I’m looking at up to 10 hours a day in the saddle whilst I’m in Mongolia so some serious training needs to be done. So what better, I thought, than a stint abroad working with horses. Ecuador wasn’t really where I was looking, but was where I ended up.
Introducing… volunteering with Ride Andes, a Latin American based horse riding tour operator that offers both scheduled and tailor made riding holidays all over Latin America. Based about 2 hours North of Quito (the capital of Ecuador which I didn’t know until recently!), living and riding in the shadow of the elusive Volcan Cayambe.
Volcan Cayambe is actually on the equator so we’re pretty close, but at 3,100 meters above sea level trying to avoid the sunburn is a must. I’ve certainly got some interesting tan lines (face, neck and hands only see the sun).
Looking after 16 fantastic horses ranging from the 14hh Andean pony (who might be small but certainly has a big personality) to the 15hh Anglo Arab and the 16hh Quarter-horse and many in between. Rriding at least once a day for around 3 hours in some of the most amazing scenery I’ve ever seen. I’ve also been lucky enough to have the opportunity to ride in the Cotopaxi National Park.
So not quite 10 hours a day in the saddle but it’s certainly getting me closer to the end goal.
A truly incredible experience. Thank you Sally for the opportunity.
Please support me on my journey
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/gemmaractliffe
https://www.coolearth.org/campaigns/22215/journey-to-the-derby/