Hestar Ranch & Icelandic Horses, Colorado

In the olden days, Hestar Ranch was homesteaded by the Gallegos family and it was named after them. The ranch was used as a family home and they lived off the land. Pagosa Junction was the closest little town to go to, and it had a railroad station, a store and the kids went to school there. Some of the old buildings are still standing today. The train went by the ranch, right in front of the old house and barns, and there was a divide so that one train was waiting here for the passing train that would go by. Once in a while, I can still find old railroad objects buried in the ground, and the divide is still here. I have an old neighbor named Frank. He likes to come see me for a cup of coffee or a glass of red wine, and we sit together on the porch and he tells me the old stories about this place and the beautiful valley. He always mentions how hard the winters were compared to now! He told me that there was snow almost up to his hip and the nights and days were very cold. They had no electricity or water at the house when he was a kid, and he had to herd the sheep and stay up in the hills with them during the summer. This was sheep country before all the farmers changed their stock to cows. The people in this valley were Spanish settlers and built a little church in Pagosa Junction.  It is a pretty little church and the community is still taking care of it. You can go visit the ghost town Pagosa Junction and see the remaining's of the old times and there also are some old buildings on the ranch here.