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The 'emotional' environment at Burnt Well is one of honesty, integrity, acceptance and good fun and humor.  When you come to Burnt Well the Chesser's hope to expose you to their western way of life, their old fasioned family values, and their deep and abiding faith.  All in a non threatening, easy going environment.  Nothing is imosed on you, but they are true to who they are.  This is the environment that matters most to the Chesser's.

The Chesser's are very involved in their community and church.  Kim is a local county commissioner, a leader at their church and is sought out as a lay minister to perform wedding ceremonies by friends and fellow ranchers/agriculture people of the area.  Patricia plays with a local band 'Blue Sky Country'.  They play bluegrass, old time cowboy and gospel music.  Both are often teaching Bible classes at their church in Ruidoso, NM.  On the last Suday of each month they, along with other ranching neighbors, have a community 'Ranch' church worship service and pot luck dinner.

Three hearty meals prepared for you daily.  We serve our own natural beef and lamb.  The menus are predominately cowboy fare, steak, brisket, chicken fried steak, etc. all with the trimmings, or Mexican food with plenty of New Mexico's famous green chiles.  The food is all prepared by Patricia in her kitchen.  We all eat together family style in the Chesser's kitchen.

We route much of our gray water from our house and the guest house to underground ditches to water trees.  Because we are in a semi-arid climate with frequent drought conidtions and limited septic  space we ask the guests to help us conserve our water by reusing their towels and generally being aware of water usage. 

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Since we are a working cattle ranch, on 15,000 acres with over 50 miles of fence and over 10 miles of water pipeline, there is always plenty of riding to be done.  The ongoing need to round up the cattle and drive them various distances to different pens to be worked or to change pastures, could very well have you in the saddle for many miles or hours a day. Our guests have told us that our cattle work on a regular ranch stay is more than many of the other ranches “specified”Cattle Drives.  Since we have a small guest capacity, we can nearly always pace the riding to your wishes.  No two days at Burnt Well are alike, in fact the only thing 'Normal' at Burnt Well is the setting on the washing machine.  Flexibility is the word here!

On our 'Old West Style' cattle drives we camp out on the trail at least three nights, sometimes four or five. We provide you with a "cowboy" bedroll (a three inch mattress made up with sheets & blankets and rolled in a tarp). We have "cowboy" teepees in case of inclement weather.  There are also cots for those who are a little squeamish about being right on the ground. We usually make between 10 and 15 miles a day with the cattle and are in the saddle between 5-10 hours a day. We start early, driving cattle by sun up, and will try to be at camp by early afternoon.

The hot breakfasts and suppers are cooked Dutch oven style and over the campfire while out on the trail.  There is always plenty to eat.  Patricia says, “If you leave Burnt Well hungry it's your fault!” After breakfast, you pack your lunch for the day, choosing from a wide variety of choices along with a delicious wrap made with the "extra Chesser natural beef", from supper the night before.

Nightly campfires, a blanket of twinkling stars on a New Mexico black velvet sky and, if you can get Patricia away from her camp kitchen, you could enjoy an evening of sweet fiddle music. Since we are out for the duration of the drive, actually doing a job, and living and eating in the elements, the conditions can sometimes be unpleasant. Therefore, our authentic "old west style" cattle drives are adult only.  They are for adventurous adults with plenty of stick-to-itiveness! The stuff memories and bucket lists are made of!

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Kim, is a lifelong cowboy from a long, family ranching tradition. He was born and raised on this ranch and not only has a love of this way of life but a greater love of people. His wife, Patricia, is also a native of New Mexico, who is ready to see that your comforts are taken care of. She rides when she has time, cooks good ole country food and provides sweet fiddle music around the evening campfire.

Kim and Patricia have spent their entire married life, prior to opening the ranch to guests, entertaining people from all across the United States and around the world. Their easy and warm hospitality makes you feel instantly welcome. They have a special passion for strengthening the family and want to provide a place where families from grandparents down to the smallest of children can get away from the high-tech, fast-paced life, so many have found themselves in.

Burnt Well is very unique in the fact that there are no staff, you work, eat, ride and are entertained by the your outgoing, warm hosts kim and Patricia.

A weekly sightseeing trip is provided, with a six day stay, to one of our local attractions, such as a trip to Historic Lincoln, home to the West's most infamous outlaw Billy the Kid; Carlsbad Caverns, site of some of the largest caves in the world; the Roswell International UFO Museum and 1947 UFO crash site; White Sands National Monument, home to the largest collection of gypsum sand dunes; Capitan, home of Smokey Bear; Ruidoso Downs Race Track home to the All American Futurity; or a trail ride through some of our beautiful, local mountain trails which rise to 12,000 feet above sea level.

In seaseon: Ranch Rodeo is growing in popularity in the west and in our area. Kim has been a member of a, four time qualifying World Champion, ranch rodeo team. Area ranches compete in these rodeos, which are made up of events that simulate actual every day ranch work.