Disconnecting from the digital world and immersing yourself in the beauty of nature—this is the essence of The Land of the Long White Cloud Ride with Wild Women Expeditions. This 10-day horseback riding adventure, hosted by Adventure Horse Trekking New Zealand on the South Island, invites you to fully embrace your surroundings. As you navigate narrow trails that hug the mountainside, with crystal-clear Lake Hawea below, you quickly develop a deep trust in your horse. The rush of everyday life fades away, replaced by the serene companionship of fellow riders, whether you're enjoying lunch by a peaceful brook or singing around the fire in a herders' hut.

Creators of Functional Art - Two of the most intriguing questions about our relationship with horses are when were they first domesticated, and when were they first ridden. We will never know for sure, but some of the most fascinating evidence comes from the ancient Botai culture in northern Kazakhstan. Almost 6,000 years ago, the people living in a community of villages were foragers and hunter/gatherers. While the abundant wild horses were a staple part of their diet, the Botai came to see the horses as valuable working stock.

Most people who are involved with horses have at some point ridden a horse with a “hard mouth.” There is a lot of advice and equipment designed to deal with this problem but understanding how the mouth became hard would be more help than a stronger bit. I believe that there is no such thing as a hard mouthed horse; they are “hard minded” horses.

The online course 30-Day Core Fitness for Horses provides a step-by-step guide to tune up your horse’s overall fitness, postural muscles, and balance.

If you are starting a young horse or retraining an older horse, Training and Retraining Horses by Linda Tellington-Jones and published by Trafalgar Square is for you. This beautifully illustrated, practical book gives step-by-step methods to achieve goals and to solve specific behavioural issues.

Do you consider yourself to be a tough rider, or a tender one? No one is completely one or the other. Different situations elicit strengths and weakness to emerge in people. The challenge is to first know yourself well, then ask yourself how you can move along the toughness continuum. You don’t need to throw yourself into the fire to get tougher, just make a habit of going a little bit further than you are used to and over time you’ll find your strength increasing.

Numbers help us put information in context and are an easy way to convey specific details. We need to know if that horse’s price is $2,000 or $20,000, whether he stands 15 hands or 16.3, or if he’s 3 years old or 12. Those numbers are details which help create a mental picture, and help us understand. A 25% discount is better than 10% off. And McDonald’s signs, which used to state the ever-increasing number served, now simply read: “Billions and billions served.”

Along with my travel mates Ali and Heather, I leave the Calgary airport in our rental car, stock up with snacks and refreshments, and head to The Grandview Stage Inn just outside of Rocky Mountain House, AB, where we bed in for the night. The next morning, we start off for the Cutoff Creek Staging area in the Bighorn Backcountry. The herd of wild horses grazing in a small clearing at the side of the road is so complacent with our presence that the foals remain lying down as we snap photos. Upon arrival, we spot a group of women gathered in the staging area, their gear laid out on the grass. Introductions reveal that our fellow riders are from Manitoba, Winnipeg, New Brunswick, Ontario, British Columbia, and as far as Australia and New Zealand. Most are new to Wild Deuce Outfitters, and a few are repeat visitors like me, although it was eight years ago.