Lost Creek Ranch is a family-owned business operated by Brian Olson and his daughters Chanel, Ashley, and Olivia. The Olsons started their business on a rural property east of Seattle where Chanel taught lessons and held weekly camps in the summer. In May 2010, the family moved to Kalispell and have since been running a successful boarding and training facility here at Lost Creek Ranch. We have an amazing lesson and horsemanship program for our students. Our program teaches both kids and adults. We are also passionate about training horses and finding the perfect job for them.
|
Chanel Olson - Owner & Head Instructor
Chanel has been teaching and training since 2007. She has experience in most disciplines with a strong English background but predominantly rides Western now. Chanel grew up watching horse racing at Emerald Downs in Auburn, WA. Although Chanel loves most breeds, her favorite is retraining OTTBs (off-the-track-Thoroughbreds). She is passionate about promoting them as versatile horses, especially as western horses and kid/family horses as well. Chanel loves teaching, especially kids. Kids are so capable of becoming great little horsemen even at the earliest age. She also loves cultivating relationships between horses and humans. Chanel's methods are fun, enthusiastic, passionate, outgoing, dedicated and promotes great confidence building skills. Chanel believes she is a student of the horse and advocate for correct horsemanship. She loves sharing her horses, knowledge, and experience with others! |
|
|
Jorie Dybcio - Assistant Instructor
Jorie has been living in Whitefish, MT for about five years and calls it home. What brought her out here was horses, and that’s always been the epitome of her life. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois but knew she needed the mountains and more riding opportunities. At the age of 17, she packed up and started a guiding career in Colorado. That led her to Yellowstone National Park where she guided trails, and where a love for starting colts and working with green horses was discovered. Ending up in the northwestern nook of Montana, Jorie trains horses and has taught lessons prior to joining Lost Creek Ranch, and had been previously working at the valley’s premier equine vet clinic as a technician. However, her real passions lie in spreading the love of horses through taking people on rides and teaching people horsemanship, as well as working on her own personal horsemanship. Jorie owns an Appaloosa of her own, Pinkerton, that she started and loves deeply. Her favorite disciplines are anything with cows (roping, sorting, cutting) and barrel racing. Jorie is SO excited to growing in a career that helps people learn how to become better riders and have a better relationship with horses. |
|
Ashley Olson - Operations Manager
Ashley is a graduate of the University of Montana and has had various professional management and hospitality positions throughout her career. After moving away several times after college, the pull of Montana and close family ties finally succeeded in getting her to move back for good. Over the past 10 years, Ashley has had a smaller role with Lost Creek Ranch teaching horseback riding lessons and helping with summer camps. Now in a full time capacity as Operations Manager, Ashley has been integral in creating organized systems for our lesson and horsemanship program, as well as developing a team of people to help us operate efficiently. Out at the barn, you will see Ashley assisting with horse camps and other events, and may occasionally even see her going for a trail ride. We are very lucky to have Ashley’s work ethic and dedication to the family business here on the ranch. Ashley is very excited to be more involved with the ranch activities, and looks forward to continually improving the experience at Lost Creek Ranch! |
|