January 21, 2000

Horseback riding may be the deer lease of the future for landowners seeking additional income. There’s money in horses and those that own them, according to one South Texas rancher.

Price unpredictability and continuing drought spell tough times for making a living strictly on cows. That’s why Matt and Stacia Jauer are looking at alternatives that will complement their cattle operation on the 1,500-acre 33 Ranch near Kenedy. Leasing the land for trail riding may be just what the banker ordered.

"I do love the cattle ranching. It’s in my heart, and it’s in my blood," Matt Jauer says. "We’re wanting to diversify so we can raise our children on this ranch. This is our opportunity to do so. And it looks like it just might work."

The Jauers sponsored a two-day trail ride the weekend of Dec. 11-12. Over 150 riders, at $55 each, participated in the event. It was the fourth of a series of rides across the state that were the culmination of efforts designed to study the feasibility and income potential for landowners to open their land up for recreational horse use. The study was a joint effort between individual landowners like the Jauers, Texas Equestrian Trail Riders Association (TETRA), Texas Farm Bureau, the Texas A&M University System and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA). Results of the study will be published later this year.

"I think the relationship between the four organizations, to me, has been kind of magical," says Craig Brubaker, who represents TETRA in the venture. TETRA, as the name applies, is a 2,000-member organization devoted to trail riding. "I think when we sat down in a room for the first time, it was kind of like, we never knew these people before. How could a rancher and a guy that lives in the city and just likes to ride—what do they have in common? We all enjoy the outdoors. We like horses. And ranchers have some land they would be a tad interested in letting us ride on, and we were looking for places to ride."

Jauer is encouraged by the number of people who showed up to ride, and the interest of his urban cousins in blazing new trails. He has conducted several weekend trail rides on the 33 Ranch. He is also selling family memberships to enjoy recreational opportunities at the ranch. For $300 a year, a family has access to the ranch.

"You sign a contract that gives you free access to the ranch," Jauer explains. "All you do is check in and check out. You can use any of our campsites. You have a reduced rate on our trail rides. You also have a reduced rate on our lodging (the 33 Ranch has a bunkhouse for rent). You can horseback camp. You can pack in with your equipment."

Horse enthusiasts like Hal and Mary Battocletti of LaVernia plan to take Matt up on his offer.

"It was really tough down here when we first came down because the only place we could actually ride was either on a road or a state park," says Mary Battocletti, a native of Missouri. "We plan to get the membership. We’ve been waiting for him to come out with that."

Brubaker said there is a big potential for ranchers like the Jauers to find additional income through recreational horse riders. Although Texas is a huge state, finding places to ride is difficult because there is so little public land. TETRA’s mission, he says, is to improve capability of riding in the state. Working with private landowners is one way of achieving this goal.

TETRA, Brubaker adds, can help as a trail riding consultant.

"We understand the rancher is the owner of the property. We’re not here to tell them how to do or what to do on their ranch," he says. "But, we’re here to advise them what our members would enjoy doing when they come on their ranch.

"We suggest ways they might be able to mark trails. We suggest safe ways they could conduct trail rides so that when people come, they will have a good time. The role of TETRA is to help ranchers see how they can make additional income by having us come on their property."

To that end, there’s a lot more to trail riding than jumping on a horse and riding for hours. TETRA advises ranchers to make trail rides a "varied entertainment experience."

For example, on the 33 Ranch ride, they had nightly get-togethers around a roaring campfire. One night there was a radio theatre. The next night featured a cowboy storyteller and a sing-a-long. Six meals were included for the $55-per-person fee (Brubaker feels that price could be higher).

There were also several educational opportunities. For example, TSCRA presented their Horse Identification Program one afternoon. And the Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) organization gave a demonstration of training techniques.

So who are these trail riders? They come in all ages, sizes and interests, Brubaker says. The only thing they share is their love of horses.

"But that’s where the commonality stops," Brubaker maintains. "You’ll see there are people out here with $100,000 motor homes and there are people who are sleeping in horse trailers. It’s just whatever you feel comfortable doing and whatever your budget can afford. It’s no elite thing. We’re all out here to have a good time."

One thing in the past that has scared ranchers from these types of "eco-tourism" activities is liability issues. However, changes in the laws have helped ranchers like Jauer overcome his fears.

"We do have Chapter 75 and Chapter 87, which are laws that are written in favor of folks like myself that are putting on horse-related activities," he says. "It allows us to be limited to $1 million liability, and there’s no other type of liability insurance that has limitations on it besides horse-related liability. The laws are basically written for the landowner where horse riders are concerned. I guess it’s just the mentality of ranchers—and I was guilty of it, too —just scared to death when we started this project."

Brubaker says Chapter 75 and Chapter 87 have made all the difference in the world in limiting horse-related liability.

"Any rancher would be a fool to bring people on their ranch and risk their ranch," he says. "Chapter 87 and Chapter 75 here in the state of Texas limit your liability to $1 million, which you can insure for.

"Which means, if you have a $1 million liability policy, that will cover the extent of your liability for bringing people onto your ranch. Obviously, if you get involved in gross negligence, you’re in big trouble. But for general riding, it’s safe to do."

Zack Yanta, the Texas Farm Bureau state director from Jauer’s area, was an observer at the trail ride. He was impressed with what he saw.

"It can only help when people come out to a ranch and have a good experience," Yanta says. "They pay a little money. It helps the operator here to defray the cost of running his ranch. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. I’m really excited about it. I think they’re on the cutting edge of a new type of operation here."

Jauer agrees: "It seems like there’s a great hunger from folks that don’t have an opportunity to live on a ranch to come and visit one."

However, he stresses opening up a ranch to outsiders for trail riding or any other type of activity is not for everyone.

"I would have to say, if you want to do this, you have to like people," he says.

It also takes a major time commitment from the entire family. For example, Matt and his wife spent a "couple of hours a day for the last couple of months" working on the December trail ride.

Brubaker, who has worked with all four of the demonstration rides, says landowners need to think long and hard before opening their land up to horse enthusiasts.

"It isn’t something that you just kind of show up and say, ‘Gee, this sounds great, give me a thousand dollars and I’ll do it.’ It does take some planning time to be involved," he says. "But this is a program that fits some ranchers."

Both TETRA and Texas Farm Bureau agree that there’s steady growth in the demand of people who want to go out and experience natural Texas.