A Ranch in the heart of the wilderness

The Teepee Heart Ranch, Km 84 – Imagine a small, secret and wild place, hidden in the heart of the Chilcotin Mountains in the West of Canada. It’s Native American country. Now, imagine that you are going along the 84 kilometers of track which lead, across barren hills, canyons and pine forests to this place. Along the way, you may well see some bald eagles, black bears and wild mustangs. You have arrived! The wooden gates to the ranch are opening in front of you. Wood, light and magic are the raw materials here.

The ranch holds the secret to the marriage of tradition and innovation. The old barn reminds us of the historic heritage of this ranch straight out of the Far West, dried pin-wood logs crackling in the stoves, the spirit of the Last Frontier is still here. As for the new barn, it bears testimony to the vitality of this lifestyle with its solar panels and the satellite aerial which give us an appreciated autonomy. Nevertheless, it is in our renewed approach to ranching life that we believe true modernity is which implies respect of the indigenous vision, cohabiting with the local wildlife and, of course, alliance with the horses.

Indeed, the horses are at the heart of the Teepee ranch: our paint-horses, quarter-horses (and soon appaloosas) of top quality bloodlines, without forgetting the brave ranch horses and the thousands of mustangs who wander across the Chilcotin hills : magicians, ambassadors and rebels !

Our horses can run free over 550 hectares of changing landscapes including flowering prairies, forest tracks, mature forests as well as lakes, streams and humid areas where the beavers are the main architects.

In addition, the ranch has been granted a permit which allows us to make use of 165 000 hectares which gives us a huge territory crisscrossed with trails and where we have a cabin. This area spreads out as far as the national park. The landscape is composed of high altitude passes, turquoise lakes and snowcapped summits : the kingdom of the grizzlies.

Quality, nature and magic

The Midsummer Night’s Dream horses (MND) – a poet’s vision

What we believe ?

We are convinced that it is possible to breed horses of international caliber which are selected for their majesty while at the same time respecting their ethological needs on the one hand and their individual genius on the other hand so as to promote their physical, mental and emotional well-being (body-mind-spirit).

What this means on an every day basis is that our horses, which are the offsprings of world champions, live freely in the wide-open spaces while at the same time being able to come back at any time to the comfort and security of the stables. They live in family which affords them a thriving, stable and structured social life notwithstanding the strong and privileged relationship that is built up with people.

Our horses feed mainly on wild grasses and plants which grow without fertilizer but also on hay which is exclusively produced on the ranch. They drink from natural springs and the many streams and they breath the pure, clean air at an altitude of 1,400 meters (4,500 feet). Here they can develop their performance and their intelligence by being in touch with a rich and vibrant environment.

Thus, both by their origins and by their way of life, our foals have the conformation and the mind to become fantastic all-around horses, able to respond to the Dream that animates you: competitions or breeding, Adventures with a big A, long-distance travel or quiet friendship, equi-coaching, project ambassadors… But above all, each of them vibrates with a strong individuality, an “aura” that will make of him a unique and unforgettable partner; it may even change your life.

It also means that we have chosen to respect their natural biological and individual rhythms. Our stallion breeds naturally with the mares and lives with them and the foals throughout the year. The mares give birth naturally without any unnecessary intervention from us. Priority is given to the foal’s education by the mother and the group. The foals are weened naturally. They are given the time they need. Any health care, manipulation or education is undertaken with total respect for the foals’ integrity. Observing and listening to them is primordial. Last but not least, this all means that we are constantly seeking to develop our autonomy and our skill set including equine osteopathy, podology for beautiful and functional bare feet, the “breaking in” of the horses biteless. We take care of the whole process.

In order to keep the age-old work we do vibrant we seek to nurture simplicity, constantly question our methods and remain professional while never losing a sense of wonder… and open the gate to enchantment.

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