Sombrero Ranches, Estes Park, CO 10/23/10

Sombrero Ranches @ Estes Park, CO 10/23/10

Sombrero Ranches, Inc. is the largest outfitter in Colorado consisting of eight locations. The Estes Park stables, provides guided horseback rides on a private 1,000 acre cattle ranch and into the Rocky Mountain National Park. They also rent horses for a variety of activities, including renting horses to other riding stables for the season. According to their marketing they have a herd of over 1,800 horses. Investigators were told that 70 horses are at the location during the summer to handle trail rides. These horses for the most part are ridden every day with no day off. This is the time of year when Sombrero Ranches begin culling their no longer wanted horses. Investigators have observed Sombrero Ranches’ horses at auctions being sold to kill buyer Charles Carter. However, per Sombrero Ranches, all of their horses are retired to one of their many ranches throughout Colorado.