Our last big adventure – horseback riding! At the stables, just feet from my room, we watched apprehensively as the wrangler, or “savañero” (man of the savannah or cowboy), saddled the horses. In turn, he boosted each of us up. My horse was called Tico, the affectionate nickname for a Costa Rican. At first I was quite happy that he wanted to follow the leader, Ollie’s horse, Thunderstruck. Over time I discovered that he would do almost anything to keep up to him! Although we were nervous, the horses were not. They set off in their usual direction, alternating walking and trotting. Every time Tico trotted, I worried he would speed up more, but he “had no gas” and would soon return to walking. Except to go right or left, he ignored what I wanted. Once
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