Oct 04, 2019 at 09:39 am

So it begins...

Update posted by Solana Perez

My pants and shoes are muddy, and I'm covered in wonderful horse smell from head to toe. Nothing in the world makes me happier.

I want to express my thanks to the first donors to my cause. Because of you, I've secured my training sessions on horseback for the next month: I'll be riding 6 hours a day starting on October 7. On October 8, that's when even more horsey stuff comes in. I'll be getting up at 6 am every day to get Phantom ready; grooming him, feeding him, and tacking up, and riding him up into the trail at around 8.30 am. Followed by more riding with horses Redskin and Nemo. After my 6 hours of riding, I get to take Phantom back to where his stable is located and take care of bathing and feeding him again. Over the weekends, or when there are customers for the pony boys/ladies, I'm expected to help out as a walking guide for their customers. Gina and the other horse owners have come up with this routine for me themselves because it gives us all a nice win-win situation: I get to train for long hours in the saddle at a discounted price, they get an extra hand in helping them care for their horses. And again, it's training for the nitty gritty parts of the Mongol Derby. Once I'm out on the steppe I'll be expected to care for the horses that I'm riding on my own, and get them to the next urtuu (horse station, situated every 35 km) in good condition, where I'll be switching to a fresh steed to take me the next 35 km.

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