On top of the intense drama and action of the show, the authentic ranch life that Yellowstone shows is another element that helped it become a worldwide hit. For instance, the show has plenty of cowboy scenes where real-life cowboys accompany the actors. It’s also common for the show to give real-life cowboys, like Jake Ream, for instance, a recurring role.
Yes, that is right. Jake Ream, who plays the ranch hand “Jake” in Yellowstone, is a real-life cowboy and horse trainer. If you are interested in him, here are the facts about the man playing one of John Dutton‘s best ranch hands.
Ream is a Horse Trainer and Owner of Ream Performance Horses
Jake Ream is a horse trainer turned actor from Palmyra, Utah. He started riding horses at a young age and did almost everything concerning horses. While pursuing a career in the ranching industry, Ream has worked with plenty of big names in the horsing world.
Ream currently runs Ream Performance Horses, a horse training facility that offers tune-ups, colt starting, and cutting services. His facility in Palmyra, Utah, has covered stalls, and it even has an indoor arena.
Ream Worked With a Renowned Horse Cutting Trainer From EE Ranches
After Ream graduated from high school, he received an opportunity to work at EE Ranches and under Guy Woods, a renowned horse-cutting trainer. For 27 years, Woods has been the resident cutting horse trainer for EE Ranches. Throughout that time, he has brought in multiple major cutting horse awards for the ranch.
When Ream worked under Woods, he got to work with plenty of big names in the performance horse industry. You can say he transformed into the amazing trainer he is today, thanks to the experiences he picked up while working for Woods.
Ream Met Sheridan After Selling Him One of His Horses
Jake Ream and Taylor Sheridan, the genius behind Yellowstone, met after the horse trainer posted a horse for sale on the internet. Sheridan met up with Ream to try the horse he was selling.
Sheridan liked the horse and decided to purchase it. He then took lessons from Ream, and the two became acquaintances while continuing to work together.
Ream Was Oblivious to Sheridan Being Famous
When he met with Sheridan for the first time, Jake had no clue about him being a celebrity. The only time he knew was when the secretary of the cutting horse association asked him how he knew Sheridan.
Ream told him he was a client that bought one of his horses. The secretary then showed him how Sheridan was, which surprised him. In disbelief that he was a celebrity, Ream goes to Sheridan’s trailer to ask him about it. The two then shared a laugh because of the situation.
Sheridan Recruited Ream to Train Yellowstone Actors on Horse Riding
Taylor Sheridan called Ream before starting the production of his show, Yellowstone. Sheridan asked the horse trainer if he could help teach the actors how to ride a horse.
After agreeing to the request, Ream helped lead the cowboy camp that Sheridan organized. It was a camp designed to help the actors familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of authentic cowboy life.
Ream helped the actors throughout four nights to learn how to work around horses and, of course, to ride them. His main job during that time is to ensure everyone’s safety and that all the horses get properly tacked up.
During the cowboy camp, Ream expressed how impressed he was with the quality of the horses used for the show. According to him, Sheridan has the best horses. He says it’s rare to see a TV series use such high-caliber horses these days.
Sheridan Offered Ream a Role as a Yellowstone Ranch Hand
Appreciative of Ream’s contributions to the show, Sheridan started giving him a bit of on-screen time. He would let him appear on the show from time to time. Eventually, he decided to give him a roping scene which was Ream’s first “big” moment on the show.
Proving to be a great addition to the cast, Sheridan decided to give Ream the recurring role of the ranch hand “Jake.” He usually appears on screen performing stunts such as roping cattle, cutting horses, and even riding a bucking horse.
Of course, he also appears in the show’s iconic bunkhouse, along with the other ranch hands. He also goes along with their funny shenanigans, including eating Teeter’s “some bits,” which is the infamous meal she cooked for the cowboys.
Ream has appeared in more than thirty episodes throughout the Yellowstone series. He says it’s been an interesting experience going from never being around a camera his entire life to watching himself on his TV appearing on a worldwide hit show like Yellowstone.
Other Yellowstone Casts Who Are Also Cowboys in Real Life
Jake Ream isn’t the only real-life cowboy playing a role in the show. There is also Forrie J. Smith, who plays Lloyd Pierce, Ethan Lee, who plays Ethan, Ryan Bingham, who plays Walker; and of course, Taylor Sheridan, who plays Travis Wheatly, is one too.
Using real-life cowboys like Jake Ream is just one of the many things Taylor Sheridan does to keep his show authentic. It adds more depth and immersion to the show, which is something that many fans have come to love about Yellowstone.
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