Swimming with Horses –By Emily

Throughout my travels, I have rode elephants, camels, and ostriches, and have swam with dolphins and turtles, but swimming on a horse, well that’s new.

 

At nine in the morning we went to ‘Being with Horses’, owned by Veronica.  After letting us pick a bridle and choosing a helmet or hat, she taught us about the horses. She told us the nature of each, and how they were all thoroughbreds except for Zimbu, who is a mixed breed from Brazil. She then let us pick our horses. I chose Kalakunjin, a black mare with a spirited nature. I thought she was perfect, for all she needed to be told to go was a little cluck, and she was off. She gave me a smooth ride, and even let me have a race with dad. Mom chose a slow, brown vacuum cleaner called Princess who would eat at every opportunity. Dad chose Zimbu, the biggest horse of them all. His stallion was grayish white color, and was a little frisky. Once he even bolted as we weaved through the mangroves.  A low branch rubbed his head and startled him into a gallop. Once we had chosen our horses, Veronica and her husband saddled us up. 

The reins had no bit, and the saddles had no stirrups. Veronica explained this was to make their horses more comfortable. You had to keep constant tension on the reins, but otherwise this made no difference to me. After we had mounted our horses we rode out onto the road with the male horses leading the pack, and the mares following. Along the way Veronica showed us that if we talked to our horse they listened to us, with their ears tilted back. 

 

We all enjoyed the ride. Every once in a while there would be an obstacle, for instance, a log, or a very narrow path between sharp bushes that our horses liked to eat, or staying on the cement instead of cutting across the grass. I managed it all. Kala, my mare's nick name, was very obedient, although she attempted to yank the reins out of my hands a few times. 

We slowly weaved our way from the stables through the small town and down to the beach. We walked the whole length of the beach (by that time we had learned our horses personality and knew how they responded), and once we reached the rocks, we plunged into the water. It refreshingly cool after the tropical heat, and the horses moaned with pleasure, and I mean moaned! They groaned the whole time keeping their sound until we exited the water. 

 

As for me, I enjoyed it too. The horses were up to their heads in water, which means I was up to my waist! When Kala was in the water she had no problem leading the others, and so I raced dad’s bigger stallion and won. Even with the reins completely tight she was pumping her legs. By the time we got out, Kala was exhausted. 

 

After the trek up the road we were hosed off with fresh water aback our mounts. To keep their energy up we fed them palm fronds. My they were greedy guts! No sooner had they taken one piece and they were nudging for another. We proceeded back to the stables and our horses trotted into their stalls, tuckered out for the day. I must say it was one of the best days of my life.

Emily