On a Horse in Patagonia
When I was a child I loved visiting Manchester Zoo with my mum and dad. The highlight for me was riding on an Elephant. I think I would have enjoyed riding a horse, but horse riding in England was at that time a pastime usually reserved for the wealthy and wealthy my family was not, so I never got to ride a horse until I went to Okinawa in 2005 where I found this concrete one. It looked tame enough, so I got on.
A few years later the experience became real in Patagonia, where a horse has been the form of transportation since pioneering days. I can get on a horse, but I can't really say that I can ride a horse. Most times someone pulls me along, which is good as the places where we go can be very wild, like our recent trip up the Quinto valley, which involves river crossings, forest and trails that hug the edges of steep drops.
Occasionally I have been able to take the reins myself, which is fun, but always I am grateful the horse chosen for me is gentle and mellow and not likely to go dashing through the wilderness and hopping over fences. Now I am used to getting on a horse, I like it. It's fun. Often times the elevated position allows me to see more and it can offer a nice break from walking, you cover far more ground in a shorter amount of time. As time passes by I will gain more experience and one day may be able to ride those trails without concern that I might break my neck. There's on old saying that 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks'.
I'm not to sure about that! :) 'Woof Woof!' :)
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