Trail-riding at Mulgrave River, Australia
Shuhui wasn't too enthusiastic about this tour since she has never ridden a horse but I guess she said OK after we decided on a 1/2 day as opposed to a full day in the nearby Mulgrave River, being such a good sport that she is.
True enough, the guide picked us up in front of Caravella 77 at 8:15am, and after picking up the rest of the group, all of which are Japanese, we headed to this ranch. After doing all the paperwork, we then were given helmets (btw, we need to wear jeans and shoes for this tour, no sandals allowed). Then we were given a ride on the same bus to the stables where our horses are waiting for us fully saddled and ready to go. Mine was Brandy while Shuhui was riding Bonsai. The thing is, we will be called by our horse's name rather than ours, making it easier for the guide. There is also a Japanese guide to cater for the rest of the group...seems like we're the only non-Jap in the group of entirely Asians. We were given various instructions on how to walk, to turn left, right, etc. by the guide, and then we're off.
It was a really slow walk at first, perhaps for a warm-up, and also to allow all of us to adjust to our horses' gait. Also went through quite a few uphill and downhills which we either had to lean forward or backward to enable our balance - after all, it's just those reins and stirrups that support us the entire way. Actually, the real thing is a lot more fun that I could tell in words, especially when we went through the different paths - sugar cane, mango, jackfruit plantations and even a river crossing. During the crossing, the water is deep enough to reach the belly of the horse, so all of us had to pull our legs behind us (still got the shoes wet, though).
Probably the more interesting portion is when we reach an open field, and the guide brought us to a "trot" or even a "canter". For the trot, the buttock hurts really bad since we didn't know how to sit on the horse - the result of which we bounce up and down on the saddle. It turned out that if we put our weight on the stirrups and lean slightly forward, we can actually not bounce as much (and our butts not hurt as much). For the canter though, this is different since we actually have to sit and follow the horse's undulating rhythm as it canters...otherwise the butt will hurt, too.
Lunch was served, with steak and barbequed sausages with lots of fruit and juices. Dessert was fruitcake. Conclusion - Shuhui enjoyed herself, and I guess I did too, except for the bruised behinds. Excellent experience for those who have never tried horse-riding.
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most recent update: October 6, 1999
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