Na'alapa Stable ride

We're on vacation in Hawaii on the Big Island and having a great time with friends. They went for a wagon ride on the east side of the island while Bob and I went on our trail ride at Na'alapa Stables.

This was the first ride I've ever been on where you didn't have to ride nose to tail. We were encouraged to get off the trail and spread out as long as we stayed behind the lead guide, Jessie. I was on a chestnut mare named Whisper and Bob had a palomino named Sonny. They were very good horses, although something spooked Sonny and he did a short sprint. But Bob held on. He seems to always have this happen to him on trail rides.

Mine was the only mare. She wanted to be in the lead and I had to keep her away from the boys or there were tussles.

There were three or four areas where we were allowed to trot and canter. Whisper really wanted to go but I never felt out of control. I don't know how to ride a canter well, but it was fun anyway.

The mountain we rode on was wide open grassland. We found a few trees higher up and wound our way through this little forest on the way back. You could see Maui off in the distance. Normally, it is cooler and quite windy, but today it was quiet and warm. What a great ride!