Accessible Horseback Riding--Thinking Outside the Box

On Sunday morning, my friend Beth and I decided to go horseback riding before boarding the plane to head home from Colorado.  We were staying at Breckenridge Beaver Run resort for the annual Hands & Voices Leadership Workshop.  Beth called the stables and discovered that we needed to be there within fifteen minutes to be able to fit in a ride before leaving.

It was a beautiful morning on the mountains with the sun streaming through the pine trees.  We arrived at the stable and met our riding guide, Andrea-- a young woman who was working at the stables during the summer and heading back to college in the fall.  The entire staff at Breckenridge Stables was very friendly and they explained some quick rules before we hit the saddles.

I explained to Andrea that I needed to read lips so she turned around each time she talked and faced me.  She even began to summarize what the other three riders were saying so that I could be included in some of the conversations.  The trails were steep, narrow and rocky at some points, but where it was wide open, Andrea turned around and rode backwards.  She stopped at times so I could turn around and have Beth summarize and interpret conversations as well.

I was able to take some beautiful pictures of the mountains, the pine trees and a bubbling brook during our stops.

It was such an enjoyable experience to be able to see the mountains on horseback with an accommodating guide.  People like Andrea make such a huge difference in our lives.

Thank you, Andrea!