TR Snippet Mr. Ed the Horse

Westie posted the Living Social coupon for the Kyle Canyon ride on Mount Charleston
http://mountcharlestontrailrides.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=2

that inspired me to try riding a horse again. I was on one once in the last 40 years on a Mexican beach. It was too small for me and I felt that and did not ride long, but down the beach a bit and back.
I called and asked all my questions, including how much of a strain my 220 pounds would be on an animal.
No problem, they told me. They would put me on a French cousin to the Clydesdale, a huge animal that was used to working hard.
I asked about falling. Was there a cliff to the side of the trail where I might die? No, I might get hurt, but I probably would not die, and most of the trail was lined with bushes that would cushion a fall.
The cost was $35, a real bargain for a 90 minute ride.
I was anxious about it. I hoped it was not going to be a bad decision. But I had to give it a go.
The trail wound along the edge of a canyon, climbing a bit at a time, then penetrating the canyon and then winding down again. The operation is fairly new.
It was not some high scale ranch operation at this site. There was an office the size of a large outhouse, and there was one building where the cowboys rested and stored gear, open to the air like a covering over a picnic table in a park. The rest was just corals of horses, beautiful animals of all colors and sizes.
Just seeing them was fine.
The workers suggested I might try the mule instead of a horse, but anxious or not, I wanted a horse, so out came Mr. Ed.
I needed a step ladder to get in the saddle, but it was huge. There was to be no chaffing of legs, inner thighs, bottom, even though I had forgotten and left my jeans in the hotel room. I was going to ride in shorts. This is not a good idea, but I did not suffer anything.
I went out for the ride at 3 PM and found that a fine time. The group that went out at noon was larger.
The trail only had two spots that required the horse to go down an incline. The rest was simply an easy, gradual ride. It would not be a ride for experienced horse people. There was no opportunity to gallop and basically we just followed our guide. The animals knew what to do for the most part. It was an adult version of those pony rides your Dad put you on at the fair. For me it was perfect and the highlight of my trip.
Mount Charleston itself was a delight. The desert gives way to mountains covered in Ponderosa Pine. It is entirely different from Red Rock where I had hiked two days before.
Ahead of me riding for the first time and chosing the mule was a fellow from Texas who is a professional photographer.  He was there with his family and was very friendly, although he told me he does not like the East Coast attitude he has experienced.  He liked me well enough.  Perhaps I broke his stereotype. 
He offered to send me the photo he took of me.  I'll try to post it, if he does.  I have another one and some of Mount Charleston, but I can't seem to get them here on this computer.  So, if you are reading this now, check back in a few days to see if I manage a photograph or two here.
I went to Mount Charleston for the entire day. The air was a bit thin, so my hikes in the trails were very limited. I found myself a nice rock in the shade, watched and listened to the birds, drank a bit of water and ate a sandwich. It was a fine change from the sound of machines.

The workers were all cowboys. It was a different culture. The cowboys were taciturn for the most part, but friendly in a gentle way. One young fellow grabbed a shovel and went to clean up something.
“Ya want some hep with that, Montana?” asked an older guy. Perfect, even the kid is named Montana.
I see on the website that one of the cowboys, perhaps the owner, died suddenly a week ago. I did not meet him, but perhaps I met his wife. So sad.

It was hot, but not as hot as Vegas. A cool breeze made it very pleasant. And unlike hiking, the horse was really doing all the hot work of it. We just rolled along in the saddles.
Probably the hardest part was when the horse would decide to eat a bush along the trail and needed some firm handling.
Mr. Ed never decided to do that, but then they fed him just before we went out on the trail.
I tipped $20.
I’ll go again for the full price of $70.
It is so fine to be 65 and manage to do something that I figured I had long aged out of doing. 

To see a slide show of Mount Charleston and the horses, click here.  I did not take photos while riding the horse.  The mountain and pine photos were all while hiking earlier in the day.


http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/dewey089/wEST%20AND%20HORSE/?albumview=slideshow