First of all, yes, there is a version of monopoly called “Horseopoly.” And no, you don’t need to rush out and buy it. Not only is it confusing, but the horses on the box look slightly demented and creepy. But when you are staying on a Dude Ranch in Montana and your 5-year-old son finds it in the game closet, you clearly need to play it.

What was surprising to me was that he somehow “wrangled” all the professional wranglers into playing it with him.

For those who don’t know what a wrangler is, let me explain–they are these fantastic people who spend their lives working outside and doing anything and everything that is needed for the horses. Which can consist of:

a)      Feeding, cleaning, brushing, and exercising horses

b)      Cleaning up their poop

c)      Leading packs of people who say they have riding experience and really don’t on 3-hour riding trips in the mountains of Yellowstone

d)      Tirelessly leading your 5-year-old around the ranch on “his” horse Joseph and insuring that Joseph wins the “horse race” (i.e. when the horses run up the mountain to take their Sunday pasture breaks) by personally riding and pushing him ahead of all the other horses that are probably 5 times younger AND faster than him

Needless to say, those wranglers clearly need a break on Saturday nights. And yet, they stuck around after our communal dinner to play Horseopoly with us. How did G accomplish this, I wonder? I like to think it is because he is a good kid that people just like to hang around because they are so unaccustomed to 5-year-old children who don’t whine, throw tantrums, wear silly clothes with Disney characters on them, or glue themselves to some horrid hand-held video game. Or maybe because John and I are SO funny, we were the only entertainment those hard-working wranglers needed that night.  

In reality, it is probably just because they are such good sports and secretly knew that ending our trip with a rousing game of Horseopoly with the wranglers would be the cherry on top of the sundae for G and that it would make his trip complete.

Which it did.

So I thank you Boone, Erin, Chris, and Kirbee (who had to actually get up from the table and do her best galloping impression of a horse in order to not get sent to the “stable” or what us Monopoly players know as “jail) for making the last night of our stay memorable. I am positive it is not how you wanted to spend your night, but it is a night a little 5-year-old boy will remember forever.

And for those of you who have always dreamed of going to a Dude Ranch in Montana like I did, look no further:

https://coveredwagonranch.com/

We had the time of our lives and when I asked G if he would rather go back to (gulp) Disney World or come back to The Covered Wagon Ranch, he didn’t bat an eye and picked the ranch. So I guess one could say, “Go to The Covered Wagon Ranch! Children like it better than Disney World!”

Thank you Serena, John and of course, Grayson!! Hope to see you next year!

debi