HORSE BACK RIDING

Never have I ever… ridden a horse. Until now. And not just once, but twice in one month.

For someone who’s spent most of her life quietly side eyeing horses from a safe distance, this was a plot twist I didn’t see coming.

My long standing fear of horses goes way back to childhood, around 10 years old. A girl in my class fell off a horse during a school trip. We never saw her again. No explanation, no updates—just gone. Of course my overactive mind jumped to conclusions, whatever made the whole situation make sense.

Then there was the time I was out in the field with my mom, and a horse got loose while still attached and dragging the pole she was tied to. She took off running, full speed, and leapt right over me. The pole missed my head by inches. That moment alone etched itself into my memory and, understandably so, made horses feel… unpredictable.

But fast forward to now—I decided it was time to face the fear, gently.

My first ride was with a very large pony. Before climbing on, I got to feed her, brush her, and connect with her. The instructor walked alongside us, leading the pony and guiding me step by step. I was nervous, of course , but I did it (mostly for the gram lets be honest, but im glad something pushed me). I got through it. And surprisingly… I liked it. The rhythm, the calm, the quiet power beneath me. I walked away thinking, Maybe I could do this again. And I did.

This time in the Hollywood Hills. This wasn’t a pony. This was a full-grown horse. And this time, no one was holding the reins for me.

I felt so much more confident this time around, maybe about ten minutes or so into the ride. Kinda like I had graduated from passenger to partner. Riding through the hills, overlooking Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign, so magical. I had gone from fearful to fearless, just like that.

Okay—not completely fearless. I still don’t love the smell (I’m a horse girl in theory, not in aroma). But I’m proud. Proud that I didn’t let childhood fears define me. Proud that I trusted myself to try. And proud that I now have two beautiful rides under my belt.

The rides are available to the public on weekdays at $75 for an hour ride, and weekends at $110 per hour with a 10percent discount when using SIMPLYTASIA10 on the FEVER APP (check under los angeles activities)