Bill Fischbach is the owner and director of a dude ranch in Florida. "We're
not a traditional working ranch," Fischbach explains. "We're a summer camp
for children and also offer weekend programs for women, families and large
groups who rent our facility."
To Fischbach, certain skills are necessary to be a dude ranch operator:
"Business management, personnel management, recreational skills, restaurant
skills, organizational skills, marketing skills and a love of children."
Fischbach has a degree in psychology, though he'd recommend a slightly
different route for someone considering the career. "I'd probably recommend
business administration as the most useful major, with a minor in psychology
or marketing. It's not easy, but it's very rewarding. 'Jack of all trades'
does describe me and is a very useful skill in this profession. The hours
are long with limited opportunities since there are very few facilities like
ours."
Shannon Langly is owner and operator of a dude ranch. When the ranch is
open to guests, Langly lives and breathes the job.
"There's minimal socialization with friends during this time. Your guests
are literally your friends, and the recreation you do is done with them. Luckily,
they're happy to be at our place, and equally happy to be on vacation," Langly
says.
Being a small ranch owner adds additional responsibilities. "As a small
ranch, all of us have to assist with everything -- meals, cleaning, outside
maintenance and horses, although we have designated staff for cook, housekeeper
and wrangler."
Is it difficult to be a female dude ranch operator? "I think that a woman
could do the job, but it makes it a lot easier to have a partner, either male
or female," Langly says, whose business partner is male.
"There are opportunities for women, because there are lots of management
functions. There's also a lot of physical labor that a woman can certainly
do, but it becomes more difficult the older you get."
For anyone considering owning his or her own ranch, Langly offers this
advice. "To get into the business, you need substantial capital resources,
patience and determination. If you have experience in marketing, human resources,
food and beverage, customer service, bookkeeping, and a love of horses and
ranch life, you could excel as a manager for someone who has the financial
capabilities."
Langly thoroughly enjoys her career. "Even without our guest ranch business,
I would have a very difficult time moving off the ranch and back into what
I consider an environment that doesn't provide a lot of personal satisfaction
to me."
Margie and Bob Howe own and operate a dude ranch in Wyoming. "A ranch of
any kind isn't easily achieved without having a couple where both people are
committed to each other, the outdoors and the goals of the operation," says
Margie Howe.
"In our case, there are all of the regular ranch-type activities such as
fencing, buying horses, trash disposal and the maintenance of buildings, wells,
roads, etc. But we have the additional responsibility of many people -- the
guests, staff and community. Sometimes I think of it as running a small town,
and for us, that's nearly true."
Howe explains what it's like to be a dude ranch operator. "For much of
the year, our days are 16 to 18 hours long and we have no day off. Even when
we try to take off a few hours, there's that constant feeling of responsibility
for the safety and quality of experience for all those at the ranch."
Not only are the hours long, but the work is hard. "I'm never above doing
whatever it is that needs doing. And that includes digging postholes, painting,
working with or doctoring a horse, pulling a car from the mud or looking for
a lost rider. It's a lifestyle that requires a woman with lots of energy and
a definite love of the outdoors, hard work, and an ability to happily be with
people all the time," she says.
Howe especially loves taking hikers out into the high country. Some weeks
she actually covers about 75 miles on foot! "Getting to know people on a deeper
level is the favorite part of my work. No matter what someone appears to be,
there's always a wonderful part of them that you only reach while experiencing
the freedom of the outdoors."
Operating a dude ranch is more than a job. It's a way of life. "This is
work that many people think would be great fun to do, but I can tell you it's
a commitment that goes far beyond what you can see from the outside and consumes
your entire life. It's been a treasure for me to find, but I've given up many
other things in my life to be part of this industry," says Howe.