Marquesas: Meet the last horsemen of these paradise islands

NationalGeographic.com - Full Artice

For centuries, the Marquesans have preserved their home's rich natural heritage and distinctive cultural traditions.

By Amy Alipio
Photographs by Julien Girardot

The Marquesas Islands are part of French Polynesia and yet proudly apart. You won’t find overwater bungalows and turquoise lagoons on these 12 volcanic islands, six of which are inhabited. Instead, the Marquesas feature green peaks that plunge directly into the sea, waterfall-laced valleys, and dramatic rock spires. In addition to this rich natural heritage, the Marquesans are active in keeping alive distinctive cultural traditions in tattooing, dance, language—and horse riding.

Horses were introduced to the island of Ua Huka in the mid-19th century, a gift from French admiral Abel Dupetit-Thouars, who brought them from Chile. Islanders tamed and adopted them over the years, and they became the perfect transport for traversing roadless valleys, steep slopes, and high ridges. Horses enabled islanders to range widely in their hunt for wild goat and pig, which are traditionally slow-cooked in an umu, an underground oven...

Read more here:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/oceania/french-polynesia-marquesas-islands-horse-riding-pictures/?utm_medium=40digest.prsonly.20181221.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

Mongolia: The Last Reindeer Riders: Expedition to the Tsaatan of the Taiga

Gearjunkie.com - Full Article

By Erik Cooper on December 20, 2018

The Tsaatan tribe in Mongolia lives in harmony with the reindeer they raise. They are among the last nomadic tribes rooted in this historic relationship. I traveled to Mongolia to learn more about their culture.


I raced in the world’s longest and toughest horse race, the Mongol Derby, in 2012 to follow a passion for exploring the world on the backs of spirited horses. While racing, I found Mongolia one of the wildest and freest places on the planet.

Curious to know more about the unique cultures within Mongolia, I came across a book by Jimmy Nelson, “Before They Pass Away.” A photograph of the Tsaatan tribe riding their reindeer captivated me. The photo compelled me to meet them for myself while their way of life still exists.

To the Taiga
A year later, I returned to meet the last reindeer riders. Using skills honed from growing up on a horse farm in Missouri, I began leading expeditions to their camps...

Read more here:
https://gearjunkie.com/reindeer-riders-tsaatan-mongolia

2019 Ride Season - Ashley Wingert

Gopony.me - Full Story

DECEMBER 4, 2018 / ASHLEY WINGERT

AERC ride season starts Dec 1 and runs through Nov 30 of the following year. Which means that as of this past Saturday, 12/1, the 2019 AERC ride season was on!

Only once in the 13 years I’ve been doing endurance have I done a December ride…they just historically haven’t happened very frequently in AZ, which is a shame because the weather in early December is just about perfect. I’m guessing that timing between holidays probably makes it more difficult.

But we’re fortunate this year in that we’ve got a brand-new ride coming up on Saturday, 12/8 — the Dashing Through the Trails ride, held at Estrella Mountain Park. I’m really excited about this ride — it’s “local” to me, being only an hour away, and it’s the site of my very first competitive trail ride I did, back in 2001, so there’s some major nostalgia and memories involved...

Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2018/12/04/2019-ride-season/