This morning we received a message from the Director of Life, Adjusted, The Movie. Sean Nipper is looking to create a feature documentary on the story of Dr. Jay Komarek. Here is a brief synopsis from the films website:

This full length feature film documentary will highlight the life and inspiration of one of the most gifted Chiropractors of our time, Dr. Jay Komarek. For over 34 years, Dr. Jay has been adjusting horses and people across the nation, bringing with him profound love, light and wisdom.

We will follow Dr. Jay throughout his every day life offering intimate witness to the magic of the adjustment through his heart and hands and experience his mastery up close.

Through our story, we will get to know how Dr. Jay came to be, and be introduced to the influences, animals and people who have likewise inspired him along his journey.

 

Be sure to watch the teaser trailer:

Here is where you can help make the dream become reality. The film is on IndieGOGO, one of the world’s leading international funding platform. So how does it work? People, anywhere around the world, can contribute to make this a success. Life, Adjusted is looking for $50,000 to get the movie off the ground. This goes towards travel, hiring a film crew, essential film equipment, soundtrack and score, editing costs, marketing costs and submissions for film festivals. (Just like the movie we saw in Boulder, CO this weekend: Wild Horse Wild Ride)

Check out more of the story and if you feel inclined, contribute! Let’s make this happen Dude Ranch Fans!

“Wild Horse, Wild Ride”, produced by husband-and-wife team Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus, is a beautiful film depicting the friendship and journey of nine wild mustangs and their trainers. Each year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rounds up thousands of wild horses across America, and a lucky 100 are given the opportunity to go through the Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge. Trainers from all over the country, some professional, some rookies, are given a horse through a lottery, and as such, they don’t know what they are getting until they pick up their horse. The trainers get 100 days to train and gain the trust of this wild animal before meeting back in Fort Worth, Texas for the competition where the horse will be auctioned off for adoption. This well-crafted documentary follows the stories of contestants/trainers and their allotted mustang over the 100 days. The goal of the challenge, is to gentle the animals and find them good homes.  Since the challenge started in 2007, 3,300 wild American mustangs have been adopted.

From the beginning of the film, it becomes clear that this is a story about friendship, struggle, patience – one for both the trainers and the mustangs. What is most captivating about the film, is how it reaches far beyond just the man and horse and captivates the human heart.

Each mustang is as unique as it’s trainer. Though the film begins lighthearted and funny, it quickly dives deeper into the  unique challenges each trainer has to face with not only their horse, but their hopes, expectations, and understanding of what it means to train the Wild. The nine individuals are as broad of a collection as are the mustangs. Wylene Wilson, in particular, is a show all her own. The film also follows a Texas A&M professor that has never trained a horse, a pair of brothers that have been training horses their entire life, a Navajo man and his son, a darling older couple who’s husband fears her wife will not be able to say goodbye when the 100 days are over, and a true blue vaquero named Jesus.This is the first film for Writing-Directing team Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus. Gricus’ work as a Cinematographer shows has each seen is beautifully filmed with an almost epic quality not often found in documentaries. Dawson’s years of television writing shape the well-formed storyline such that you forget you are watching real life with real people.  By the films end, you are pulling for each trainer, hoping they are able to keep the amazing horse they have poured their blood, sweat and tears into over these 100 days.

During a Q&A, after the film ended, Dawson mentioned that “Wild Horse, Wild Ride” was just picked up for distribution. So keep your eyes open as it will be showing  in a theater near you. But be careful, after watching this gem, you might find yourself looking to spend 100 days training your own mustang.

We recently came across the work of fine art photographer Irene Suchocki, and her collection is mesmerizing, Eye Poetry. Her photographs are stunning, equally captivating as they are whimsical. Let’s just say, we fell in love.

It is rather serendipitous as some of our staff will be viewing 2011 “Wild Horse Wild Ride” tonight at the Boulder International Film Festival, so you could say we have wild horses on our mind.

