Tales of Seven

Horse Emergency Brake?

West Coast of Ireland

"Does your father know you're doing this?" That's what he said when he picked me up, drenched from the rain, trying to hitchhike to a local canyon where I could go horseback riding. Upon arrival at the canyon, I rented a horse from what appeared to be the canyon stable. Only, this wasn't the official stable and these weren't trained horses. I had inadvertently rented from some locals who trailered in some horses to make some cash.

And what I got was horse that was young, and (I discovered later) violently afraid of sheep (lots of sheep in this part of Ireland). The first part of my ride was okay. Then a herd of sheep came along and everything broke loose. My horse tried to climb the stone fence on the right side of the road (people stopped to watch), then he tried to climb the left side (people were still watching). That failing, he started to bolt (people stepped out of the way).

I pulled the horse version of an emergency brake, pulling one rein far over to my right knee to force him into a small circle (it's hard to run when you're folded in half), and once he calmed, walked him home. Perhaps it was better to walk this part of the canyon.

Trapped in Doolin, Ireland

Gale force winds. A long weekend. No where for a hitchhiker to go.

I was trapped in Doolin, a tiny little outpost of a town on the west coast of Ireland - population 60 (recent growth gives it a population 600 today). Known to be the cradle of traditional Irish music, I went there to hear some of the most renowned Irish musicians on their home turf, and spent hours soaking up the music. Guinness beer (entirely different than the Guinness sold here) was a must accessory. Twice daily, I’d fight my way to the pub.

The rest of the time, I was marooned in the local hostel with an entire troupe of Morris dancers. If you’ve never seen Morris dance, it’s a traditional folk dance, danced to fiddle music, that makes use of swords, sticks and flags. It was a merry time of music, dance, and beer, with all of us pulled into the dancing along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_dance

Nearby areas of interest:

The Aran Islands Reachable by small boat, bike along the length of the island to see ancient churches and graveyards, miles and miles of piled stone fences, and cliffs hollowed out by the ocean. A tremendous roar can be heard along much of the island from the waves going into the caves. All the local farmers make a point to say hello and chat.

Cliffs of Moher These are some of the tallest cliffs in Europe . If it's not foggy, you might just see them!

The Burren These otherworldly ‘plains of rock’ make for interesting hikes.

Scenic Canyons  Take a ride on horseback into some of the local canyons, but buyer beware. I’ve been riding since I was seven and had the ride of my life up one of these canyons. My horse was young, untrained, and skittish. We inadvertently jumped a stone fence, and had a freak out with every passing flock of sheep. I thought it was a great little adventure, but if you're a new rider, go for the older-looking horse with one hoof in the grave ;). It will be a bit more relaxing.