I have traveled the world many times over, for both work and pleasure. I have spent my time in every type of hotel and mingled with every culture. I was put on a horse at the age of two and I would consider myself an experienced rider.

I came across Homeplace Ranch by chance when a pin in the world map landed on Canada and I decided to investigate further. And homeplace ranch was my first and only stop.

I was blown away by the ranch, the wranglers, the FOOD, Mac + family and of course the horses. When one has traveled as much as I have - its hard to call a place home, but Homeplace Ranch became an instant family.

Mac takes great care of matching the horses to the character and experience of the rider. I was given a feisty little mare with an attitude - Mac what are you trying to tell me LOL??!

This is trail riding at its best. If you want to see the magical Rockies, and meander through the mystique of Alberta - enjoy the quiet and the soft pace of the horses .. there is no need to talk just absorb the beauty and peace which we rarely relish in this crazy cell ringing and traffic congested world then Homeplace is the place.

If you are looking to be a yeehah urban cowboy charging off at full tilt into the sunset - this aint the place. Why? Because Mac cares for his horses and when they have to carry "all types" of people of all sizes and experience across rough terrain and down steep hills - then he puts the horses welfare first and doesnt push them. As a side note its rare to be able to canter etc in the USA as insurance wont allow it on guest ranches, so do keep that in mind and dont expect too much more in Canada.

If anyone is up early enough in the mornings at Homeplace Ranch you wont see Mac going out trying to catch the horses for the daily ride - the herd of horses ALL coming running down the hill at the sound of his whistle. If they dont come into the paddock at their own free will, then they dont have to work that day:) And finally as I sign off - I had such an amazing time at Homeplace Ranch that I applied for a visa and stayed in Canada. I gave up my job and I now work in the horse industry as an equine therapist. Homeplace wasn’t just a vacation - it was a life changing experience.

My visit to Homeplace Ranch was one I'll not forget for a long time. I have ridden horses off and on for years and finally at the Homeplace Ranch feel like I understand what riding is all about... the horse and building the horse and rider relationship. I was given excellent instruction up front on Woody, a wooden horse with saddle and bridle, as to how the horses were trained and how to ask them for what I wanted them to do. I learned that a horse wants to be taken for a ride, not take me for a ride. Understanding this before I got on my horse helped me feel safer and relaxed, and it seemed Pasqualie felt that as well. The other part that was great at the Homeplace was that everyone pitched in and helped with meal time. We helped set the table, we helped serve one another during meals, we helped clean up after the excellent home cooked meals by Karen... just like at home, except we enjoyed it a lot! Then we sat around the lodge and chatted, told stories about our lives and laughed a great deal. I made new friends from England, Germany and Switzerland in one very short week. I didn't really consider myself a rider before this week, but after the lessons I learned at Homeplace Ranch, I do now... I don't know it all, but I know more than I did... thanks to Mac, Nola, Rob (excellent wranglers) and of course, Pasqualie! To learn more about Homeplace Ranch check out their web site at http://www.homeplaceranch.com today!

Although this is a beautiful place and the kitchen staff are fabulous the wranglers are unfriendly and downright rude. Too much ego for a guest who knows anything about horses which makes a seasoned rider doubt their own competancy. I would not reccomend this ranch to anyone who is an experienced rider as they treat you like you don't know anything. God forbid you do something remotely incorrect in Mac's eyes. If in his 70 years he hasn't done it then it is WRONG! Even if it is as simple as how you get into a saddle and have got into a saddle for 25 years on your own ranch. BEWARE, Mac will humiliate you and your party in front of everyone and then treat you like crap afterwards. The trailrides are quite mundane. You walk the whole way with the promise of trotting or cantering and then when they finally let you trot it is (ONE at a TIME for a 20 second stint if that). No cantering at all! So it you are extremely inexperienced you may have a good time but if you have ever rode before it will be the most boring trail ride you have ever been on. The wrangler doesn't even talk or offer any information to anyone. We were there for a day long ride which was only about 4 hours of riding and a lunch which left two hours of standing around doing absolutely nothing. Terrible value for your dollar. We will not be back. There are many, many riding establishments in the Bragg Creek, Kananaskis, Cochrane and Banff area that I would reccomend. Home Place Ranch is NOT one I would send anyone to!!

What an awesome experience staying at Homeplace Ranch. Mac is the ultimate horseman and his staff are all excellent and knowledgable.
We were encouraged to mingle amoungst the horses and see which horse you felt comfortable with before your first ride. I have never seen such care and attention to detail around the horse preparation and how much I learned before setting off on our fist days ride. Mac's stories and knowledge extend beyond ranch life and set the tone for a very memorable visit to Homeplace Ranch.
The rides were good and we saw plenty of wildlife, the scenery is outstanding and my horse, Spirit was one of the best I've been on.
Now the other part of the experience, the food and the lodgings, the food was outstanding, Karen is not only an awesome cook she is a very warm and caring person and it showed in her food. Tanya, Nola and Rob all helped around the meals and Duncan the head wrangler, entertained us with stories when Mac was not there. The main house was warm and comfortable, the beds were clean but a bit creaky, but I slept better than I sleep at home on my expensive pillow top sheep counting football field sized bed. The bathrooms were adequate and after a little maintenance on the shower taps to tighten a loose screw and a few plunges on the sink drain it was good to go.
Overall the experience was better than I expected and I will definately go back.
David Barrett Vancouver, BC