Horse Riding in Neuquen, the Great Adventure

by Cami

 

It was a Sunday morning, my alarm woke me up at 7.30 AM. I had planned a hot bath first thing in the morning. Who knew when and how my next “shower” would be. This was the first day of the great horse riding and cattle driving adventure in Neuquen, North Patagonia. You can take a peek at my other blog – Horse Riding in Neuquen, The Beginning – to find out about the first days in the Estancia.

 

There was already movement in the house, the air was filled with the excitement of the riders. Everybody was busy getting their things ready to get on the horses. The idea was to leave early, but as always, things got a little behind. It was a beautiful day, the sun was up and the sky was blue. We were 12 riders in total: our two hosts, the farm gaucho Armando, the two chefs and the 7 guests. A lovely group. When I say the number it seems like a lot of people, but luckily it didn’t feel that way. I don’t like a crowd when going on rides, so this was important to me. It was a good team.

The first day, a gentle one

The first day was a chill one, a warm up. We rode two hours until lunch break and then two more until the first camp spot. The landscape was amazing, basically more of what we had already seen riding in the surroundings the first two times. We had lunch under some poplars, the sun was strong and the day was hot, we needed the shadow. The guys made empanadas with the help of some volunteer hands (not mine, I was in charge of a mate round). There was a fire and we all lied around it. It was a good spot, we even got to nap after eating.

 

We were slowly going up without being really aware. The hills we had seen far away, surrounding us, from the house were suddenly closer and smaller. It was a gentle ride, perfect for breaking the ice and getting our bodies used to the movement. Chimango was the best, advancing at a good pace, always top of the group. There were a few times he was able to relax and slow down. I was happy with him. I’m the kind of rider who appreciates a moment of silence and being alone. I like to admire where I am, to take everything in. He was good at creating that moment, just him and me and the whole Patagonia. We could hear the rest of the group happily chatting behind us but we were in our own mood.

 

The open fields transformed into more rocks and stones and bushes and shrubs. The last part of the ride was on a gravel road, which was of public use, that led us to Gabi’s post where we would sleep. He worked on the Estancia. Once there, we took our saddles off and gave the horses some water. After they were taken care of we started with the setting of the tents. I always hated them and had the worst memories of putting them up. Luckily for me, these new tents were super easy to set up, even with the strong wind that had come to stay. Later, we had a delicious lamb asado with an even more yummy wine. We had to get together under a shed to protect ourselves from the damn wind, but that didn’t ruin our night. We were tired but happy and with full stomachs. While sleeping in the tent the wind was even louder. I thought it would blow us away, Majo and me, but to our surprise we were still there the next morning.

The second day, intensity!

The second day was the total opposite from the first one. It was intense. We woke up with the damn wind still blowing on us and we undid the tents and camp to its music. We had some mate and avocado toast and then got ready to ride. The jackets were more than welcomed on this day. The first part was easy. The challenge came after lunch with the ups and downs mixed with the wind and the long distance. The first big climb made me aware that I was riding a goat horse. That’s right, Chimango was a freaking goat going up. I was amazed! He would go up so fast and excited it made me a little scared and anxious. I tend to experience a little vertigo and this was a lot. It took me a while to get used to my super agile horse. I concluded this was for the best: a decided, strong and fast horse. I was safer than any of my riding partners. I gave myself completely to him. It was simple, either I trusted Chimango or I would hate the next five days of riding in Neuquen’s mountains.

 

Chimango rocked all the ups. If he had a horse in front of him, he would get so close to them that they would get angry and try to kick him out of their tails. I quickly learned he needed to lead the way, or at least be second. He would literally gallop his way to the top. There was a lot of dust and rocks and the wind was still on. The adrenaline was running through my veins, and Majo’s too. We would look at each other many times, using only our eyes to say “holy crap, sister!”. All the ups had their downs, and these were as intense as the others. I really couldn’t tell which ones I preferred.

The nature around was constantly changing, constantly beautiful. The rocks and dust suddenly turned into a valley full of grass on the top. Then after another descent, a small river would appear between the plants and trees. Then up again, through a really steep slope. I remember begging Armando, who was leading the group, to zig zag his way up as much as possible. I don’t know if it was a tough gaucho style but he was not shy when facing those mountains. I think he listened to me, or pitied me, because the last parts of that day he took them calmly. He even stopped now and then to let the horses rest and to let the group take a breath and then continue. I silently thanked him all those times.

 

The sun was coming down and we were still on the horses. It was a long day full of emotions. As the light was going out it started to get colder. We were up in the mountains and one could feel it. “We are almost there”, Armando would say. The last climb left us high and exposed to the cold. We all put more coats on when we stopped for a break. From over there, Armando finally pointed to a small cottage, far away down in the valley. It was like a white dot in the middle of the field. That was where we were going to spend the night. We were one last descent away from finally arriving. From over there we could also see the cows that we were going to move to another valley the next day.

