Afternoon activity 5: Horseback riding

On the 2nd Wednesday of our trip, we drove out to the Waimak River Adventures horse ranch on the outskirts of Christchurch and spent a leisurely afternoon riding horses around the countryside. After getting outfitted with helmets, we watched a demonstration on how to get on and control a horse. For most students, this was their first time riding, so I'm sure everyone appreciated having the instructions translated into Japanese by a Japanese farm hand. The ride was very slow and controlled. About 10 staff walked along side of us as we poked along in a long line. The terrain was very flat, and for those of us who had ridden a lot previously, perhaps a bit boring. Still, for the absolute beginners in our group, all went well. Click here to see some photos of this experience.