Horseback riding in Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Horseback riding in Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Our Ecuadorian guide smiles at the motley crew of would-be riders gathered before him. In Spanish he asks if anyone has experience. A few people shuffle their feet nervously. When no one else speaks, I reluctantly raise my hand.

“Yo tomó doce clases hace dos años,” I tell him in my halting Spanish, explaining that I took 12 lessons two years ago.

He waves me forward and leads me to a young male, one of the larger horses in the group. I swallow. During my lessons at Lee Valley Riding Center I was always given a small horse appropriate to my size, not to mention a platform to mount the horse. Today I need a leg up.

One by one, the guide goes through the rest of the group and assigns a horse to each of the seven riders. We leave the enclosure and almost immediately my horse starts trotting away from the rest of the group.

I rein him back in and he gives in, but not for long. Soon he's trotting away again, trying to break into a canter. I rein him in again, this time harder. All the time I'm talking to him, calming him down, trying to convince him that we're friends.

Meanwhile, the other drivers are catching up. One even takes the lead, but my horse doesn't want any of it. He rushes forward, insisting on leading the group. I'm wary of not knowing our direction of travel, so keep looking back at the guide and trying to pick up his signals. Once we're out in the open, I barely have time to catch my breath. The surrounding fields are stunning, but I don't have time to look at them. I'm too busy trying to control my horse.

At some point I get tired and let him gallop. He jumps over streams, veers off course and upsets me in the saddle. It's scary at times but deeply exhilarating, especially because I've never cantered before. In fact, part of the reason I gave up teaching two years ago was because we were taught so slowly and thoroughly that I got tired of spending £25 an hour on my rising trot.

We ride through the Ecuadorian highlands in the shadow of volcanoes and mountains. After two hours we take a break for tea and cake. My thighs and back hurt quite a bit. Riding in Cotopaxi is not like riding in London!

When the guide hands me cake, I say “Él es tan rápido!” comment on how fast my horse is. He asks if I want a break by switching places with him. A smile curls at the corners of my lips. “Rápido pero muy diversitido.” I'm happy to get sympathy from the other drivers, but in reality I'm having a lot of fun.

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I massage my tired legs and think about the exhausting two-hour drive back. Then Peter sits down next to me with a pained sigh. He looks at the view. "Can you believe it's Wednesday morning? Normally I would be in the classroom and you would be in a meeting in the office."

My legs suddenly don't feel so tired anymore.

Riding in Cotopaxi: The Essentials

What: Horseback riding in Cotopaxi through the Ecuadorian highlands ($30 per person), 4 hours.

Where: Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador – 56 km south of Quito.

When: All year round.

How: We stayed at Secret Garden Cotopaxi and booked all the excursions through them. If you stay at The Secret Garden Quito, you can get a transfer to Secret Garden Cotopaxi for just $5 per person. Email hola@secretgardenquito.com to arrange.

Lonely Planet South America includes a comprehensive travel guide to the country, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled.
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