Country versus City

Sometimes guests ask me if living out here in the remote backcountry is hard.  Do I ever miss the city and everything that living in a town offers?  Like, the culture, the restaurants, pubs, cafes, malls and more than 30 people in one place at any given time.  Well, the answer is...no.  Other than my family and friends, I don’t miss too much about the city. 

Oh sure, every once in a while I dream about people watching while drinking a cold beer on a down town patio with friends.  Sure, sometimes I long for a special coffee that comes from some fancy machine in a cute little café decorated with local art.  And sure, my pick of 25 yoga studios and a hundred different, talented, instructors does leave me wistfully daydreaming of my favourite yoga classes.  But then, I remind myself of all the things that living in ‘the bush’ has got on the city.  For example: I forget where I put my wallet….about 2 months ago.  I also have no idea where my keys are…or my car.  I need not worry about how I’m going to get somewhere or how long it will take.  I live where I work and I never have to commute, unless you count the 5-minute walk to the ranch house from my tent.  And during that 5-minute ‘commute’, no one ever crashes into me because they’re texting while walking--walkxting.  In fact, phones rarely enter my thoughts.  I don’t get phone calls at inopportune times, never have to answer texts when I would rather be paying attention to the friends I’m actually hanging out with in person (but, of course, I don’t want to seem anti-social), and my smart phone is not a fixed and permanent accessory to all outfits out here.   It’s pretty nice.  The air is cleaner, the nights are darker and the stars are brighter.  Now all I need to do is get all my friends jobs at Siwash or convince my parents to buy a ranch!  

The Horses

Most people who go to work at a guest ranch that specializes in the worlds best trail riding, are horse people.  I am no exception and for the last 2 months I have been in horse-girl heaven!  I get paid to ride the beautiful Siwash Lake Ranch horses…which is something I would normally gladly pay to do.  So, life isn't too bad these days, especially now that the rain has stopped and the sun is shining!  

Naturally, everyone bonds with some horses more than others.  We try to match our guests up with just the right animal to suite their personality.  They get to ride the same horse for their entire stay at the ranch so that they can really get to know their mount.  And, although we wranglers love all the horses, we have our favourites to ride too.  My favourite horses at the ranch these days are Salut, Queenie and Lieutenant.  I seem to like the cheeky ones (I don't know what that says about me!) and Salut is the king of cheek!  He has loads of great traits (like trying to taste everything, nuzzling anything that moves, and looking right at you as if he knows exactly what you're saying all the time!) that give him a personality far larger than his stature.  He is, after all, only a little Welsh pony.  I love riding him because he is such a funny little guy, but to be honest, I'm about twice his size and could probably hook my feet under his belly if I wanted to (of course, I would find myself looking back up at him from the ground if I tried a stunt like that, but the point is, I could).  He is a great kids pony; I wish I was 9 years old and 4 and half feet tall--we would be perfect together!  

Queenie is a gorgeous 6 year old Palomino Quarter horse with the attitude of a teenage girl who knows she's a bomb shell and is, like, totally sure you should give her another treat for looking this good.  I think that if she could talk she would sound just like Cher from the movie "Clueless" and she's even been given the nick-name Princess-Barbie-Horse by some of our guests form the UK.  She, like, totally suites it.  She is a blast to ride and hilarious to hang out with on the gound.  

And finally, Lieutenant.  He is big, beautiful, smooth as silk to ride and has the kind of power that leaves me grinning from ear to ear after a good lope through a grassy meadow or up a nice hill.  He is the perfect size for me and even though he is often a big old grump when you're tacking him up, I know he likes to be out on the trails because his good humour comes back as soon as you're in the saddle.  Oh, and he's pretty darn good lookin' too.  

I'm sure my list favourites will be added to throughout the season (I had an amazing ride on Sheza today so she may have to go on the list!) but for now, any day I get to ride one of those lovely animals is a day in heaven for me, even if I look and feel completely silly on Salut!