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A Passel Full of Fun for Everyone

For children aged three and older we offer supervision by qualified counselors and full daytime activities. All the programs are optional so that families can spend as much time together as they wish, or everyone can go their different ways. We find that the children love doing the activities with their counselors and children their own age, while parents enjoy being able to go out on longer rides or on day-trips knowing their children are safe and having the time of their lives.

Kids smiling for the camera

Children six and older—the “Cowpokes”—are given their own horse for the week and can go on the trails. The little “Buckaroos” (3-5 year olds) will be led on short rides around the barn and river area by the counselors. Our kid’s horses are exceptional and they will meet each child’s ability level and help them to improve tremendously throughout their stay here at the ranch.

Whether learning to swing a rope, singing on the hayride, doing their first barrel run or catching their first rainbow, children will love their Rainbow Trout Ranch experience.

“Our children have grown up there with a strong circle of friends and we’ve made some of the best friends of our lives—including the Van Berkums. When Sunday rolls around and we have to go home, we all say “Only 51 weeks and we’ll see you again.”

~ Joe & Pat Price
Vermilion, Ohio

Little Buckaroo Ride Children’s activities include riding, both in the arena and on trails with plenty of expert instruction, fishing, hiking, nature study, swimming, western crafts, PB&J lunch rides and more. One of their favorite activities is a “hot-dog and s’mores” roast followed by a long hayride into the forest as evening falls on a Friday night.


“These are the things I love about Rainbow Trout Ranch. I love riding. Jane always picks a good horse for me. I love fishing in the Conejos River. I love swimming in the pool. I love the line dancing, square dancing, hayrides and riding the Belgian Horses. It is my favorite week all year. I can’t wait to return this August.”

~ Sarah Deitch, age 9
Woodbury, New York

Kids waiting their turn to ride

Kids Program Gallery











Cowboy Lingo

Part of the charm and character of the Old West has always been the colorful speech of those days. Books have borrowed it, movies have parodied it, and children gallop around on stick horses mimicking it. Yet what DID those people really have to say? Check out our list and brush up on your Old West Lingo.

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Yammerin’ – Talking. “Drink yer coffee an’ quit yer yammerin’.”
Yarn – A story.
Yellow Belly – A coward.

Adam’s Ale – Water.
Addle-pot – A spoil sport.
Atwixt – Between.

Bad Egg – A bad person.
Baker’s Dozen – Thirteen.
Balderdash – Nonsense.
Bamboozle – To deceive, impose upon, confound.
Bend an Elbow – Have a drink.
Bellyache – Complain.

Cahoots – Partnership, company or band.
Chap – A boy, lad, a fellow.
Chisel or Chiseler – To cheat or swindle. A cheater.
Close-Fisted – Stingy, mean.
Chow – Food, dinner.
Coon’s Age – A long time.
Cooling Yer Heels – Staying for a while.

Dead as a Door Nail – Utterly, completely dead.
Dicker – Barter, trade.
Dilly-Dally – To delay.
Ditty – A which-i-ma-call-it.
Douse-the–Lights – Lights out. Time to hit the hay.
Dyed in The Wool – Ingrained, thorough.

Eatin’ Irons – Silverware.
Euchered – To be outwitted or suckered into something.

Fetch – Bring, give. “Fetch me that hammer.”
Fiddle-Faddle – Trifling discourse, nonsense.
Firewater – Liquor.
Fish or Cut Bait – Do it or quit talking about it.
Fixin’ – Intending. “I’m fixin’ to get supper started.”
Fixin’s – Cooked food. Arrangements, embellishments, trimmings, garnishings.

Gitty-up – Go, move. A term used to get the horse to start moving.
Go the Whole Hog – Out and out in favor of anything.
Gospel Mill – Church.
Gotham – New York City.
Greased Lightning – Anything very fast.
Greenhorn – An easterner, innocent of cowboy ways.

Heap – A lot, many, a great deal. “He went through a heap of trouble to get her that piano.”
High-Falutin – Highbrow, fancy, self-important, pompous.
High Tail – To leave or ride off quickly.
Hit Pay Dirt – Mining term. To find something of value.
Ho Down – A party or celebration.
Hoosegow – Jail.
Hornswoggle – To cheat or trick, to pull the wool over one’s eyes.

Iron Horse – A railroad train.

Jawing – Talking. “We sat around the campfire just jawing.”
Jig is Up – Scheme/game is over, exposed.
John Barleycorn – Beer.
Joy Juice – Whiskey.

Knee-high to a… – Humorous description of short stature or youth.

Let On – To mention, disclose, betray a knowledge.
Lickety Split – Headlong, at full speed.
Lily Liver – Someone who is a coward.
Loco – Crazy.
Look-See – To investigate. “I think I’ll go have a look-see across that hill.”

Mad as a Hornet – Very mad.
Make Hay While the Sun Shines – To make the most of the day, or an opportunity.
Make Tracks – To leave, to walk away.
Mouthpiece – A lawyer.

Nary – None, not, zero.
Nigh Unto – Nearly, almost.

Odd Fish – A person who is eccentric or odd in his manners.
On the Fence – Neutral or undecided.
Out and Out – Wholly, completely, without reservation.

Pack Iron – To carry a revolver or “shooting iron”.
Pan Out – To pay well, prove profitable.
Persnickety – Peculiar, picky.
Pining Away For – Longing for.
Play Second Fiddle – To take an inferior part in any project or undertaking.
Pony Up – Pay over money. “Pony up that account.”
Pray Tell – Tell me.

Raisin’ Cain – Loud, noisy boisterous.
Reckon – To guess or think. “I reckon that’ll do right fine.”
Right as Rain – Fine. “After a good night’s rest, he’ll be right as rain.”
Roostered – Drunk.
Row – A fight.
Ruckus – Loud noise, voices, a racket.

Scallywag – A mean, rotten or worthless person.
Shindig – A dance, party, celebration.
Skedaddle – Scurry away or run like heck, get, leave, go. “I best skedaddle.”
Slap-Jacks – Pancakes
Spell – Time; for a while.
String – A line of horses.

Tarnation – A mild oath or explanation.
Ten Commandments – Fingers or nails.
Tenderfoot – A person new to the job, or a young person.
Timbers – Legs.
Three Ways from Sunday – Moving quickly; high-tailing it out of there.
Tit for Tat – I shall treat you as you treat me.
Tuckered Out – Tired, fatigued.

Up a Tree – In difficulty, cornered, unable to do anything.
Upper Story – The brain, the head. “He’s not right in his upper story.”

Vamoose – to disappear or leave quickly.
Varmint – A despicable, obnoxious, or annoying person.

Whole Kit and Caboodle – The entire thing.
Whapping – Very large.
Whuppin’ – Spanking.
Windies – Tall Tales.
Woolies – Sheep.

Yammerin’ – Talking. “Drink yer coffee an’ quit yer yammerin’.”
Yarn – A story.
Yellow Belly – A coward.

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