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| Members of the AV俱乐部 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鈥攑erfect for a trot across golden meadows and through woods painted聽in an autumnal palette.
It was my third trail ride with the AV俱乐部 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 鈥渆xponentially.鈥�
SEE PHOTO ESSAY: Back in the saddle by Josh Boyter
鈥淲e鈥檝e 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鈥檝e put together an equestrian team. We鈥檝e put together subsidized trail rides,鈥� 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 鈥渋n heat.鈥� In some other rounds people were required to draw horse expressions like 鈥渙n the bit鈥� or the 鈥淚talian Stallion.鈥�
The groups were divided up depending each person鈥檚 experience. There were riders who had never ridden a horse before and members of the AV俱乐部 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聽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.
鈥淚 just wish it was longer,鈥� 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 鈥済irl to guy ratio.鈥�
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, 鈥淚 like being part of the executive because we get to plan fun things. When they are successful like this it is really wonderful.鈥�
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 鈥渢o bring together people with equestrian interests at AV俱乐部.鈥�
鈥淗opefully we can get enough people so interested that they鈥檒l be interested in taking over next year and keeping it as strong as it is.鈥�
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