Our destination for Thursday, the 9th of July, was Riding Mountain National Park. We really had no idea what we would find there, but I had seen a brochure somewhere that said horseback riding was one of the activities in the park. Baby Girl dearly wanted to ride a horse. We took our regretful leave of Aunt Maria outside the candy train, and after exiting stocked with sugary provisions, we sped off for Riding Mountain.<\/p>\n
Not really. We discovered that the road work in Winnipeg was actually just a microcosm of the province. Manitoba is currently being entirely rebuilt. At least the parts that carry vehicles. It is impossible to get from anywhere to anywhere else with any sort of efficiency. We crawled north on roads half-built or half-ruined, depending on your personal level of optimism or credulity, being led desultorily by somnolescent road crew workers.<\/p>\n
The interminable drive was only made worse by the heat. While nights have been consistently cool, daytime temperatures have been climbing as we move west. The air conditioning in the car has been acting up, running long enough to just remind you of what it feels like to not stick to yourself, but then gradually giving up and blowing warm air. It’s maddening. We stopped frequently for drinks.<\/p>\n
The flat prairie around Winnipeg grew into rumpled folds of land dressed in pine forest by the time we reached the park. We were all a bit surprised to find the small resort town of Wasagaming just inside the park, bustling on the shore of Clear Lake. It clearly bills itself as a water sport town as the quaint shops lining the main drag sold a mix of souvenirs, ice cream, and water paraphernalia. At the visitor’s centre, the friendly staff gave us\u00a0a reference to the only nearby horse ranch that would take kids riding. It was already 4 PM, so I made a reservation even as we raced back to the car.<\/p>\n
The Trailhead Ranch looked more than a little ramshackle as we pulled in, but the horses were\u00a0healthy and well-groomed. Ann, the sole proprietress, was assisted by foreign students, Justine from France, Jessica from Germany, and a handsome unnamed British boy. The real beauty of the seasonal staff was strangely anachronistic against the general disarray of the place.<\/p>\n
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The kids were provided with mandatory helmets and boots, and we joined another group of neophyte riders waiting to go out. As the largest and seemingly most experienced rider, I was mounted on Max, an imposing cross between a quarter horse and a Clydesdale. Baby Girl rode Kahlua, a full-sized horse, and Short Pants was on Amigo, an overfed but amiable pony.<\/p>\n
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Those Johnston Kids were first in the line of riders, right behind Ann, our guide. Ann led Amigo on a rope, but Baby Girl rode her horse like a real cowgirl. I rode last in the line of clients because Max, being young and irrepressible, like me, had a tendency to rouse the other horses and break the line, like me. Justine brought up the rear behind me, which gave me a chance to practice my French. She said my accent wasn’t bad.<\/p>\n
The ride took us about 90 minutes. It was just a trail ride, but the horses were spirited enough that it was still interesting. I’ve been on trail rides where the mounts are practically sleeping as they plod along the same route they’ve covered a thousand times before. Those Johnston Kids loved the ride and spent a long time after communing with their horses and feeding them apples while I chatted with the voluble Ann. Nice lady, but I don’t think she gets a lot of company out there. We may drop in on the Trailhead Ranch again on our way back east.<\/p>\n
Back in Wasagaming, we secured a campsite (pull-through, yay!), and that was the end of our adventures for that day. I will update with pictures when we have electricity. We’re off-grid for now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our destination for Thursday, the 9th of July, was Riding Mountain National Park. We really had no idea what we would find there, but I had seen a brochure somewhere that said horseback riding was one of the activities in the park. Baby Girl dearly wanted to ride a horse. We took our regretful leave … Continue reading A Girl and Her Horse<\/span>