I've mentioned the ranch a couple times on the blog, and I noticed in google searches when you type "Bates Bar J Ranch" in, my blog pops up quite a bit through the pages. So basically, this page is me asking the great internet gods, and the universe to help me out:
What I'm hoping is that people who purchased Horses from the Bates Bar J Ranch Dispersal Sale will see this, and contact me.
Basically, if you purchased ANY of the horses that went through the sale, I would LOVE to hear how they are doing now - pictures never hurt either :). On the other hand, if we don't know each other, (perhaps you attended Bates Bar J before me), I would love to hear from you too - and hear your story about bbj. You can contact me through this blog, or over email at lmurchwhite@gmail.com. Please don't hesitate!
& here... just for good measure... is my story:
When I was 8, I started attending Bates Bar J Ranch and it completely changed my life. I have no doubt that I would be a totally different person had I not encountered the ranch that fell at the junction of the Little Red Deer River and the Grease Creek. My love of horses flourished, and all of a sudden I went from reading about them, and pony rides in a corral to riding them, on trails - through rivers, under branches, down massive hillsides! From my first horse Minnie, to Domino, Windsong, Sunshine, the absolute love of my little girl dreams - Legolas, and of course, Wolfdancer, every horse snuck into my heart and never left.
When I was 16, I applied to become a counsellor, it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life. When I got counsellor, I cried with sheer, pure, happiness. As a 16 year old girl, the greatest gift had been given to me - a new road, a new path to take. Just as the ranch sits at a junction, I was at a junction too. I needed the ranch to escape from bad influences, and my own self-destructive tendencies. I needed the people there to believe in me, as they did, because they raised me up - I believed in myself like I never had before.
When I was 19, I was asked to be a riding leader, and again my life shifted. My paradigm went from, "I like horses", to "Horses are my life." As corny as that saying is, it really think its true. I knew that I needed to get better, to constantly work, and read, and learn, to become better with horses.
Finally, a year later, I was 20. I found myself in the precarious role of "barn boss", and I also discovered the ranch was for sale. I wept for days, I mourned the loss of a giant in my life. How a place can encompass not only physical boundaries, but can also take on a complete life of its own, still escapes me at times. Most days, it is still a heavy burden on my heart that this place said goodbye to me, before I was ready to say goodbye to it.
& then there was the horses, I don't think there was a horse there I don't have a story about. I could tell you every detail of every one of those ponies, and my whole heart was wrapped up in their well-being and happiness. I spent every moment I physically could with those animals when I was out there, whether it was sneaking in more brushing time as a camper, always volunteering for "barn" duty as a counsellor, or spending nights laying on a hay bale, soaking in their essence, or sneaking out and spending time with them in their pastures as a riding leader. Those horses, were my life. The string has changed so much since even I first started working there but there are the greats. In my head I can still picture their stalls... Blue, Marcus, Dude, King, Tad, Ballet, Rockinstraw, Franc, Contessa, Hughie, Hoover, Scram, Shilo, Samara, Wolfdancer, Tom, Wiggles, Windsong, Domino, Fleur, Coy, Butterfly, Mandy, Coltan, Soren, Bobbin, Blackjack, Show n' Tell, Tippy, Penny, Marchessa, Della, Josie, Dunee, Casino, Cindy, Dandee Eyes, Carobu, Timber, Jessie, Ditto, Bertha, Birdie, Wizard, JR, Flare, Slim, Sass, TFR, Misty... and of course, my non-dude string crew, Jed, Siss, Navy, Huckleberry, Hobo, Cash, then there was those gosh darned babies I loved too... Doc, Caesar, Brutus & Gus and who could forget the Donkey, Fred?! & finally, my boy that I just couldn't leave behind - Jingle. It's funny because in typing out there names, so many stories just flooded into me. How can you leave something like that behind?
Which is why, it is with a happy heart I saw them all go to such good homes, but with a heavy heart I had to say goodbye. It would be so wonderful to know where they are now, and how they are doing.
So there ya go, a little plea to the universe - what can it hurt?!
louisa,
ReplyDeleteboy am i glad i found this blog. i was beginning to think i would never get to talk about bates again! I miss all the horses sooo much i have a hard time thinking! do you remember me? i rode tippy and you had to make me ride a different horse because he was to slow but i REALLY didnt want to. and my second year i rode flare and he ran away with me on him. anywho i miss bates and i totally get what it means to people to me it means the reason i am alive. hope you remember me, Desree Burrows
Des, your dear old dad went to bates too ;) I'm sure you could chat about it with him!
