Cowboys in San Miguel

Yesterday we got to be cowboys in a stunning canyon outside of San Miguel!! It was an amazing day.

We took a trip organized by Coyote Canyon Adventures led by Rodrigo - who comes complete with spurs that jingle jangle as he walks! I think we all had a touch of spur envy!

Rodrigo in his spurs

He picked us up in a van from San Miguel and drove us to a ranch about an hour away.  Actually, when we got off the main road, his 11 year old daughter took over the driving!!! Hmm....A little scary!!!

Adam - totally at ease on his horse

Then we each got on our horses and headed off from the ranch, accompanied with some of the ranch dogs, and gently meandered through the roaming cattle towards the canyon.  We then started our descent into the canyon and ambled along the river bed, in and out of the water.

Chui before the big descent

It was all so picturesque. Rodrigo encouraged those who wanted to, to try galloping.  I have only ever been on a horse once before and that was with my nephews quite a few years ago when they were little and we went on a brief "gentle trek" at Center Parcs.  So  I was content with just getting comfortable with my horse at a slow pace and gave the galloping a miss. 

Craig heading down into the base of the canyon

 After an hour or so we made a stop for a "beer" for those who wanted it - and this meant going into this village which seemed to be occupied mainly with noisy barking dogs! As the ranch dogs were still with us, there was a cacophany of sound as each dog defended their territory and deafened us!!

 "Refreshed" - or not, we got back on our horses and continued in the canyon with lots of great splashing through the water.  As my confidence grew a bit, I decided to try galloping!  Phew! Quite scary when your feet fall out of the stirrups, you drop the reins and you know you only have the saddle to cling on to!! I did manage several gallops during the rest of the trip - but don't recall that they got any less scary!  But it was exhilarating.

John - - before we'd tried galloping!!

John's pretty horse

The other hazard we had to deal with was that we were in the high desert and thus just about every plant is prickly and sharp and seems to want to prove that to you all the time - whether cactus or spiky bush or tree!  Especially during the galloping, it seemed the only thing I could manage to do was to hang onto the saddle so opportunities to direct my horse out of all the prickly areas didn't seem to exist.  The result was that Chui and myself ended up with what looked like a porcupine in our legs at the end of the final gallop! It was not fun pulling out cactus spikes from the front of your leg, I can tell you!!

Me - in shadow - on my horse!

My sweet horsie taking a well deserved rest

The scenery was incredible - and I especially enjoyed going through the river on the horse.  At the end of the day - despite my cactus impailed legs, I had enjoyed my horse riding immensely and felt I had progressed a lot!

By the time we got home, the saddle sores and aches and pains were coming well to the forefront - and have continued today!  Chui reckoned two of her cactus spikes were still in her leg so that was a good distraction from the other sore areas!!

But what fun! We had a wonderful day.

And it may come as no surprise that tomorrow we have all booked to go and have a massage!  ;=D