A cowboy (or girl) getaway is a fun change of pace for city slickers. (Clipart.com)

"A slow horse, please," I requested, surveying the meandering mounts, "And an old one, too. I don't really ride."

Jackie Jakes, my no-nonsense guide at the Homeplace Ranch in Priddis, near Calgary, was reassuring. "We'll give you Rosa," she said, patting the flank of a furry brown mountain. "She's sweet."

Sweet I could manage -- maybe -- but first, I had to get to know Woody.

A kissing cousin of my carousel friends, Woody was a scrap lumber horse, the practice mount all ranch guests have to master before hoisting themselves onto Mac MaKenny's live steeds.

MaKenny, owner of the Homeplace Ranch, is a genuine cowboy, with the craggy good looks and outdoorsy wisdom that comes from decades of dealing with challenging critters -- both four and two-legged. He likes people, but loves horses. Everyone who comes to MaKenny's ranch is taught to treat horses with respect.

"How are you going to get Rosa to go where you want her to?" another of MaKenny's wranglers, Brady Mahan, asked.

Not a clue. I'd been hoping she'd know the way and I'd tag along, like a bump on the saddle.

That's not how it works at the Homeplace Ranch. Unlike trail riding companies that simply plunk tourists into saddles and lead them, chain-gang style, along well-trod paths, MaKenny's team involves guests in the operation of the ranch and teaches them to care for horses.

A great teacher, Jakes patiently taught me to brush and groom Rosa before gently strapping on blanket and saddle. Mahan joined in with steering instructions.

"Think of LLPP," he explained. "Look in the direction you want her to go, then Lift the reins. Point with your rein hand and gently Push with your legs -- LLPP."

As Jakes and I rode through the stunning landscape, gazing at the Rocky Mountains in the distance, Rosa and I found LLPP worked fine. Horse care is one thing guests learn from Mac and his wranglers, but sometimes they come away with far more. "There's something about horses that can heal people in ways we don't really understand," he says.

Maybe it's something about Homeplace Ranch itself, where guests are treated to down-home cooking, served family style around a big table and where cooks Garrick Loranger and Cassandra Doran always have a pot of coffee brewing and fresh baked cookies on a plate.

Maybe it's all about MaKenny, Jakes and Mahan, who let guests and horses bond and teach city slickers to get down and dirty.

Whatever it is, it works.

For more information on Homeplace Ranch, visit homeplaceranch.com or call 877-931-3245.