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The Sugar & Spice Ranch is an exclusive destination for mothers and daughters looking for the perfect learning and bonding vacation.  The ranch is run by a mother and daughter team and the summer is devoted exclusively for moms and daughters in the summer weeks.

Located in the 'Cowboy Capital of the World' - Bandera, Texas - it offers guests a chance to experience the rich traditions of the old west, with an abundant amount of diverse wildlife awaiting throughout the land. For the week it will be as if you own your own horse, getting involved in everything there is to do with daily care - including feeding, grooming, tacking up, cleaning tack, bathing and, of course, riding.

The bonding experience is enhanced as guests bunk together in the ranch bunkhouse - mom and daughter sharing a bunk bed - along with full air conditioning, and bathroom with jacuzzi hot tub.

Good to know

  • Works with travel agents?

    yes

  • Belongs to

    AQHA, Guest Ranches of North America, Better Business Bureau

Lowdown

  • Owner(s)

    Leigh McCourt

  • Manager(s)

    Ellena McCourt

  • Address

    884 Rikki Drive, Bandera, Texas, USA, 78003

  • Tel

    830-460-8487

  • Capacity

    8

  • Open

    Jan-Dec - view details

  • Nightly rate

    $100-175 - view details

  • Ranch Type

    Guest Ranch

  • Great for

    Action & adventure, Peace & quiet, Pampering, Solitude, Diverse scenery, People of all ages

Email Ranch   View Website

Highs

  • Leigh takes guests to an authentic local rodeo!
  • Arena activities include pony and trap, barrels, swimming and team games
  • Ideal for parents/mothers who want a safe, controlled environment to learn about horses and beginner riding; authentic to a traditional dude ranch
  • Most important is the opportunity for mother and daughter to bond through learning about horses
  • Enjoy girls' days out - explore the Cowboy Capital of the World, Bandera, Texas; on-site pedicures; social evenings for the mothers

Lows

  • Mostly arena-based riding at specified times; however, trail riding can be accommodated in advance
  • Communal accommodation, although this does enhance the bonding experience
 

Summer Season Rates & Booking

  • Open

    Jun-Aug

  • Nightly rate

    $100-175

  • Nightly rate (non-rider)

    $$50-$75

  • Nightly rate (children)

    $50-175

  • Minimum stay

    2 days

  • Preferred arrival day

    Fri, Sat, Any day is fine

  • Preferred depart day

    Mon, Fri, Sun, Any day is fine

  • Booking Policy

  • Booking online at our website to ensure the dates that you desire.

  • Included FREE in your stay

  • meals, activities, lodging, tax, Riding, Evening entertainment

  • Extras

  • Gratuity

    optional and at the guests disgression

  • Massage

    $75 per hour

  • Other

    Round-trip shuttle to and from San Antonio airport available at a charge of $100

Winter Season Rates & Booking  

  • Open

    Jan-May, Sep-Dec

  • Nightly rate

    $150-170

  • Nightly rate (non-rider)

    $$50-$75

  • Nightly rate (children)

    $50-170

  • Minimum stay

    2 days

  • Preferred arrival day

    Fri

  • Preferred depart day

    Mon, Sun

  • Booking Policy

  • Booking online at our website to ensure the dates that you desire.

  • Included FREE in your stay

  • meals, activities, lodging, tax, Riding, Evening entertainment

  • Extras

  • Gratuity

    optional and at guests disgression

  • Massage

    $75.00 per hour

  • Other

    Shuttle to and from San Antonio Airport available at a charge of $100

Environmental & Social Practices

  • Food

  • All produce is organic and produced on-site or sourced locally wherever possible. Eggs come fresh from the ranch's own chickens. This might be Texas, but this is not typical Texan cuisine - food at Sugar & Spice is very much health-oriented - think chicken baked not fried, an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, and house salads served with every meal excluding breakfast. Chef Leigh's Italian roots make for meals with a strong Italian influence, many of them old family recipes Leigh learnt from her mother and grandmother.

Lowdown

     

    Nearest Airports

    • San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio

    • Nearest town / city

      San Antonio

    • Distance to ranch

      50 miles

    • Time to ranch

      1 hour

    • Airlines

      Delta, United, Skywest, Northwest, Alaska, United Express, American Airlines, Southwest, US Air

    • Ranch shuttle

      100.00

    • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas

    • Nearest town / city

      Austin, Texas

    • Distance to ranch

      123 miles

    • Time to ranch

      2 hours

    • Airlines

      Delta, United, Skywest, Northwest, Alaska, United Express, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, US Air

    Nearest Town / City

    • Bandera

    • Population

      960

    • Distance

      5 miles

    • Facilities

      grocery store, pharmacy, church, post office, medical clinic, bank, atm, gas station, museum

    • Shopping

      small hometown necessity shops, boutique shops, western wear
     

    Our riding stands out

    • Fun and games play a huge part!
    • Focus on teamwork and competitive spirit

    Our horses

    • guest horses

      12

    • horse types

      Quarterhorse, Paints, Arabians, Geldings, Mares

    Our Riding

    • Scheduled rides

      There are scheduled morning rides and afternoon rides.

