From the very first, infamous buffalo ride back in Hutto, to the now beloved Lockhart BBQ Ride, I’ve watched this Program become something a lot of people may have never dreamed it may come to be. It’s a place where all around knowledged people can come, wether you know how to ride or not, and walk away knowing you actually learned something about horses and horsemanship.
Joining the Maverick Ranch Team at the young age of 11, I learned a large amount of what I know now about horsemanship. Being the girl that was riding horses before she was walking as a toddler, I loved the program and its goals the minute I began participating in helping Joan Marie saddle up and take groups of people on rides. Going through life, and dealing with real world problems as a young teenaged mother, I have always found my way back to working with Maverick Horseback Riding. Something about the purity you feel as soon as you step out at the barn, really sets Mavericks aside from all other horse facilities.
Looking back, one of my fondest memories with Maverick Ranch and Joan Marie herself, is a 20 mile ride me and JM did as an exercise and training session for two of the main horses, Rocky and Lady Black Hawk, used for the trail rides. We rode all over the town of Hutto and stopped at a Barbecue joint with the horses tied up right off the deck to graze while we grabbed some grub ourselves. Passerbys waved as we rode down the side of the road, and through the parks all day. We crossed over beautiful rivers and through gorgeous trails covered in blooming trees from dawn to dusk. It really was and still is a ride I will always remember.
Being back home at Mavericks, I am very excited to see how much further the program will grow! I have learned in the past that the term “many hands make light work” applies to the ranch life very well, and am always eager to learn from those who can expand my knowledge at Mavericks, as well as eager to teach those who are just as eager to learn.
–Trainer, Guide and Handler Marissa
