I ran my hand along the horse’s white mane and over her neck. She’d just settled down after deciding to kick the horse behind her for nipping at her butt, and even though I was a novice rider and a little spooked from the sudden movement myself, I felt like I needed to comfort her.
“It’s okay,” I said to the back of her head. “They’re jerks for biting you. You just walk real nice on these trails and we’ll be just fine.”
Maybe I was comforting myself. I didn’t want her to throw me off, so I was trying to assure her I was one of the good ones. She could trust me. I didn’t know what I was doing, but at least I was gentle and kind.
As we crested the hill through the thick woods, the almost-full moon rose over a grassy field and the long line of horses and riders spread out in front of and behind us. And I do think that sassy horse trusted me because she trotted a little faster to join her friends and I think she knew I wouldn’t fall off.
We had a pleasant moonlit ride, Snowflake and I. I could tell she loved being out and loved the trails. She wanted to be in the front of the line and she wouldn’t take any crap from anyone to get there. We weaved in and out of the line of horses, making our way up one at a time, but staying patient when the trail was too tight to pass.
The woods were dark around us, the trail sometimes rocky and muddy, but Snowflake was sure-footed and steady. It was quiet, except for the nearby conversations of other riders. The lights of Pittsburgh were far off in the distance. We could have been anywhere, certainly not just 30 minutes from home. It felt like an escape.
The moon and a few tiki torches cast everything in a hazy glow. Jim rode up beside me on top of his horse, Romeo, silhouetted against the moonlit sky. If it weren’t for the other 34 people on horses around us, I’d say it was romantic.
But it was still an incredible experience. One we’d decided to do as part of our 30 before 30 list. We’d just wanted to go on a horseback ride; the moonlight trail experience was an added bonus.
I hadn’t been horseback riding since I was a kid. When my family went on vacations to Myrtle Beach every year, my aunt and grandma would take a few of us horseback riding. Just easy, slow trails on easy, slow horses. It was usually hot and muggy so we would try to get there early in the morning when the horses weren’t exhausted. We never went faster than a walk and I’d always wanted to know what it would feel like to ride fast and free without a care in the world.
I wouldn’t say that I came close to the fast part of that. And I certainly have cares. Like getting seriously injured. But Snowflake and I trotted, me awkwardly bouncing up and down in the saddle, and her barely containing herself, wanting to go so much faster. It was a cool and crisp night, the horses were good, well taken care of, and friendly.
It’s amazing to me the effect that animals can have on us. I should know- Sadie is a therapy dog and she calms people down and relieves stress all the time. But all animals seem to just have this uncanny ability to read people. You can look in their eyes and put your hand on them and you can just feel their energy, slowing down your heart rate, slowing down your breathing. Animals make you notice things. It starts with the animal itself. Snowflake wasn’t pure white. She had these small gray spots. The muscles on her back would twitch under the saddle when she was standing still, like she just couldn’t wait to get going. Her tail would swish constantly, warding away flies or other horses, or maybe just for shits because she was sassy. And then you look up and you notice the leaves on the trees that you’re riding past. The rough bark of tree trunks, the thin line of heat as you pass a tiki torch, the smell of jasmine and mint through the forest.
We ended our horseback riding experience next to a campfire, eating barbecue ribs and pasta salad, sipping red wine, and peering out into the fields for a glimpse of “our” horses, now set out to graze for the night. The heat from the fire felt good on my sore legs and bruised shins.
This ride was the first thing we checked off our list, and it was a good one to start with. One that reminded me why we have a list at all – to have new experiences, try something out of our comfort zone, to live in the moment and relax a little bit.
If you’re in the Pittsburgh area and want to try a trail ride for yourself, the place we went to was called Rolling Hills Ranch, in Bridgeville. They have day-time rides where you can ride at your leisure across the ranch, or the moonlit rides on most Fridays during the summer. Highly recommend.