Meet Brandon

 Meet Brandon, Alisal Ranch’s New Director of Equine Operations

With a passion for horse training and over 20 years of experience, Brandon Gorham brings a unique perspective and expertise to Alisal Ranch.

Brandon started riding at thirteen when his mom shared her love of horses and he quickly immersed himself in the world of reining. Last year, he traveled across the country, competing at prestigious events such as the Snaffle Bit Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas.

This spring, he moved to the ranch with his horses Oscar and Alibi. “Oscar is a character. He is very playful. Alibi is a sweetheart, we use him for our equine therapy classes because he is such a calming horse.” Brandon and Alibi have quite a bit of history together. He bought Alibi when he was just one year old, trained him, sold him, and reacquired him sixteen years later.

As the new Director of Equine Operations, he manages around 25 team members and 115 horses. “I see endless opportunity with the Ranch,” says Gorham. “I feel that everyone wants to see the full potential of the Ranch just as I do.”

New Horseback Rides

In alignment with his goal to cater to diverse guest preferences and schedules, Brandon has introduced new ways to ride at Alisal Ranch. This includes a 1-hour ride, a three-hour ride, and horsemanship classes. New horseback rides allow guests a variety of options to choose from based on their time constraints, riding experience, and interests.

“A new 1-hour ride will give guests that have never ridden a horse, the opportunity to try it before they commit to a full 2-hour ride. It also allows guests a quick ride they can fit into a busy activity schedule. It’s hard to choose from so many activities on the Ranch, so the 1-hour ride provides more options when there is a gap between activities.”

The recently added 3-hour ride allows guests to see parts of the ranch on horseback that they have never been able to access in the past. “We wanted to provide a brand-new experience with extra opportunities to explore our beautiful landscape,” says Gorham. “Guests can expect to see higher views over the ranch and city as well as wildlife that tend to stay farther away from active pathways.”

Our Horsemanship Arena Class focuses on fundamental skills that teach the correct ways to ride and handle your horse. “The Round Pen class will allow guests to get comfortable around horses, teaching them how to move them on the ground and gain control of movement. Skills include lunging and exercising the horses on the ground.”

Horsemanship 101 is a three-part class. Part one includes all of the basics of stop, go, steering your horse, and backing up. Part two has guests putting those skills to use through obstacle courses. Part three is learning to lope and getting comfortable at a steady pace, preparing riders for advanced trail rides and 3-hour distance rides.

We look forward to welcoming you to Alisal Ranch and getting you out on the trails.