Colorado Sleigh Rides
While vacationing in Colorado, there is the allure of a wintery sleigh ride. It's a fun, authentic experience that is a wonderful family, group, or couple activity. Sleigh riding opportunities are found throughout the state but are most commonly near popular resort communities and destination guest ranches. Sleigh Rides are hosted by independent equestrian companies with years of experience with horses and horse-drawn vehicles. There are variations in the type of sleigh ride available, but for the most part, in Colorado, your choice is between the large "sled" sleigh ride or the less common "one-horse open sleigh."
Group Colorado Sleigh Rides on a Traditional Sled
Most commercial sleigh rides in Colorado are on a sled, a sizeable double-runner sleigh that can hold large parties of people. This style of sleigh dates back to the old ranching days, when ranchers fed their cattle herds loose hay from these large flat sleds during the winter months. These big sleds carried heavy loads of hay, enough to feed the entire cattle herd or at least a large portion of the herd. Workhorses or draft horses were used to pull these heavy crafts. This horse breed can weigh up to 2500 lbs, more than double the weight of an average saddle horse. On average, a single draft horse can pull around 8,000 lbs. The most common draft breeds used for pulling sleighs in Colorado are:
- Belgians - usually yellow (palomino) in color and have docile temperaments. These horses have
muscular, powerful builds, and have a history with the Colorado ranching community as a workhorse. - Percherons - either jet black or grey in color and have a reliable temperament. This breed is also a popular workhorse breed in Colorado for the same reasons as the Belgian.
- Clydesdales - bay in color with white feathered legs and a blaze on the face. They are less commonly found in commercial operations, as this breed is typically more of a show carriage horse. They have longer legs and more animated gaits and are used in team hitches such as the Budweiser hitch.
- Shires - bay, black or grey in color and one of the largest draft breeds. They make excellent workhorses and carriage horses, often with white feathered legs. However, not typically found in Colorado as a workhorse.
The Dinner Sleigh Ride
Once resort town tourism in Colorado blossomed, resourceful ranchers transformed their work sleds into horse-drawn vehicles for carrying large groups of people. They began the era of dinner sleigh rides by adding bench seats, colorful paint, and nice finishes to the sleds. Ending the sleigh ride with a western-style steak dinner and entertainment remains a popular resort town activity.
Groups can usually request private sleigh rides, but this traditional Colorado Sleigh ride can accommodate various parties. Couples, families, and small parties will all go together on these large sleds and commonly dine on large, long ranch-style tables.
Horse-drawn Vehicles
Before automobiles arrived in Colorado, horses and horse-drawn vehicles provided transportation. Although the Model T became popular in the early 1900s, substantial roads through Colorado's mountains worth driving a car did not exist or remained rugged until the mid-1900s. For example, the Eisenhower Tunnel wasn't completed until 1973. Carriage routes through Colorado remained significant until 1915. The narrow-gauge railroads helped with transportation but were limited in the areas they facilitated, which were the significant mining communities. Horse-drawn transportation in Colorado outlived the rest of the country due to the slow development of roads through the mountains.
The One Horse Sleigh
The one-horse sleigh, in the winter or carriages in the warm months, were used in Colorado for transportation. Doctors used sleighs in the winter to make house calls. Horse-drawn vehicles were used by everyday people for all sorts of short and longer trips. In the winter, it was common for horses to wear snowshoes, providing the necessary "float" to travel through snow.
Today, one-horse sleigh rides are available but less common than the larger sleds or sleighs that carry groups. Destination guest ranches typically have one available; however, you might have to inquire about it.
The Colorado Sleigh Ride - A Perfect Open-Air Activity for All
Experiencing the Colorado Sleigh Ride is worth it, especially now that you know about its origin. It's easy to think of horse-drawn vehicles as from an era gone by, which is true, but that era was not that long ago. A sleigh ride is more than an incredible journey through Colorado's beautiful landscapes; it's about how people used to get around in the snowy Colorado country. It's about experiencing man's once-upon-a-time relationship with horses when we relied on these extraordinary beasts. It's about experiencing this journey with friends and family.