DeleteOf course I remember you silly!! I would love to chat about the ranch with you (or how you are doing or anything like that). If ya ever wanna talk just shoot me an email at lmurchwhite@gmail.com! I'm glad you found my blog too :)
I am a Bates Alum - it was many moons ago (probably a good 14 years ago) and reading your blog brought back many memories. I too can still name the horses I rode - Patches, Frosty, Drifter, Agot, Hot Sauce, Louise and remember many of the counselors and staff there. I remember that colt that Jack (I think that was his name) had following him around because it's mother died and it would think it was human and stick it's head right in the window or if the front door was open it would walk right on in! I was looking into sending my son this year but saw that it was sold in 2012 - wish my kids could've experianced the BBJ Ranch like I did.
ReplyDeleteLouisa, I just found this blog while looking for information on a older mare we just purchased from Horsin Around in Calgary. I was told she was purchased from the Bates Bar J dispersal sale. Horsein Around has used her as a lesson horse for autistic children since the time of the sale. With the drought southern alberta has seen in 2015, horsin around put a number of horses up for sale due to staggering feed prices. This is how we ended up with "Mandy". She is a amazing horse, and we truley lucked out. My 2 year old daughter is in love with her and my wife is learing to ride on a trustworthy mount. Id love to send you a photo of her if I knew how. If you can remember any details about her time at the ranch or her duties there, Id love to hear about them!! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI remember Mandy well, hopefully you are able to see this comment! Please feel free to email me at withawesterntwist@gmail.com and we can chat!
DeleteLove your Blog. I'm a Bar J Alumni from 1978. spent a week there and it was the really a crucial time in my life. Pam was my grade 5, 6 home room teacher and an increasable influence on my life all around. I would really love to contact her to just say hi and thank you for so much ! Is there a way ? Tom 7803335034
ReplyDeleteI’m searching babe… I’m searching 💋
DeleteMARCUS!! i still think back and remember how much personality he has. This camp was the time of my life, too. Heaven on Earth.
ReplyDeleteI am an alum from 1977 and will never forget the experiences I learned out at the BBJ along with my sisters. I can still remember my horse "Tarken". I learned a lot about how horses (an other animals) read humans and how they interact with emotions. One of the best times of my life. Would love to hear from anyone who was there the same time (the day Elvis died - while we were at the swimming hole). AnneMarie (amdgcalgary@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteThe best experience ever
ReplyDeleteWent in 75 and 76
My horse was flash, ther was Mary leg, And Suzy, and the Big “Banjo”
Thank you Joe, Randy, and all
I had the similar great experience years ago. I hope you dont mind if I use your photo of the lodge on https://chapscochrane.com/bates-bar-j-ranch/
ReplyDeleteLouisa,
ReplyDeleteI too was worried I'd never get to be able to talk about Bates! When I heard about Bates being sold it really truly crushed my soul. I started going to Bates when I was 12 and my first horse was Heidi. I remember it all like it was yesterday. I remember being shy and so scared I was going to be at this new place all by myself. Little did I know this place would soon come to create my most cherished memories. Every year I just couldn't wait to come back and I hoped and prayed my parents would be able to pay for me to go for 2 WHOLE WEEKS! I finally got to do that on my last year as a camper, when I was 16. It was heart wrenching to know that I wouldn't be able to keep coming back to this place that truly had my heart and still does.
On my last year week one, we were riding bareback (with helmets then thank the lord because we didn't when I first started going) I slipped off and of course my first thought was to reach my arms out and BREAK my fall - which ended up with being broken in 2 places (oops!!) I will never forget how gut wrenched I felt in that moment - not from the embarrassment or the pain, but from the fear that this was my last year and I wouldn't be able to stay for my second week cherishing every last second. I remember calling my parents and asking if I could stay.... and they said yes! So a big orange cast on one arm and Marcus beneath me, we made that last week one to remember.
This place will always be home to the many beautiful memories created here.
Caitlin - (Heidi, Koko, Checkers, Josie, Timber, Marcus)
With the Head Wrangler at Eagles Nest Ranch I drove 5 hours from Medicine Hat to jump into our truck and take my dad’s trailer to come back with a gem of a horse for the camps horse program. They just said goodbye to the camps first foal born on site named Isaiah, and when I saw the Kijiji ad for camp horses for sale at the auction, I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We picked out 3 horses and had our budget in mind and after every one of those horses were sold for way more than we could buy we wondered if we would go home empty handed. And then, #38 came into the ring. Why didn’t we see Doc before??? Without a word my friend Susie put her hand up and bid until she bought him fair and square using up our budget money for two horses all in one! He was worth it of course! Doc came home with us that day to his new family of 5 horses and he has a large fan club. He is ridden every weekend during the off season by his favorite wranglers and gives short riding lessons for his star struck campers. He is a gem and we are so lucky to have him. In the summer he participates in Day Camps offering trail rides to families. We were just wondering if we could have a few more just like him? Does he have any sisters or brothers that need a home? Because our kids camp would open our arms wide to any friends of his! Thanks for letting us take care of Doc and sharing him with us. He will be forever loved! I am now overseeing the Horsemanship Program for ENR for 2021 so if you want to see Doc or ride him again you can book with the camp at (403) 527-3815. Just mention you saw this blog and mention my name :Leina :) Have a blessed day and keep being horse crazy!
