Since we'd already been hiking and fishing on this trip it only made sense to throw in a different kind of adventure before heading home. And since we were stinky from the last few days it made even more sense to ride horses to mask our scents with the smell of the trail.
We'd ridden horses once before and had a great time. That trip felt very corporate, which made sense given it was run out of a major resort. There were liability waivers and helmets and everything else you can blame lawyers for. This trip was not like that at all.
"I guess you can wear a helmet if you brought one, but you don't need one."
"Let the horses sort themselves out. They're like kids. Sometimes they like each other, sometimes not."
"You probably won't be riding with your family. So get friendly with the other people."
I wound up riding right behind Henry. The girls were a few horses behind me. Grandpa Jack was a few horses behind them. In between were members of a couple other families. Some were totally stoked on the ride. Some were not so much. Like the tween on her phone the whole time.
Being in the middle of the pack, I got to look at Henry's horse's butt and eat his dust. Also, we rode through the forest, up a ridge, and looked down into a glacier-carved valley with a lake surrounded by berries and haunted by bears. Sure, the horses knew the trail so well we didn't really need to be holding the reins, but it sure felt adventurous.
If you're near Alta Lake, definitely check out the Whistlin' Pine Ranch for a trail ride. And get ready for some horse butt.
