ABOUT
OUR TEAM
Ron Ostrom
Horseman and Saddle Maker
For more than 30 years Ron has been learning and developing horsemanship skills that has allowed him to understand and communicate with horses in a way few people can. He has taken knowledge from great horseman such as Ray Hunt, Bill and Tom Dorrance, Pat Parrelli, Chris Cox, and more to find his own style. Ron grew up riding horses and cowboying for area ranches. He started selling horses in high school when a friends dad asked Ron if he wanted to train horses which the friend purchased. The first horse was purchased for $25 and 30 days later sold for $75, Ron was now on his way. He learned early that the tools of communication were extremely important, and began building saddles early in his career when he recognized poorly built saddles were hindering his efforts. ​When a tragic horse accident in the back country ended up taking the life of his brother, Ron recognized that a significant effort needed to be made to help horses and people communicate. This life long effort has led to the development of training clinics with local horse groups, mounted patrol groups from around the country, and the military. He has built several equine programs by traveling around the country teaching horsemanship clinics and building mounted patrol groups by providing the training, policy writing and horses necessary to conduct law enforcement and public events. As a Wyoming P.O.S.T. Instructor, Ron spent 20 years writing policy, purchasing & training horses for officers, such as the US Secret Service, US Border Patrol, US Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife Agents, Park Rangers, Game Wardens, Conservation Officers, Sheriffs deputies, State police and many other law enforcement organizations across the country. European countries have sent their conservation officers to these trainings over the years. Ron has had the privilege to take dignitaries on wilderness pack trips which included, US Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senators, Congressman, Secretaries, Governors, Directors and Owners of large corporations around the world, and even royalty from other nations. Winning national awards for these trainings and commitment to excellent horsemanship, Ron has been invited to the White House many times to receive awards. While horsemanship skills are also developed as the rider and the horse learn to communicate, so does the safety of people on their horses. Ron strives to help as many people as possible come to trust and understand their horse and in so doing reduce the number of injuries to people and horses alike. Growing up riding in the mountains of Wyoming and spending 40 some years riding and packing throughout the Yellowstone ecosystem Ron has spent his life horseback one way or another. Fly'n O Ranch runs anywhere from 70 to 90 head of horses and a few mules. Each year Ron and his employees ride or handle nearly 4,000 horses. Come by and say hi, look at the remuda and see what we can do for you. Safer horses make safer riders.
Trista Ostrom
Marketing
Trista grew up riding along side her father and grandfather helping start young horses. Now, Trista's full-time job keeps her in Cheyenne where she is the Chief of Staff to the First Lady of Wyoming. She contributes to Fly'n O Quarter Horses with her expertise in marketing and business as well as jumping in to help with daily chores and operations whenever she finds her way home. Trista gets the Governor and First Lady horseback for parades and other public events as time allows. Whether hunting, fishing or riding down the trail, she loves to enjoy the mountains of Wyoming with one of her trusty horses.
Kendra and Brandon Kunz
Horsemen/ Outfitters
As Ron's youngest daughter, Kendra has been exposed to horsemanship since she could sit in a saddle. While Kendra is a phenomenal horsewoman of her own right, she is truly gifted with starting weanlings and working with the young horses as they develop their skills.
We were blessed in 2019 when she married her husband Brandon Kunz who comes from a long-time outfitting company on the Bridger Tetons. Who would have thought that she would find a guy that had spent as much time in the saddle as she has? We are grateful for their help with our program, even if their own successful outfitting company means we only get them part time.
Jerry & Joyce Ostrom
The Foundation
Born to a time of hard work, Ron's folks lived a life we can only imagine today. Jerry came out of the Great Depression with hard work and dedication. He cowboyed all over Nevada, ran Mustangs for ranchers and worked with some of our Natural Horsemanship mentors such as Tom and Bill Dorrance. Jerry started the Nevada Cow Horse Futurity with Bob Tallman and played his guitar and sang in bunkhouses until he met Joyce.
Joyce was born to a life of hard labor and survival being raised on a dairy near Reno that also raised their own beef. She went to college in Reno and taught school near the reservation in McDermitt, NV before becoming the extension agent in Winnemucca. These values were past on to 3 boys all born in Elko. Horses, cattle and hard work were standard everyday, setting the example needed for todays struggles to stay in agriculture.