Gonzales Texas Bed and Breakfast Association - The most incredible B&B's in the State of Texas
LAZY F WORKING RANCH LAZY F GUEST RANCH A 157 Year Old Texas Working Cattle Ranch
Where Guests Can Learn to CowboyWorking and Riding With Us On The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch -or- Lazy F Ranch Trail Ride Texas Trail Riding Guests Can Bring Their Own Trail Riding Horses, Campers, Tents And Wagons And Trail Ride On A big Texas Ranch. Where the HECK in Texas is the Lazy F Guest Ranch (click this link for directions, maps, etc.) ![]()
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Please use both addresses and a subject line of "Lazy F Ranch"
or it will get lost in my SPAM filter and server failures.
I answer my phone 24 hours a day.
Clay Allen
P.O. Box 9
Smiley, Texas 78159
Payment by Cash or Check - CREDIT / DEBIT CARDS
Prices Include Tax and All Charges - What You See Is What You Pay
Please help me correct and improve my web site
email suggestions and corrections.SKIP RIGHT TO THE LAZY F WORKING GUEST RANCH "LEARN TO COWBOY" PROGRAMS
But read these before you decide to come to the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch
Is the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch
the "right" ranch for you and/or your family??FIRST - Definitions
of the four types of guest ranches.SECOND - What You Can Expect
at the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch.THIRD - Services and Amenities
for Overnight GuestsFOURTH - Restrictions
on guest activities.FIFTH - Read about Off-ranch Activities for guests.
Local rodeos; Bull Riding for Guests; Ranch Rodeos for Guests; Design, register and build your own Texas brand; Buy and brand your own Texas cow, to keep on the Lazy F; Apply for a State of Texas Drivers License or ID Card ( a real one)SIXTH - Payment / Transfer Fees /
Off-Ranch Transportation
How you pay me; how you get to the ranch from the airport; How you go sightseeing or shopping without a car; How you go to a rodeo or other off-ranch event witout a car; tips or gratuities totally up to youSEVENTH - Pictures, Videos and
Google Earth Map
of the ranch and rooms
This is where you see what the rooms, buildings,
horses and ranch looks like.EIGHTH - Discounts
Military - Groups - Returning GuestsNINTH - LAZY F WORKING GUEST RANCH
NEWS ARTICLES
Professional News Articles - Guest Pictures and News -
Ranch News by LTC Clay AllenTENTH - HISTORY of (soon come)
The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch,
Our Family, The Local Area, And TexasLINKS TO OUR FRIENDS IN TEXAS LINKS TO FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD
Includes Guest and Tour Agent Web Sites about the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch in German and ItalianSINGLE GIRLS
at the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch
If you decide this is NOT the ranch for you and/or your family, I would be glad to
recommend another Texas ranch. You will not hurt my feelings, I want you to enjoy Texas.
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LAZY F WORKING GUEST RANCH |
| Lazy F Working Ranch
Spring Roundup starts Saturday, 26 March 2011 |
Lazy F Working Ranch
Fall Roundup starts Saturday 16 October 2010 |
Old
Chisholm Trail Ride
6 Days - 90+ Miles to the San Antonio Annual Rodeo starts Saturday, 29 January 2011 |
(Click on links for details) |
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LEARN TO COWBOY AT ROUNDUP TIME |
When you do the work - you are a cowboy or cowgirl $225/night/person - COWBOY UP!!! (INCLUDES MEALS - HORSE - ROOM) |
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PROGRAM LEARN TO COWBOY NO CATTLE WORK NO ROUNDUP |
Mostly horseback riding / Learn to Cowboy $195/night/person - Ranching / Riding / Stories free (INCLUDES MEALS - HORSE - ROOM) |
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Trail Ride the Cowboy Way Check fences, pastures and cows with a Lazy F Ranch Cowboy |
We DO NOT run our horses BUT we don't nose-to-tail Riding - $30/hr/horse (2 horse/2 hour min) Rooms ($90-$225/night - 1 or 2 persons) All other activities cost separately (NO MEALS) |
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Rent our horses ride by the hour. |
and drive home. $30/hour/horse (2 hr/2 horse min) No room, No meals, no other activities included. |
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On a beautiful old cattle ranch |
Room Rent Varies ($90-$225/night - 2 persons) Horseback Riding & other activities cost separately |
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TRAIL RIDING THE COWBOY WAY Bring Your Horse and help us as a Lazy F Working Ranch Cowboy Check fences, pastures and cows |
Your Camper - $10/night (Primitive - No Hookups) Your Wagons - $20/day or $50/Fri-Sun |
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GPS and Map Orienteering Geocaching and Treasure Hunts |
Boy and Girl Scouts for Camping Star Parties / Hay Rides / Campfire Cookout |
Updated 20 August 2010
Main Guest House facing the lake - the Pool
House is
at the end of the covered walkway to the
left
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A working ranch primarily raises cattle, but guests have become a part of the operation. Guests can learn to cowboy, roundup cattle, manage a cattle drive, brand and rope, vaccinate, tag, castrate, dehorn, palpate, worm, sort and ship to market. Build fence, manage pastures, and take part in daily ranch operations, as a cowboy or cowgirl. What you get to do may depend on what's going on at the time; what crisis arises; etc. You're not required to work, but can if you wish and learn a lot in the process. |
