Horseback Riding

Saturday I went horseback riding for the first time in my life.

I rode a mare named Shiloh for about an hour and a half - legs got a little tired, but overall I was in fine shape at the end and I didn't fall off!

Shiloh clearly felt that she knew more about the trail and following the horse in front of her than the idiot on her back did, but was willing to play along with the concept that the 165 lb biped was directing the 1200 lb quadraped. Perhaps she was hoping for more carrots at the end of the ride (if so, her hopes were fulfilled).

Riding a horse is very different from walking a dog or driving a car; the two closest experiences I have in my life. Most dogs I've spent time with let the human go along at their own pace while they scout hither and yon, never getting very far away but seldom following the same path either. A car, of course, requires constant attention (in theory, at least; I'm convinced Lupae has driven herself home a few times without much help from me). A horse... well, you need to give periodic input to go where you want to, but for long periods you can just relax and enjoy the ride. More physical than driving a car, but the horse does more work than you walking the same terrain would take.

Low branches are rather more of a problem, and a horse can't turn as sharply as a person can. The horse may or may not realize that your leg sticks out further than its body. It also may or may not care.

Still, it was a lot of fun, and I'm sure I'll be riding again soon.

What animals have you ridden?