It was a long way downhill but not that dangerous as the previous ones. We all made it safe and sound. We were as tired as one can be. The element of surprise of this beautiful sleeping post was a natural jacuzzi of hot thermal water. It was incredible! It was really cold and I just couldn’t picture myself in a bikini. Everybody got in as soon as their tents were made and I just stood there looking at them as if they were a crazy lot of people. Suddenly, they were all commenting on the pleasure, so I was convinced I had to try it myself. Trembling, I got in my tent, put on my bikini, grabbed my towel and solid shampoo and ran to the hot water. I got in there without giving myself a chance to think twice. I was suddenly in heaven!

 

The contrast of my cold body with the hot water was a shock that lasted a few seconds. The burning sensation gave way to a wonderful warm feeling. I felt like never leaving. Could I sleep there? I was afraid of coming out and freezing my ass off. I washed my hair and body and floated there until it was only me and Majo. We were having our own private date in the hot water. Going out wasn’t bad at all. The warmth stood with me until I got my fresh night clothes on. It was the perfect end for this heavy day, the natural jacuzzi and the delicious lentil stew that we ate around the fire. I felt great. We had some wine and chocolates and a lot of sharing the emotions of the day.

 

The third day, here comes the cows

On the third day we all woke up super excited to face the cattle driving. There was no need to put away the tents, we would be sleeping in the same place that night. We just had breakfast and got our horses ready to go look for the cows. There was also no need to take our saddlebags with us. Unfortunately for Chimango and me, they chose us to take the big bags that carried everything for lunch. Damn! The direction was to spread out and gather all the cows. The valley was huge! We needed to look out for every cow, get them together and drive them all to the other end of the valley, down a big slope, until the next grassing space. I was more than ready and so was Chimango.

What can I say? Chimango and I were a great team. The experience took me back in time to when I was a little girl on my family’s farm. We used to work a lot with cattle. I always remember how my brothers made all these funny noises with their mouths to make them move and I was always too shy to make them myself. I would go along in silence, taking notes in my head. Those silly noises were much more effective than any gaucho’s lazo. Well, those notes came handy on this day. Chimango took me after every cow in our way and I recreated my brother’s noises, making them trot their little legs along the dusty path. I was so happy I didn’t really care that everybody was looking at me like I was crazy. Later that day, the group commented on my absurd noises and we all had a good laugh.

 

We took the 308 cows down to their new pasture. The slope was steep and the dirt was everywhere but it was exciting and fun. It was an amazing experience, an incredible team work. Every horse and rider was a private team, and then the whole group was an even bigger one. We managed the task without any inconvenience and it was a wonderful sensation. Our faces were black with dirt when we finished. Once the cows were where they needed to be, we continued down the valley to an incredible spot where Armando made us a delicious asado.

The forth day, the big descent

I took my time to come out of my tent on the fourth day. I could hear everybody already enjoying a hot bath but my body wouldn’t respond to my commands. When I finally managed to do it, I forced myself into the warm waters and then everything was better. The cold mornings were coming hard on me. I am not a morning person. It was a good decision because that day would be a hard one. We were going up till the highest point of the whole ride and then we would do the big descent they had told us about the previous days. To be honest, I was a little afraid, I didn’t know what to expect. The ones we had already done were pretty serious to me, and this one would be even worse? I was already praying Chimango would bring me down safe and sound.

 

We started going up one of the hills that surrounded us. It wasn’t hard but we climbed a lot. It was colder up there! (My body was ready to reach lower lands). From that spot we could see the Copahue Volcano and the town, lying on its feet, really small. There were other mountains, like the El Nevado and El Bonete. They all looked like volcanos. We took a lot of pictures with our freezing fingers. Then we continued downhill and arrived at a plain where there was a lovely cascade that looked like a slide. It was awesome! Nature was blowing my mind everywhere I looked. We went a little further up and reached a beautiful natural lagoon where we had lunch. The water was turquoise, it was stunning. It just came up from the earth and filled the land, no river or nothing that created it.

After lunch we continued going up until we got to the highest point. From over there we could see Caviahue, its lagoons and the rivers nearby. Everything looked really small. It was an impressive view. To make it complete, we even saw two or three condors flying above us. We took a really cool picture of the whole group before coming down. We were facing the deathly slope. Chimango and I were ready. Martin checked everybody’s saddles and we faced the task. It was the first meters that were super steep and rocky. It was frightening, but not as much as I had imagined. It was good that I had made my imagination scare me more than it really was. Chimango was steady and sure of its footsteps. He took it slowly and calmly and made me feel I was safe the whole time. It was a long way down but we all got there safely. I was loving my horse increasingly, every step he took.