Irene is amazing photographer. Check out her work on her etsy shop, EyePoetryPhotography. We might have to get a few of these prints ourselves! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

The 2012 Black Mountain Ranch Women’s Only Week is set: August 26th through September 2nd! This is such a beautiful time at Black Mountain Ranch, we wanted to give you the lowdown of what we are planning for the week long stay! Grab your boots, a few of your favorite girl friends, and pack your bags for an exciting week at our All-Inclusive Colorado Dude Ranch!

Rates start at $2,150 for a week at the ranch. So here’s how that cost is broken down so you can understand what a value you are actually getting. It averages out to only $307 per day. Read on to see all of the amazing accommodations and activities you are getting for what you would pay in some cities for the price of a hotel room:

• Your week stay of lodging in our beautiful Cabins.
• Three delicious chef inspired gourmet meals daily
• Unlimited horseback riding
• Fly fishing trips
• Hiking in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
• Lead Yoga classes by licensed yoga instructors
• Women on the Water: A whitewater rafting trip
• Friday Night: Bring your fancy boots for a special night in the Saloon!
• A Cattle Drive on Saturday afternoon
• Evenings spent either winding down by the fire outside, drinking a cocktail by the hot tub, or reading a book with a glass of wine in your cabin. *Saloon charges are not included in the package.

The Women’s Only week is a truly unique time to spend at the ranch. Grab some of  your best girlfriends, or come solo and meet all of the other wonderful ladies that are going to be staying at the ranch. Guests will arrive Sunday afternoon and leave the following Sunday. Right now the week is not going to be offered for shorter stays, we want the women to really be able to settle into a slower rhythm, deepen their yoga practice,  connect and grow with their horse, and appreciate the time spent enjoying the lifestyle that we are so proud of at Black Mountain Ranch.

Our days will be flexible, with 1-2 yoga classes being offered at different times, with horseback riding trips for all of the women or we will divide the groups up at the beginning of the week by skill level. We are still working on a few surprises and activities, but it is shaping up to be one of the most exciting weeks of the year!

Please do not hesitate to email kit@blackmtnranch.com at the ranch! We look forward to hearing from you, and hopefully, seeing you at Black Mountain in August! All horses, do indeed deserved to be loved by a little girl, no matter what her age!

A few of the staff from Black Mountain Ranch will be seeing this film next weekend at the Boulder International Film Festival. Tickets are still available for purchase on their website for its screening at Boulder High School.

Each summer, the federal government rounds up thousands of wild horses for relocation. A lucky 100 of them are given to 100 trainers, who have 100 days to ready the animals—which have never experienced human contact—to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge. This intimate film follows a handful of the men and women trainers as they work with their horses. What starts as a cautious, fearful relationship evolves slowly and magically into a powerful bond as intuitive and telepathic as any love affair. How many of these remarkably diverse humans and horses will actually succeed at this seemingly impossible task? And what will they learn about themselves?

Here is the trailer from the documentary that is set to be show in multiple areas across the United States. To get the most up to date information on showings, check out their Facebook Page.

Wild Horse, Wild Ride from Alexandra Dawson on Vimeo.

Hope you can join our discussion and catch a screening near your hometown. We will be sure to follow up with a review!

Debbie writes,

“Wild Mustangs! These words rustle up a whole posse of tantalizing images: herds of colorful horses running freely across the prairie; powerful stallions rearing and fighting for mares; cowboys and Indians; lassos, latigo, spurs and dirt. They’re the stuff little girls’ dreams are made of. In fact, they fill this ole girl’s dreams as well. Why, I’d wear my chaps in the kitchen if I wasn’t afraid I might spill somethin on em!

What has become of the mustangs? Well, that’s what “The Wild Mustang Chronicles” are all about. I’m here to tell you that wild mustang herds still roam extensively in Nevada, California, Colorado, Oregon and eight other states. Their history has been perilous, colorful and controversial. Descendants from the horses brought to this country by the Spanish Conquistadors, our mustangs are alive and well. Beautiful and rugged, they have thrived all these years on sparse range, enduring extreme weather and climate……..

