Travelers Can Practice Healthy Lifestyles or Explore New Ones at DRA Member Ranches

Many ranches cater to modern guests with spa services and treatments, yet some are going further by adopting holistic menu plans or adding spiritual elements to their activity menus. Guests can find a ranch compatible with their own lifestyle through The Dude Rancher’s Association (DRA).

The organization provides details of each of its’ more than 100 members in the Western US and Canada, details like those associated with The Echo Valley Ranch & Spa in British Columbia’s spectacular Cariboo Country where healthy living is the mantra. Ingredients used by the Executive Master Chef are hand-picked. Mushrooms, local berries and vegetables from the organic garden go into every dish. The entire staff follows a diet based on particular blood types outlined in a popular book authored by a renowned physician. Guests detoxify and decompress with Thai massages and the ancient Thai art of Ruesri-dat-ton, similar to yoga but considered gentler and so easily adapted by individuals of any fitness level.

At one stateside ranch even the horses get into the act. “Equestrian Yoga for Women Only” fills up quickly at The Home Ranch in Clark Colorado. Participants are instructed in hatha yoga breathing and postures that address the specific physical needs of riders. The intent is for guests to achieve more balance and better communication with her mount. The result, according to ranch literature is a “deeper level of trust between horse and rider.

To find a ranch where one can engage in a preferred fitness routine, or explore new practices for a healthy lifestyle, consult the DRA website www.duderanch.org or request a detailed catalog of member ranches. The DRA has set the standards for a quality dude ranch vacation since 1926.