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A guest ranch is designed primarily to entertain and care for guests in a ranch environment. Horses are often the only livestock. Horseback riding is emphasized, but other Western activities are available on an informal basis. The guest ranch is a home, and is shared with guests, who relax together in a very warm and personal way that is rarely available to visitors on the usual hectic fly-drive itinerary. |
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At a dude ranch, riding is a small part of the entertainment. Dude ranches are geared to catering for a wide variety of interests and are ideal for those who want a "something-doing-all-the-time" vacation. A full weekly program of Western activities is usually included in your holiday price - such as Wild West Shows, rodeo visits, square dances, barbecues and a host of sports and outdoor activities. |
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A luxury resort ranch offers the Western experience but also emphasize other activities such as golf, tennis and ballooning. Accommodations tend to be more luxurious than other ranches, and are very individual. |
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This is long winded, but I tried to cover everything you might want to think about before you come. |
| The Lazy F Working
Guest Ranch is NOT a dude ranch.
The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch is NOT a luxury resort ranch. The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch IS ONLY called a guest ranch for 2 reasons. #1 - I take guests and "guest ranch" is how people search. #2 - Because we invite guests to ride, work and share our ranch with us. Guests are secondary to the cattle and ranching operation. The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch completely fits the definition of a "working ranch" ... The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch has been in our family as a working Texas cattle ranch since 1853. After 157 years of continuous ownership by our family, my 17 year old daughter, Sydney, is the 6th generation on this ranch. My daughter and I are working
to retain this last piece of family and Texas history. We wanted another
source of income besides cattle. Twelve years ago, I decided to allow guests
to become part of The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch cattle operation. The
Lazy F Working Guest Ranch "Learn to Cowboy" programs teach guests how
real cowboys work and how to work as real cowboys and cowgirls. And then
the guests get to try it "hands on." You don't just watch, unless you
want to. It ain't all about horseback riding. There is a lot of "truck
time", "feet on the ground" and "talk time" involved.
IS THIS REAL? OR IS IT "FAKE?" If you do all the "hands on" work my cowboys and/or I do, then you ARE a cowboy. If you learn to round up and pen cattle, brand, rope, vaccinate, castrate, tag, de-worm, doctor, sort, and take to market the animals you rounded up, THEN YOU ARE A COWBOY or COWGIRL. If you ride with me to check fence, pastures and cattle, in a truck or on horseback, it is what a rancher does. If you help move cattle from pasture to pasture; rescue cows from the highway; build, repair or take down fence; feed cows by truck or tractor; mow fields; use the dozer to clear trails; go to town on errands; or any of the myriad things required on a cattle ranch, THEN YOU ARE A COWBOY OR COWGIRL. My 17 year old daughter, Sydney, and her friends, who ride and help on the ranch, will be quick to point out .. they are COWGIRLS and have been since they could sit a horse or drive a truck at 3 years of age. You are just not an "experienced" cowboy. Like a person who learns to fly a plane, if you can take off; fly to a destination; and land ... you are a PILOT, but not an "experienced" pilot. Experience comes with LOTS of practice ... so to be an "experienced" cowboy or cowgirls, you will have to come back several times. For fun, you can eat round a camp fire, camp in a tent, fish in the lakes, hunt hogs, learn to shoot, learn to rope, learn to repair fence, feed cattle from the back of a truck, haul hay, put out mineral and salt, etc. etc. Not all cowboy work is done on a horse ... oh heck no. Unless you come at "roundup time", you will be doing whatever needs to be done on the ranch. We may have to drive to town for feed or parts. We may be repairing fence or equipment. I will TRY and spend as much time on a horse as you wish, but if there are other things that are going on, this is what you get to do or you can find something on your own to "self entertain" or watch. Do not expect to be "entertained" 24 hours a day.. this is not that kind of ranch. Read the descriptions again. This is a working cattle ranch, first and foremost, ... guests come second. This is not 200 acre Texas "dude
ranch", with 3 cows staked in the yard. This ranch covers 2500 acres; 4
square miles; or 1000 hectares. It is over 5 miles (8 kilometers) long.
We run up to 300 momma cows, depending on rainfall. We have a herd of 24
horses. I usually turn the care and feeding of the horses and upkeep of
the barn and tack to the guests. If you want.