    • Unscheduled rides

      Sometimes when time allows or the group is unanimus we will do an even ride or go off property.

    • Guided rides

      Guided rides can be arranged at the Natural Reserve for additional cost.

    Good to know

    • Riding considerations

      Up to 225 lbs, no riding experience needed, We recommend a good level of physical fitness

    • Saddles

      Western

    Lowdown

    • Type of riding

      Western Riding

    • Riding opportunities for

      Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

    • Most riders are

      Beginner

    • Rides are grouped by

      Age, Ability, Everyone rides together, Rides tailored to guest requests, Families Ride Together
    • Although riders of all levels ride together, no one is held back and more advanced riders are given the freedom to ride to their abilities.

    • Max riders per ride

      8

    • Wranglers per ride

      2

    • Pace of ride

      Walk, Trot, Lope
    • From complete beginners to advanced horsewomen, Sugar & Spice caters to all levels

    Email Ranch  View Website

    You'll enjoy

    • hours in the Saddle

      Morning - 2 hours, Afternoon - 2 hours
    • If there is a group that books the whole week together then the schedule can be arranged to accomidate special riding requests.
     

    Riding Lessons

    • Details

      lessons come with package, basic riding lessons, advanced horsemanship lessons

    • Lessons given by

      ranch owner or manager

    • Lessons located

      in the arena

    Arena Work

    • Type

      outdoor arena

    • Activities

      barrels, pole bending, gymkhana

    Horsemanship Clinic

    • Clinician

      Leigh McCourt

    • Details

      Clinics occur weekly, Clinics occur monthly, Included in package, Clinics occur in the arena

    • Focuses on

      Western pleasure and natural horsemanship

    Sample Riding Itinerary

    • All riding takes place in the arena, where mother and daughter teams work together in a variety of fun ways - from horseback games such as 'musical barrels', to riding lessons from instructor Leigh, to off-horse teamwork activities. Sugar & Spice has a quality selection of horses and ponies suitable for all ages and riding abilities - tolerance playing a major role, as every Thursday afternoon the kids get to bathe and then'decorate' their horses, before presenting them at the afternoon show!

      For a group of advanced riders looking to explore trails outside of the arena, the ranch offers off-property trail riding and camp-outs in the nearby 5,000-acre State Park.

    Setting

    • Public Land - 5000-10000 (acres)

    • Sugar & Spice Ranch occasionally offers spectacular horseback riding through 5,000 acres of trails at the nearby State Park - please check for availability when booking.

    Sugar & Spice Ranch might be based in Texas, but don't expect typical Texan cuisine! With Italian heritage, Head Chef Leigh's gourmet cuisine has a strong Italian influence, and is always health-oriented. Chicken is baked not fried, fresh garden salads are served with every lunch and dinner, and fresh fruit and vegetable platters are served between meals.

    All meals are cooked from scratch with organic ingredients grown on-site or sourced locally wherever possible - even the eggs come fresh from the ranch chickens daily. Many of Leigh's creations are old family recipes from her mother and grandmother, guaranteeing an authentic taste of Italy. Meals are served family-style at the bar and, in true Italian style, Sugar & Spice cooks big so there is always plenty to eat - a good thing, as you won't be able to resist going back for seconds!

    On Wednesday evenings, Leigh steps out of the kitchen and treats guests to a meal in local Bandera, at the best restaurant in town.

    Personalized services

    Guests can choose menu, request favorite wine on-hand, request specific soda/non-alcoholic drinks

    Good to know

    Alcohol

    BYOB

    Snacking

    BYO snack

    Lowdown

    • Enjoy

      Gourmet, Health oriented, Italian influence

    • Meals served

      family style, everyone eats together, scheduled meals

    • Enjoy dining in

      dining room (casual attire)

    • You'll definitely love

      ranch-raised chicken, farm fresh eggs, ranch garden, organic produce

    • Dietary restrictions catered for include

      lactose intolerant, vegans, vegetarians

    Email Ranch  View Website

    Guest Favorites

    • Shrimp scampi
    • Baked chicken
    • Lasagne
     

    Your Chef

    • Your dedicated chef is Leigh McCourt


    Sample Menu

      Kick off the day with a full hardy breakfast of farm-fresh Sugar & Spice eggs, turkey bacon, sausage, toast, muffins, waffles, pancakes and biscuits along with orange and apple juice.

      After morning riding, tuck into a fresh fruit morning snack platter, then sit down to a light lunch such as beef and chicken fajitas, accompanied by a farm-grown tossed salad.

      Afternoon riding is followed by a fresh vegetable platter, and dinner closes up the day with a plentiful gourmet meal such as baked chicken and caesar salad.

