Eric was certainly correct about the trail being more challenging. At least twice I had felt a branch graze the top of my cowboy hat and there was a third time that a branch almost took out my face if I hadn't moved it after hearing Eric call out a warning. Also, there were more than a few times that I was unprepared for a sudden decline in the path and found myself falling hard against my saddle and into the back of Celestial Explorer's large neck. However, despite all of that I was enjoying myself immensely. I wish I had attempted horseback riding sooner in life!
Celestial Explorer seemed to be familiar with this path, moving expertly between the towering sequoias and avoiding the gnarly tree roots embedded into the soft ground. The soft clip clop sounds of horse hooves galloping over
