Riding in Cotopaxi, Ecuador

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Our Ecuadorian guide smiles at the colorful troop of would-be riders who gathered in front of him. In Spanish he asks if someone has experience. A few people torture their feet nervously. When nobody else has their say, I reluctantly raise my hand.

"Yo Tomó doce clases hace dos años", I tell him in my staggering Spanish and explain to him 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 lesson in the Lee Valley Riding Center, I always got a small horse that was corresponding to my size, not to mention a platform to climb the horse. Today I need one leg up.

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

I rewink him and he gives in, but not long. He soon trots away and tries to get into a gallop. Once again I reins him, this time firmer. I talk to him all the time, calm him down, try to convince him that we are friends.

Meanwhile, the other drivers pick up. One even takes the lead, but my horse doesn't want to have anything. He hurries forward and insists on leading the group. I am careful that I don't know our direction of travel, so keep looking back to the guide and try to receive his signals. As soon as we are outside in the open field, I hardly have time to breathe. The surrounding fields are breathtaking, but I don't have time to look at them. I am too busy checking my horse.

At some point I get tired and let him gallop. He jumps over streams, comes off the course and messes me up in the saddle. It is sometimes scary, but deeply intoxicating, especially because I have never been painted before. In fact, it was part of the reason why I gave up my lessons two years ago that we were taught so slowly and thoroughly that I was fed up with spending 25 pounds per hour for 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 my back hurt quite a bit. Riding in Cotopaxi is not like riding in London!

When the guide is enough for me, I say "Él it tan rápido!" Comment how fast my horse is. He asks if I want a break by exchanging with him. A smile rills around my lips. "Rápido Pero Muy diversitido." I am pleased to collect sympathy from the other drivers, but in truth I have a lot of fun.

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I massage my tired legs and think about the strenuous two -hour return trip. Peter settles down with a tortured sigh next to me. He looks at the view. "Can you believe that it is Wednesday morning? I would usually be in the classroom and they would be in a meeting in the office."

My legs suddenly don't feel so tired anymore.

ride in Cotopaxi: The essentials

what: 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.

like: We stayed in the Secret Garden Cotopaxi and booked all excursions about them. If you spend the night in The Secret Garden, you can receive a transfer to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi for only 5 USD per person. Send an email to hola@secretgardenquito.com to arrange this.

Lonely Planet South America contains a comprehensive travel guide for the country, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take less busy roads.
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