Alaska Horse Adventures

We went for a 2 hour horseback ride with Alaska Horse Adventures yesterday. What a wonderful experience! By we, I mean 3 adults (all mid-40’s) and 3 children (ages 11, 13, and 15). Our guide, Josua, was very patient with us as only 1 of us had significant horseback riding experience. The horses were spirited, but well behaved. This was no plodding, one-horse-after-the-other-stay-in-line-don’t-go-too-fast experience. We moved along at a good pace and were free to change up the order or walk abreast in the places where the trail was wide enough.
We covered a fair bit of ground alongside the Knik river, but the highlight was at the end, when Josua brought us up to a view spot on the top of a small rise. WOW! What a view! Josua made sure we got enough pictures with everyone in them and really made the trip enjoyable for everyone. We talked about all things Alaska as we walked, but it was clear he always had an eye on everyone to make sure everyone was comfortable and in control. At one point my daughter (the 11 year old) started to get tired, so he tied up her horse to his to ensure her safety and continued enjoyment for the rest of the trip.
The horses were fantastic and everyone bonded with his or her own horse by the end of the trip. Most of the horses were Tennessee Walkers, which evidently have a smoother gate, even when moving more quickly. All I can say is that I never had any problems with the trip being too jarring or in any way unpleasant. My horse, Lasso, was spirited and always seemed to want to pick up the pace (which I let him do to a small degree in some open areas) but he remained responsive and immediately slowed down to whatever pace I desired with the smallest tug on his reins.
The person in our party who owns her own horse and rides weekly, if not daily, in the spring and summer where she lives, couldn’t say enough nice things about how well behaved and solid the horses were. At one point an ATV came pretty close by, which she assures me would unsettled her own somewhat skittish horse. Our horses took the intrusion in stride, with no apparent alarm.
Overall, I can’t say enough good things about Alaska Horse Adventures. If you’d like to get out into the woods and see Alaska from a unique perspective, I highly recommend a horseback ride with Alaska Horse Adventures.