If you DO NOT come during a roundup (one week - twice a year), what you get to do will depend on what's going on when you are here. Or what crisis arises that requires immediate action, such as cattle on the highway or in the neighbor's pastures or a fence down. You are not required to work, but can, if you wish, and learn a lot in the process. I will try and take you horseback riding as much as you want, but sometimes I will have other things to do and you will have to go along or be self entertaining. I am not going to be 24 hour entertainment. I might add, when there is no roundup at the ranch, a lot of what you learn will be by talking to me. You ask and I will explain. Or I will explain without being asked. You can shut off the stories just by asking me to "be quiet." The Lazy F Working Guest Ranch "Learn to Cowboy" Non-Roundup program is much more relaxed and geared to your speed. When you especially want to do something, like ride a horse, ASK ME ... I can usually change directions to accommodate you. During the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch Roundups (twice a year), the work is mostly non-stop, morning to night, grab a bite and get on your horse again or back in the pens, or in a truck. This is for those guests who want hard work with their cowboy adventure. I hire a group of professional cowboys, who work cattle every week of the year; turn you over to them; and get out of the way. Once again, if there is something you don't want to do, just say so, we have lots of other things to help with at the same time. In both programs, YOU learn to take care of the cattle, the horses, and the ranch. The price of the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch "Learn to Cowboy" programs includes meals, horse, room and other "on the ranch" activities, such as shooting, playday, or roping lessons. There are NO OFF-RANCH actives offered with ANY Lazy F Working Guest Ranch program. If I take you out to eat at a local cowboy restaurant, I will give you a set amount of money for your meal. Anything over that, is your responsibility. If you want to go sightseeing or shopping and you have no vehicle, I will take you but you will pay for my mileage and time. This will only happen when I do not have a chore in town and can take you along. I don't expect you to pay for that. There are three other "learn
to cowboy" programs on the Lazy F Working Guest Ranch. These three programs
"Room and Ride", "Just a Room" and "Trail Riding Texas" do NOT involve
any on or off-ranch activities in the price. Those will be paid for on
an individual basis. Remember, most learning comes from asking me questions
or listening to my stories. This can be done in the dining room or swimming
pool as well as on horseback.
#1 - The
Room and Ride "Learn to Cowboy" Program means just that. You rent
a room by the night and ride horses by the hour. No meals are included.
You are responsible for your meals at the local restaurants. NO OTHER "LEARN
TO COWBOY" ACTIVITIES .. on the ranch or off the ranch. If you are not
riding, you are "self entertaining". You can walk, fish, or swim in the
pool. Take your car and go shopping or sightseeing. Or pay me and I will
take you ... even to San Antonio or Austin. And remember what I told you
about "the cattle and ranch come first." If I do not take you riding, I
don't make money. However, if I don't take you riding the minute you think
you should be on a horse, that is ranch life. I have other things to do,
so you will just have to wait. I want the money, so you can be assured
I will take you riding for as long as you want. I might also add that my
Lazy F Working Guest Ranch Roundup and Non-Roundup "Learn to Cowboy" guests,
who pay full price for meals, room, horses and ranch work .. they take
priority. If you are out shopping and come back late to ride, we may be
gone. You will just have to wait till later or wait till the next day.
SINGLE GIRLS (OR GUYS) ALONE AT THE RANCH - This is a BIG cattle ranch and SMALL guest ranch. We usually have less than 12 people here. With the economy in collapse, single girls (or guys) may find themselves staying at the guest ranch all by themselves. Apparently, this has been a big deal to some guests, who complained they were "ALONE at the ranch!" Interesting comment and not exactly true. You are "alone" ONLY if you want to be. My daughter, Sydney, and I live 1/4 mile (.4 Kilometers) away from the guest ranch, in the old family ranch house. I have a separate cell phone for guests staying at the ranch. If instant communication and the fact I can be over in less than 5 minutes, if you hear "boogers" in the night, is not enough comfort, you may request my daughter and I come stay in one of the rooms near you. We are over at the guest ranch most of the time anyway, we certainly would enjoy staying there, if you would like. If our being a call and 5 minutes away or sleeping in rooms near you is not enough ... don't ... come!! I might add, I am a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel with 36 years in combat and service around the world. I am a former Texas Police Supervisor / Detective and former local Texas Elected Judge. Anyone looking for trouble always looks somewhere else. I like the Pirate Motto .. "Dead men (or women) tell no tales" My daughter and I hope every guest at the ranch leaves feeling they came to visit their family members they didn't know they had. That is how we want it. I have more fun seeing you have fun, than if I did it myself. Besides, I am usually there enjoying whatever you are doing, with you. |
Tuesday 17 August 2010