Growing Up to be a Cowboy

Growing Up to be a Cowboy

“I like being here so much, I’d like to work here,” says Sean Gordon, an 11-year-old from Jupiter, Florida.

His family has been coming to Drowsy Water for five years, ant it’s not likely they’ll be changing their vacation destination any time soon. “I won’t go anywhere else and I won’t recommend any other ranch.”

He has aspirations of becoming a wrangler when he turns 18. Young adults from all over the country work at the ranch during the summers, and many of them are former guests. Some are wranglers who help guests with their horses; others cook and clean or do maintenance work around the place. Still others are kids’ counselors.

For another couple of years, Sean will be part of the Range Riders, a program for kids 6-13. Wranglers give the children a little more help horseback riding, plus there are hayrides and campfire cookouts. Children 5 and younger are “Buckaroos” for a week, and they are cared for during the day by counselors so their parents can relax on their own trail rides. Buckaroos take part in closely supervised horseback rides and other planned activities.