Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch
New business offers up horseback riding on the Brazos
Story by Michelle Ince | Photos courtesy of Rhonda Siver
A new business just down the road from Possum Kingdom has added horseback riding to the many things lake visitors and residents alike can do in the area for entertainment.
Rhonda Siver recently started Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch in Millsap, Texas, and said she felt inspired to start the business after inheriting her father’s horses and gear. She said her father was a trail guide for more than 20 years in Cave Creek, Arizona.
According to Siver, her father also served in the Army as a helicopter pilot before owning his own crop-dusting business. Other pilots nicknamed him “Yellowsnake,” she said, which provided the inspiration for the name of her business.
Siver said the ranch she lives and guides on has been in her family for more than 130 years. She added that her family used to run a ferry for chuckwagons to get them across the river.
Siver said she lived on the property until her family moved away when she was 12. After her great-aunt’s death, she inherited the land, which is a beautiful reflection of riverfront property.
The trails she guides on are scenic, she said, and people love it when she takes them across the river.
“I cannot describe the beauty of the Brazos on horseback,” she said.
Siver said all her horses are gentle and suitable for riders of all skill levels. She added that many of her clients have said it’s their first time to ever ride a horse.
Siver also said she’s had visitors from other countries come to ride, including some from as far away as Germany, and they all tell her the same thing: If they’re in Texas, they want to ride a horse.
Siver, 62, said she enjoys seeing her business make people happy. After having worked as a manager in the food service industry for many years, she said she missed daily interactions with people, which is why she said she felt called to take up where her father left off.
“This is a dream come true for me,” she said. “I love this property and horses so much.”
Siver said she offers rides twice a day, seven days a week, and added that the best way to book a trail ride is to call her at (469) 363-2658. The price is $75 per horse for a ride that lasts around an hour and a half.
