Day 42: Picture Book

Sebastian's in Riviere-Ouelle to Billie's in Saint Roch des Aulnaies

Sebastian and Trigger, two lovely guys.

Sebastian showed us a short cut on a trail through a bunch of fields.

The horses saw this long stretch of sandy field and you could feel their bodies tense in excitement.

Within a minute they were galloping across the field.

Jewel and I were both bareback.

There's not much you can do to stop a galloping horse. Sometimes it's more dangerous to try and stop them, so you just hold on.

It looked like we were headed straight for the highway.

I repeatedly thought "okay Im falling off."

But somehow stayed up.

I veered Lux into long grass to slow him down and managed to get him to do a wide circle.

Again I was sure I'd fall off, but then what would happen to Lux? So I rebalanced and stayed on.

When we were finally back to a walk and close to the road - we realized it was a bike road, the highway beyond it - two bikers stood there clapping for us.

Jewel and I were laughing and breathless with adrenaline.

This is why horse people are a little crazy. To sit on a thousand pound animal, bareback, with a mind of it's own, and hang on for dear life. But that's what makes it so amazing. It really does feel like flying, and it was a reminder to why I fell in love with riding and horses in the first place.

To be free.

To be one with another creature.

To soar.

I think the photos of this day

say more than my words could say.

It was pretty neat to see these church steeples just little lines in the distance, and then pass right by the entrance after a few hours.

From the beautiful trail we made it to Billie's house. A huge old farm house converted into little apartments. They have their own garden and out door kitchen, a community living with warm young wanderers, environmentalists, and lovers of adventure and good vibes.