taken by the professional photographer who comes to the ranch on Friday. Once everyone is set you'll follow your wrangler (who at this point is someone you'll most likely exchange Christmas cards with for the coming years), and settle into the poetic walking rhythm of your horse. You'll cross the East Fork river and feel your connection with the land, the West, and your excitement as you head through the sage brush. Somewhere beyond a green gate you'll start your ascent to the Wild Horse Mesa. You'll climb Bentonite Hills, you'll catch glimpse of Antelope, loping over steep terrain. You'll hear your horse's strong breaths as they stoically carry you closer to heaven then you've ever been. The pounding of your heart and the amazement of your soul will be warmed by the sun on your face. And before you know it, you'll be on top of the world, on top of Wild Horse Mesa, looking at the Wind River Mountains, looking at Big Diddy A and Little Diddy A. You'll see the Shoshoni National Forest. All places you'll have already ridden, and from one Mesa in the middle of Wyoming you'll have realized your life is much closer to complete. And if you're really fortunate, you'll see the wild horses for which the Mesa is named, as the wind tousles their tails against their strong flanks, you'll forever remember the ride up Wild Horse Mesa.



A Green Gate that Will Lead You to the Mesa.

So that's a quick synopsis of the Friday ride up to the Mesa. Don't just trust me, come to Wyoming and validate for yourself everything I've mentioned. I swear to you, you'll never feel the wind on your face again, without thinking of that wind, that Wyoming wind. And the riding, the horses, the people, the food, the laughter, the silence, and the stars, but those are all subjects for another post, I'm still thinking about all my Friday rides.    

Written By, Rebecca Lee (Marquis) Wolfe