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TRIPS AND PROGRAMS
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www.russian-horse-rides.com
Example 8
End of December 2002
Ivan and Masha, Moscovites, both computer programmers. They have been looking for a quaint provincial town to visit (this kind of holiday-making is becoming fashionable) and do some horseback riding if possible. Staritsa popped up, and the old Staritsa site of our own making took them to our invitation to enjoy village life and horse..
Hopped on the direct Moscow to Staritsa bus and were met at the bus station.
Just one adventure on the way from Staritsa to Dubrovki. That was the first major snow fall of the year, and the old UAZ truck got overheated from crawling through snow. The steam came out not from under the hood, as one would expect, but from under the seat, to the horror of passengers who ran away with disgraceful shrieks. The photographer, for whom steam-from-under-the-seat was too a previously unencountered phenomenon, has overcome his lower instincts, pulled out his camera and recorded the this episode for the posterity. In 30 seconds it took to activate the high-tech camera the cloud down to 20% of its original size.
At the end the guests were happily delivered to Dubrovki, fed, and put to bed. It was so cold that all of Dubrovki's population with the exception of Uncle Kolia and Aunt Shura had to crowd into the guest room.
Little animals first.
Busik earned intense dislike from all of us, and misses no opportunity to be petted by guests.
By the middle of the next day, however, the guests joined The Busik Haters Society. Good tasted does not allow me to describe what exactly the rascal did to them to cause such a turnaround of mood.
Proceeding to larger life forms...
Trying to take the little Moonie away so that she doesn't get underfoot.
Learning to harness a horse into the sleigh. Very different from arena riding.
Loading cans...
..and off we go to the ice hole.
People are asking for "theme programs" (the best translation I could think of for "meropriyatiye"), so let operating a horse-drawn sleigh be one.
Olesya, not wishing to cut a Christmas tree, made one out of branches.
Saying goodbye to the old year.
Next day we learned picking and cleaning hooves. Can't get far if you can't easily lift their legs and check their hooves and shoes. Regretfully, they don't show any of these in Russian horse riding establishments.
The day ended with viewing of a rather idiotic vampire movie. As an adherent of an outlook tinted with oral sadism I appreciate a good or even a mediocre vampire movie but the Queen of the Cursed or whatever did a long way of curing me of my perverse fascination with the genre.
Total cost:
$50, plus their participation in house work, plus brought a lot of good and delicious things. Stayed with us three days, did 2-3 hours of riding per day, were met in Staritsa and delivered right to Moscow..
I must confess that I suggested they buy me half a tank of gas to get them to Moscow. That wasn't part of the original plan but after it was discovered that there wasn't much left in my wallet following the purchase of 10 bags of oats and bran, and I was reduced to begging for gas money.
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