Kaukaz Horses

Horse riding in Kaukaz is unlike any other adventure.

After successful training week and expedition to ELBRUS summit it’s time for relax. We have decided to have rather extraordinary dinner to celebrate. Jaro found a restaurant with lake and trout in it. The catch was, you have to catch your dinner to have a meal. The so called “rybalka” means fishing and the restaurant was surrounded by streams and lake. It was getting dark so the fish couldn’t see us. I guess that has helped to catch the dinner. Otherwise I cannot explain how me and Milan managed to catch 4 trouts in 40minutes. It was brilliant tho. Chasing fish with the rod and corn has something going for it. The meal was prepared to the perfection and I was pleased to gather sufficient energy for the next adventure. Horse riding in Kaukaz is unlike any other adventure. Spectacular nature and wonderful trails leading to hundreds and hundreds years old pine trees make this experience unforgettable. We have climbed to 3000 meters above the sea level and had to go fairly slow to keep our horses happy. Four legged friends took us around rocks that looked like from another planet. Huge cobbles, masses of stone looking like perfect cubes or long ribs bind to each other overhanging the trail constantly reminded me of the nature’s power. On the other side of valley were tons and tons of water rushing down the cliffs into endless streams that supply local villages with fresh water. Around the time I was looking up the rocks to see a observatory we have planned to reach we found out that due to a massive snow dump and ice still well frozen on the trail we have to turn around and go back. At the beginning I was a little sad about that but the local cowboys took me to waaay more extravagant ride instead. One of their horses escaped so we went to bring it back home to the herd. Imagine a terrain goat trail. Narrow, steep path paved by rocks and stones. Water rushing down making some areas muddy, deep and slippery. The connection between me and the horse was incredibly important as any wrong move could mean a flight down highly exposed slope. And I don’t believe for a second the horse was Pegasus. The lost horse was found far up in the slope and it didn’t really object to us taking him home. For another 30 minutes we were treading super carefully, went up and down by trail inclining and declining by about 40 degrees in places. We have crossed multiple streams and rock traps to finally safely arrive back to our village. I ve thanked to my horse, however he didn’t want to give me his name, just said to come back again for another ride when I have time. I ll be riding in Kaukaz again.