Sometimes working as a wrangler at The Alisal is a longtime dream, but for Meghan Taylor, her adventure at the Ranch simply began as a fun summer job back in 2013. That chance summer job, turned out to be so rewarding, that she simply had to keep coming back for more. Today, she is not only one of the Ranch’s most versatile horsewoman, but she is now our Head Wrangler.
“I can’t remember a time in my life not being around horses”, says Meghan. Her love of horses led her to show and jump, and in high school she competed all four years in the California High School Rodeo (where she rode for the Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez and San Luis Obispo area). She grew up in Santa Barbara, however, by the end of high school, she was splitting her time between Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley, so she could spend more time riding.
While it was Meghan’s passion for horses that drew her to start working as an Alisal wrangler, now what she finds the most rewarding, is sharing that passion with the guests. She has many fond memories of the last six years at The Alisal, including many rodeos and round ups, but one of her favorite memories was working with a guest who many years ago had a traumatic encounter with a horse. As a result of that encounter, the guest developed a strong fear of all horses. With Meghan’s encouragement and support, not only did the guest come to re-trust horses, she even summoned the courage to get back on one for a short lead around.
Tailoring horse experiences to match the needs and skills of the riders is just one of Meghan’s many talents and makes her an important part of the Alisal team. So if you see her out and about, perhaps on her horse Percy, say ‘howdy”! You are bound to be greeted with a big Meghan smile.
Explore some of our memorable horseback rides and book your stay today.