    Children at the Ranch

    Great for children aged 5 and over



    Sugar & Spice specializes in childrens programs, and they are never held back from achieving the goals they set for themselves - and more.

    Detailed Activities

    • Arts & Crafts

      coloring, sketching

    • Games

      board games

    • Riding based activities

      animal care, horse care, pony rides, arena riding, rodeo,Driving lessons on site. (Pony Cart Driving)

    Babysitting

    • Available for children age

      5 to 17

    • Provided by

      ranch staff

    • Hourly prices from

      $10.00

    Sugar & Spice Ranch is the brainchild of owner Leigh McCourt, who opened its gates in 2005 as a way of bringing together mothers and daughters through horses, as well as combining her love for both horses and children. Having an abundant amount of experience with children as the owner of one of the most highly sought after child care centers in all of New England and having lived her life training, raising and showing horses she took her two passions and created a place to harness the power of her love for both horses and children. Leigh is no stranger to working with parents and children, and has has studied child and adult psychology.  She also has  two daughters of her own and takes a natural horsemanship approach to her teaching and training; with all this in mind Leigh created the idea of this incredibly unique mother-daughter guest ranch program - and so Sugar & Spice was born. 

    Due to popular demand the ranch grew from just a summer program to a year round program available to families as well as mothers and daughters who are looking to unplug from the rest of the world and reconnect with one and other through horses.

    Lowdown

    • Ranch established

      2005

    • Guest ranch since

      2005

    Our Staff

    • Good work ethic
    • Proper manners
    • Great with kids

    Email Ranch  View Website

     
    Miss Leigh
    Ellena, Miss Leigh's daughter and right hand gal

    Owner Info

    • Owner - Leigh McCourt

    • Languages spoken

      english

    • Leigh has been around and worked with horses since her she was able to walk. Spending many years as a trainer and breeder of Arabians at a stables in New England. Leigh has many years of teaching experience too, and uses this in the arena lessons she conducts at Sugar & Spice. After spending years as the owner/operator of a highly regarded child care center, Leigh has taken her extensive experience working with parents and children, and now uses this in Sugar & Spice's unique mother-daughter ranch program.

    Our Managers

    • Manager - Ellena McCourt

    • Hometown

      Bandera, TX

    • With ranch since

      2007

    • Languages spoken

      english, spanish, italian

    • Ellena has been with the ranch since it's inception.  She is also the daughter of owner and founder, Leigh E. McCourt.  She has experienced first hand what a mother and daughter bond is through horses having worked side by side with her mom on the ranch.

    Our Wranglers

    • Wrangler - Ellena McCourt

    • Age

      16

    • Hometown

      Bandera, Texas

    • Languages spoken

      english, spanish, italian
    • Future owner of The Sugar & Spice Ranch

    • Wrangler - Patricia McCourt

    • Age

      13

    • Hometown

      Bandera, Texas

    • Languages spoken

      english, spanish, french
    • Specializes in children's entertainment!

    Rooms & Rates

    • Room type | nameSummer ratesWinter rates

    • House | The Bunk Room$0n/a

      • Description

        Rustic yet elegant

      • Prices listed are

        per couple

      • Minimum stay

        no minimum

      • Bathrooms

        Shared bathroom

      • Amenities

        fridge, microwave, air conditioning, Handicapped Accessible

      • Entertainment

        jetted tub in bath

    Services

    Communications

    • wireless internet
    • telephone
    • free long distance

      • Business Services

      • computer and fax hookups
      • printers
      • common computer

        • Cell Networks

        • alltel
        • AT&T
        • verizon

    Additional Services

    • Spa

      relaxation massage, deep tissue massage, rock treatments, manicures, facials, pedicures.

    Onsite

    Shopping

    • Ranch gift items and souveniers are available at the office

    Outdoor Activities

    • campouts
    • wagon rides

      • Water based Activities

      • outdoor pool
      • river floating

    Good to know

    • You can borrow

      Riding helmets, Saddle bags, Rain coats
     

    Fishing & Wildlife

    • Fishing

    • Types of fishing

      fly, river, stocked pond, stream, BYO equipment

    Offsite Activities

    • Every Wednesday afternoon, guests are 'let loose' in local Bandera to shop and explore, before meeting at the best restaurant in town to be treated to a full course dinner on Leigh in the evening.

    Local Attractions

    • We've only highlighted attractions that may add to your stay!

    • The Alamo

    • Distance

      45 miles

    • Time from ranch

      1 hour

    • Frontier Times Museum

    • Distance

      5 miles

    • State Natural Area

    • 5,000 acres of hiking and riding trails.

    • Distance

      15 miles

    • Seaworld

    • Distance

      45 miles

    • Time from ranch

      1 hour

    • Six Flags Fiesta Texas

    • Amusement Park

    • Distance

      45 miles

    • Time from ranch

      1 hour

    Tel 830-460-8487

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