Announcing the biggest and best news of Kail Mantle’s and Renee
Daniels-Mantle’s mid-lives! We have finally and fully embraced all of the
cliches surrounding forty-something and are planning to sell the ranch and
sail around the world…literally, while we’re still young enough to enjoy it,
each other, and before senility sets in – though some may think it already
has.
So, we are offering our gorgeous 500 acre ranch, which for many years has
served as our home and headquarters for Montana Horses, Inc. as well as a
great many rip-roaring good times, for sale at www.mantleranch.com. We’ll
be making some BIG changes in the coming months. If you are still reading,
you are probably interested in those changes and how they might affect you,
or you are overcome with morbid curiosity. Either way, here are some
answers or a little more information.
1. Why are we selling? (see above) We’re ready! Over the last 20
years (yes, it’s been that long) we have developed an incredible business,
an incredible ranch, a herd of the absolute best horses in the world, and a
life we love. Life’s been very good to us, because we had a vision and the
ambition to achieve it. We were never afraid of chances or hard work. The
joy was in the journey and now we’re ready for another. We can retire when
we’re too old to move, when we are sitting in the manor with blended peas
dripping from our chins, or we can take advantage of the assets for which
we’ve sacrificed and go enjoy some of the weekends and holidays we’ve worked
through for the last two decades.
2. Where are we going? We have no idea! The world is our oyster. We
will always have an address in Montana near Bozeman, because it is our home.
We have a network of friends and family here, our pastures and horses are
here, and we love it here.
3. What are we going to do? We’ll probably never be far from the horse
business. The sky’s the limit and we have some ideas. Whatever we do,
we’ll include Kail’s new man-dog “Acey” and “Tyke” and involve The Other
Woman, wine, travel, sailing, warmth and writing in the winter – and Montana
and our horses in the summer and fall. What a life!
4. When are we going? ASAP, though we’ll phase out over as long as it
takes to do it responsibly.
5. Will we sell Montana Horses, Inc. – the business? Probably not. We
have not come across a soul we would trust with our clients or our horses in
this business. We’re selling the ranch – land and improvements. We’ll
probably have a big garage sale, but the RFD goes with the place.
6. What about our lessees? We will take care of everyone to the very
best of our abilities, especially our commercial clients who rely upon us
for their livelihood. Following this Summer Season, we will begin to make
arrangements with our lessees individually, which might include the purchase
of their lease horses at a very competitive price and terms.
7. What about our horses? We are committed to finding good homes for
our horses. They are our family, our only kids. Most of our working horses
will be for sale when the time comes and as we determine they should be
available for sale. We will offer first rights of refusal to our lessees,
and then very carefully begin to sell our horses by private treaty. Our
horses are in high demand. We will NOT sell our working horses for bid or
at auction. Our solid stock will be priced firmly between $2500 – $7500 per
head, depending upon the horse and their age and abilities. Our well-bred
AQHA ranch line will be offered separately. As they become available, we
will catalog our horses online and sell them individually, according to our
usual practices. The Kid Horse Sale in October will be held as usual.
8. HORSE DRIVE? The 2012 Horse Drive (May 4-6) will be our last Horse
Drive. If you’ve ever dreamed of removing this from your bucket list, now
is the time! We do still have some spaces for riders and on the Photo
Expedition, so book now or forever regret it. We have decided to NEVER
utter with regret the words, “I wish I had…” You should, too. This will
be a monumental Drive, in Three Forks on Derby Day, and it is sure to be
memorable (and probably tearful – especially if you whack your nuts on the
saddle horn).
9. HORSES FOR LEASE? While they are still available. We’re going to
take things as they come and if we are in a position to offer them in 2012,
we will make the call in January as usual, and honor all contracts to which
we commit.
10. HEROES AND HORSES? No change. This program is not location
specific and we are devoted to providing this opportunity for as long as it
is still of benefit.
11. PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITIONS? The last scheduled Expedition is during
the Drive in May 2012. However; who knows what we’ll dream up for later?
12. ULTIMATE HORSE COURSE? Closed. The new owners will determine its
future use as a private training ground or public offering.
We’re happy to talk with you about our plans and dreams or answer any
questions you have. We’re also grateful for any help you can give us as we
go about the next phase. We’re selling this ourselves, with no brokers, so
we appreciate all you can do to get the word out. Stay tuned to our website
www.montanahorses.com and blog for details about the ranch and horses. And
later, check out our travels at www.rednecktravels.com.
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to all of you over the years for making Montana
Horses a success story and giving the Mantle Ranch in Three Forks a history
of which we can all be very proud.
Kail and Renee
kail@montanahorses.com
renee@montanahorses.com
Montana Horses, Inc.
Kail Mantle & Renee Daniels-Mantle
9700 Clarkston Road
Three Forks, MT 59752
(406) 285-3541 | (406) 285-0918 fax
info@montanahorses.com
www.montanahorses.com