The intention of The Wild Mustang Chronicles is to shed light, impartially and fairly on all aspects of the lives of the mustangs. I’ll be traveling around visiting the herds, swapping stories with the folk who care for them and care about them. I’ll be spouting facts and anecdotes from their past, and covering events and news about their present whereabouts.”

Debbie is a wonderful horse woman and we look forward to hearing about her next encounter with the Wild Mustangs. One of her images, taken by Real Life Photography, based in Boulder, Colorado seemed perfectly captured to fit the haiku written and submitted our Dude Ranch Giveaway.

]]> http://blackmtnranch.com/the-wild-mustang-chronicles/feed/ 0 http://blackmtnranch.com/the-boardwalk-of-atlantic-city/ http://blackmtnranch.com/the-boardwalk-of-atlantic-city/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:40:23 +0000 Kit http://blackmtnranch.com/?p=1078 “On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, life will be peaches and cream.” – from the 1991 Disney film Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken. Atlantic City is looking to revive the hustle and charm of its popularity in the 1880′s. In efforts to gain tourism and lure visitors back to the Boardwalk, one act in the revival is horse diving.

Steel Pier Ownership, announced in early February of this year, that it intends to bring back Atlantic City’s famed Diving Horse attraction, which began in the 1920s and ended in 1978.

It has been said that William “Doc” Carver ”invented” the idea of horse diving attractions. The story goes that while crossing a bridge it partially collapsed, and his horse “dived” into the waters, inspiring him to train his horses for the act in a depressed economy. Disney film, was based on the real life of Sonora Webster, who was blinded after her horse lost balance on the high platform and she hit the waters with her eyes open. She continued performing for 11 years after the accident.

The news of the return of horse diving has caught attention worldwide, with open opposition from the U.S. Humane Society and other countries.

Since they ended horse diving 30 years ago, much progress has been made in animal rights, as well as, the familiarity and use of natural horsemanship.  Great strides have been made to protect the welfare of horses and improve training methods. Many animal rights activists will go to great lengths to make sure this show does not open on the city pier.

It can’t be denied that horse diving is a part of our history, but nostalgia does not out-weigh the health and well being of the horses. In the attempt to revive a sunken economy, one would hope that Atlantic City would look more creatively at the future instead of reviving the darker aspects of the past just to make a quick buck. In the end, any one who’s ridden a horse knows that a quick buck is all it takes to find yourself flat on the ground and worse for wear.

We hope you make a trip out to Black Mountain Ranch to see what riding in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado is like. No horse diving here, just real cowboy fun.

Ran across this picture on the Heather Jansch Facebook page. We featured her more traditional medium, driftwood, a few weeks back in our blog post “On Following Dreams”. Since Colorado has been hit pretty heavy with snow this past week, we wanted to tribute her newest horse, sculpted from snow!

Gives us something to work towards the next time we have a couple of feet up at the mountain, and would love to feature any more snow horses from our fans and guests! Send us a picture of yours to kit@blackmtnranch.com! We’d love to feature it on our website!

Happy Snow!

The day on which the Super Bowl is played is now considered a de facto American national holiday, and is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. Crazy!

So what does the Super Bowl XVLI have to do with horses? With the game having such an expansive audience, the commercials are over the top, averaging $3.5 million for 30 seconds. Here are some of our favorites that highlight our favorite mammal, Horses!

Before the game gets started, enjoy a few that made our cut.

HANK:

DAISY:

FOR THE GUYS:

MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:

ON A LIGHT NOTE:

Hope ya’ll enjoyed them and enjoy the game! Cheers!

As the snow is creeping its way to Colorado, it brings a sense of peace and stillness to the Mountains. There is such a profound beauty and richness to our surroundings. The once rich and green hills are about to be covered in a blanket of snow, the pastures where the horses graze are empty and silent.

While we are anxiously awaiting for the summer to arrive and the cabins to fill with the chatter of guests, the weather brings us a reminder to slow down, tend to the fire, make another hot chocolate and enjoy the off season.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the Ranch in 2012! Please feel free to call or email us with any questions! Call us or write to howdy@blackmtnranch.com !