52 New: #3 Horseback Ride at Turtle Bay

January 22, 2021

The last time I rode a horse I was in Mexico and seventeen. So riding a horse in Hawai'i at forty-four definitely seems like a NEW activity. Aloha Friday started off with a fun ride on the North Shore at the Turtle Bay Stables. The path we rode on meandered alongside the ocean, beside the golf course, through the forest, by locations where several movies have been filmed (Pirates of the Caribbean, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Hunger Games, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked), and Kawela Bay---home to a large amount of cute Honu (green sea turtles).

Our hour long tour of the beautiful grounds at Turtle Bay was wonderful. We really lucked out on good weather (it has been raining all week) and having a great tour guide in Raul. Since we are still in a pandemic, Jennah and I enjoyed the horseback riding adventure as the only two on the tour. We still social distanced and wore masks (which was quite cumbersome with a helmet, reins, and of course trying to take iPhone photos) but these precautions didn't diminish from the enjoyment we experienced on the tour.

I can't say for sure, but it seems as though our horses were picked to suit our personalities. My horse, Bentley, was somewhat naughty and always wanting to stop for a snack. Bentley also liked to pester our guide horse by nipping at his backside. Jennah's horse Beatle was super laid back and did what he was supposed to do for the entire ride, definitely chill and ready for whatever.

I'm not known for my love of animals. I've never had a pet. I don't cry for Old Yeller. But I do enjoy horses. They always have an easy way about them that makes you want to reach out and pet them, or in the case of today, ride them. Even the naughty ones. Bentley and I were fast friends despite my having to pull the reins tight a couple of times. He seemed to have a second sense about what I could handle on the ride and what I could not. We maintained a slow, leisurely pace that was just what I wanted as almost thirty years have passed since I've last ridden a horse.

It was so nice to get to experience this ride with my friend Jennah who is always up for any adventure. There is talk of future rides at sunset...but first we need to see how sore our legs are tomorrow!

If you are looking for a fun morning (or afternoon or evening too I suppose) adventure, I would recommend checking out The Stables at Turtle Bay. It checks all the boxes. Good service. Easy and free parking. Pretty drive. Online booking. Out in nature. Horse therapy. Ocean views. Instagram content. Memory making with friends Supporting local business. Covid protocols followed. Learning about this area of the North Shore. Friendly and informative guides like Raul.

I have now checked three items off of my "52 New" list. It's not much, but I already feel a sense of gratitude for being able to see, hear, taste, smell, and learn new things. Every item on my "52 New" list might not be as fun or exciting as my inaugural three, but days like today will keep me motivated and hopeful for what other new things await in 2021.