 

Once down it was glory. The temperatures came up and there was golden grass and lovely rivers again. There were even some wild horses that passed by us galloping, like saying hello. It was dreamy. I was very happy, the entire day had been full of nature at its best. The landscapes continued to surprise me, changing every time to something even nicer. We rode on a little further, crossed the Achacoso River and set up the camp right next to it. There was joy and excitement in everybody. The horses were left to rest, they deserved it more than anybody. That night we had a great dinner and then we all shared some drinks. It was definitely a fun night and the weather was friendly and invited us to stay up and talk and play games. We had a big laugh and little sleep, but it was worth it.

The fifth day, peace and love

The fifth day was just perfect. I felt spoiled in every way. We were able to wake up a little later, 9.30 AM and enjoy a slow morning. I had some mate with some homemade granola. It was a most welcomed cloudy day: no strong sun killing our tired eyes; good temperature, neither cold or hot; and no wind, just peace and calm. The day was an easy one, no big ups or downs and no cows and dust. When everybody was ready, we got on the horses and rode on the most beautiful landscapes. After very little riding we got to an amazing spot where we would have lunch: the River Agrio Cascade. There are no words to describe exactly how beautiful this place was. I’m just going to say that the colors were mind blowing and the cloudy day made them even better.

 

There was a big cascade and down below where the water fell there were many pools of this turquoise water. All the rocks around were of this strong orange color, due to the volcano’s sulfate, that contrasted perfectly with the water. It was incredible, it was like being in a painting. We went down to the pools and had lunch in the orange rocks. The group immediately went into the freezing waters. They were crazy! I couldn’t believe how fast they were attracted to them. I was by no means getting near the water, I was just fine admiring everything with my clothes on. The chefs prepared a delicious picada we all enjoyed very much. The drinks from last night made us all very hungry, or at least me.

After lunch we continued the ride through this stunning canyon. I was just impressed with the views of the day. We were surrounded by mountains and the path was full of plants and grass and different colors everywhere. Green, different yellows, orange, golden, it was an explosion of tones. I just couldn’t take enough pictures. The camping spot for the night was also lovely. It was by the Agrio River and it looked like it was naturally made to be a camping site. It had a perfect place for the tents, a perfect place for the fire and the perfect space for the horses to rest and eat grass. We were embraced by trees and plants and as a background sound we had the river flowing. I felt protected and hugged. This was our last night and it was very special. It was quieter than the previous one, more introspective and thoughtful.

Last day, the grand finale

The last day arrived, and with it, some unpredictable situations during the ride. It was a great day, sunny, hot, just divine. We all had a great sleep and what’s best, we had the morning for ourselves, to enjoy in that friendly spot. Everybody went to the river and then relaxed until the tortillas were done. They were delicious, but they were a little late. It was no big deal, but it was the first of that day’s delays. We got on the horses after eating and cleaning everything up. It was a perfect day for riding.

The second delay of the day was when we lost Tranco, Chula’s dog, two times. It seemed the puppy got tired and got left behind. The first time, when his owner noticed this, she went back looking for him. The funny thing was he appeared when she left, it was like a comedy. We all waited and after some minutes, she came back and we all continued. The second time Martin said we should continue and she would catch up. It was already late and we couldn’t lose much time. One of the chefs stayed waiting for Chula, which was nice, but then his horse got loose and came galloping to where we were. When he appeared between us we had to stop and take him back. So, we were forced to stop again. I didn’t mind stopping, it was the last day and I wanted the ride to go on forever.

 

In between losing the dog another crazy thing happened. We were riding through a pasture where cows were peacefully eating and we suddenly noticed there was a really big one laying on a mud puddle. She was stuck there and couldn’t come out. She was trapped in the mud! We had to help her! We just couldn’t continue as if nothing had happened, that poor cow. The mission took some time, it wasn’t easy. It was a heavy animal. Martin grabbed some ropes and girth from his horse and put it around the cow’s neck and front leg. The other end was tied to one of the chef’s horses, a big and calm one, and he would do the pulling. We had to try this many times because it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. In fact, we were about to abort the mission (Martin would tell the gaucho nearby to go later) when we finally helped her. The cow got up, she was really tired, and walked away to join her partners. I was very happy we took her out.

 

We continued our way after everything was solved. Majo and I thought we were really close to getting to the house, but we were actually really far away. The path was super nice, of course, and the sunset was amazing. We ended up getting there by night time. This was even better! Even if we were all tired, it was the perfect ending for the perfect adventure. The sky was full of stars and it was really dark. We had to trust our horses who knew perfectly well where they were. It was amazing! I was so happy with Chimango. We all rode in the dark, chatting and admiring the moment. We rode for a pretty long time and got there just in time when the moon was coming out. It was as if it was planned. Incredible!

 

Under the moonlight, we took the saddlebags and saddles off and said goodbye to our horses. It was kind of romantic. I thanked Chimango and hugged him. They all went to meet with their friends who were grazing in the nearby pastures. As for us, there was an asado waiting for us and cold drinks. What more could we ask for?