Five Thousand Acres of the Real American West.
The Story of Mortenson RanchThis is not a staged version of the West. It is the real thing.— Clint Mortenson, Founder
Clint Mortenson
Horseman · Craftsman · RancherClint Mortenson grew up on a ranch in South Dakota, where his father and brother trained show horses. That life — built around animals, craft, and the rhythms of working land — shaped everything that followed. In 1992, he auditioned for a Disney equestrian performance in Paris, landed the role, and spent a year in France performing with some of the finest horsemen in the world.
Back home, he studied saddle making under master craftsman Harry Adams. His custom trophy buckles are awarded at the Rodeo de Santa Fe and at international polo tournaments. He holds a degree in marketing and art. He has spent every year since 1989 building something the West can be proud of. Mortenson Ranch feels personal because it is.
— Clint Mortenson
The Ranch Where Western History Was Made.
Known historically as Eaves Movie Ranch, this land has served as one of the most filmed locations in the Southwest since the early days of the Hollywood Western. More than 250 films, television productions, and commercial shoots have brought the American West to life here. The names on that list are not small ones.
But the ranch is not a museum. It is a living, working place where real horses are trained, real cowboys ride out every morning, and real ranch life moves through every single day. That is what makes it feel different from the moment you arrive.
Read the stories behind the ranchClyde
The Most Famous Buffalo in New Mexico.
Clyde is not a prop. He is not a gimmick. He is 1,800 pounds of American West, bottle-fed and raised right here on the ranch from the day he arrived. Film crews come from around the world specifically to work with him. Guests who have never cared much about wildlife stop cold when they see him. Long after people leave, Clyde is still the one they talk about.
Book Clyde for Your ProductionReal over staged. Grounded over polished. Memorable over perfect.
Mortenson Ranch was not built to impress from a brochure. It was built to be felt in person — in the quiet of a horse ride across open land, in the weight of standing next to Clyde, in the strange grounding feeling of riding through a movie town with real history in its bones. Whether you are a filmmaker, a first-time rider, or someone who just needs to stand somewhere that feels real — you are welcome here.
Come Experience It for Yourself.
Horse rides, film locations, weddings, and private events — all on 5,000 acres of real Western land near Santa Fe.