ReplyDeletePs You can see pictures of Doc on Instagram at enr_horses...!
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat blog. I remember spending a few years at Bates Bar J Ranch. Like the others it I had a passion and love for horses and still do. when it came to those Summers I always looked forward to the 2 week camps. I have fond memories of that place and the people who that were part of that special place. I was Sad ti hear it got sold but I'm happy to hear that all the horses went to good homes. My horse was Angel and she had a colt ABC angel beautiful Colt :)
ReplyDeletealumni 83- 86
I was a camper at Bates from 1972-76 and counsellor from 77-79. I wasn’t horse crazy but was a good rider who got better each year as we had to learn riding techniques and take on more challenging horses. As a counsellor, I was a lifeguard.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many life lessons learned. Bates was different in the 70s than it was later. We didn’t wear riding helmets, we were free range but we learned how to take care of ourselves, each other and the animals. Barbara and Jack were in charge for most years while Randy, Kathy, Pam and Dave were close by.
I could write a chapter on what I learned and how the Bates Bar J shaped me into an adult. So very grateful to have spent time there. My favourite horse that I rode for a couple of years was Blu, an elegant Arabian.
I went there those same years. I had Bob the Clydesdale one year. We were riding along, in-line above and beside a creek, the bank gave way and Bob and I rolled into the creek. He rolled right over top of me. Neither of us were hurt but, the group leader said Bob seemed more scared than I was.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I found this blog. For years I've ranted to everyone I've met about bates. My family is friends with Randy and Kathy and my mom even worked in the kitchens for a summer. My amazing cat came from the ranch as a gift from Kathy. That place shaped my life and I can still remember every detail of that property. Mimi's lake, the swimming hole, the stables, where we had dances, the French frog performances by the fire, captain's coming in the lodge, elbows on the table, the animal game on the hill, hiking to make Bannock, maw springs' delicious water and so much more shaped my childhood. I rode wolfdancer and my brother rode blue, sadly I was only able to be there or one summer as it closed right after I was old enough to go. Thankfully because my mom worked in the kitchen I was there for 5-6 weeks straight which was pure heaven (aside from the fact that we slept in the infamous red room and yes it is really haunted, plus we got called cooks kids all summer) bates will always be in my heart and I will never stop loving horses or the bates family <3
ReplyDeleteAmelia Grigor
This took me right back! I was making bannock with my girl guides this past weekend and thinking about camp summers at Bates. I could reminisce for days!
DeleteI went to BBJ starting in 1979 or 80 until 1990. Some of the best memories of my life. Domino was my first horse. I remember Chuck, Red, Scarlett, Goldy, Pookie…so many more! I was with Old Bob when he took his last breaths. What a special horse he was. This place saved me as a teen. I wish it was there for my kids to experience that wildness and wilderness. The survival game was brilliant in this environment, swimming on the horses was magic, the sweet taste of mountain spring water was heavenly, and the pancakes…I still can’t stomach pancakes 😂.
ReplyDeleteI am very late to this blog. But today someone asked me where i happiest. I
ReplyDeleteWow...what flashback. My oldest daughter is getting married in Cochrane in 2025 which got me thinking about Bates Bar J. I went two summers in a row. The first year was one week, the second was two. This would have been in the early 80s...maybe 81-82?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else remember Em? She was the lead ranch hand in those years?
She was an amazing role model to me. No bullshit, strong as anything, and yet she had a romance with another ranch worker a few years younger. As a teen I recall that we believed that the Bates' disapproved of their romance but who knows if that was just adolescent silliness.
My horse was Bess. 18 hands and I remember being SO proud that Em thought I was strong enough to handle such a big horse!!
This was a great find! I went to BBJ from 1975- 1980. I was lucky and got to spend 2 weeks each summer. So many memories. Gidget was my favorite horse and I got him for all but 2 of the weeks. Gave me my love for spots :). The stories about slashfoot stuck with me. Dancing my first dance with a boy to crocodile rock on Friday and hours at the swim hole. Ahhhh the innocence of it all. Thank you for bringing back the memories.
ReplyDeleteWe were there at the same time. Slashfoot put fear into all of us. Hahahaha. And dancing to Randy's record collection from the 50s and 60s.
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