Happy trails

Members of the Dalhousie Equestrian Society organized a trail ride at Boulderwood Stables in Ardoise on Saturday. (Josh Boyter Photo)

The company was fun, the weather cool, the scenery beautiful—perfect for a trot across golden meadows and through woods painted in an autumnal palette.

It was my third trail ride with the Dalhousie Equestrian Society at Boulderwood Stables in Ardoise, and it was the best one yet. As usual, I found myself shivering in the chilly November air, laughing at jokes and talking about horses. What made this trail ride different from previous ones was the record number of great people to meet.

As DES president Alain Bryden puts it, the society is growing “exponentially.”

SEE PHOTO ESSAY: Back in the saddle by Josh Boyter

“We’ve definitely come a long way. When I started the Equestrian Society we did one trail ride where everyone paid for the trail ride themselves... Since then, we’ve put together an equestrian team. We’ve put together subsidized trail rides,” he said.

I am in my second year as a DES member and I can see how it is growing. For this trail ride, more than 30 members had to be split into three groups so that everyone could have a chance to ride.

While one group was riding, the other two groups battled out intense rounds of horse Pictionary. It is pretty funny to watch someone trying to draw “in heat.” In some other rounds people were required to draw horse expressions like “on the bit” or the “Italian Stallion.”

The groups were divided up depending each person’s experience. There were riders who had never ridden a horse before and members of the Dalhousie Equestrian Team.

The third group had many experienced riders and so we stepped up the pace. I love a good gallop, and it is rare to be able to trot on a typical trail ride. With the DES, Boulderwood Stables is willing to let riders go faster than what would be normal.

Unfortunately for me, my horse liked to stick to the very edge of the trail where all the low-hanging branches are. At high speeds, it becomes harder to duck fast enough.
Overall, other members seemed to be having a great time too.

“I just wish it was longer,” said 18-year-old Barbara Chen, a beginner.

Curtis Johnston, a first-year engineering student, says one of his favourite things about the DES is the “girl to guy ratio.”

He was surrounded by girls with only a little bit of competition. For a first-year, he certainly discovered the jackpot early on!

Julia Lawson, the secretary for the DES, said, “I like being part of the executive because we get to plan fun things. When they are successful like this it is really wonderful.”

The DES does more than organize trail rides. It has movie nights, bake sales and, new this year, is a Western-themed Grawood night set for January 30.

Mr. Bryden is very pleased with the society that he founded “to bring together people with equestrian interests at Dalhousie.”

“Hopefully we can get enough people so interested that they’ll be interested in taking over next year and keeping it as strong as it is.”

LINKS: Dalhousie Equestrian Society | Dalhousie Equestrian Society on Facebook