WEEK 2 | 5001: Mexico a Caballo
Chiche to Huehuetenango, Guatemala
As I write this 15 days into our journey north to Mexico, l lie in my hammock wondering if the guard dog where I am staying is going to bite my ass from below if he hears me coughing. I continue writing…
In the last week we rode into beautiful Santa Cruz del Quiche. Then northwest into Huehuetenango, courtesy of a new highway that in typical Guatemalan fashion is hilly as hello!!! Views were superb but the riding hard.
In our first 2 weeks of travel, 4 of our 8 riding days have featured extraordinarily steep and long hills. I get off and walk up and down the 15% or more inclines, but the sheer length has been ridiculous. I have walked for 10 kms straight at times to give Roxy a break….
Being a little distracted before leaving, I wasn’t ruthless enough with what I brought with me. The hills made me reconsider and just the other day I shipped ahead 12lbs of gear don’t absolutely need to make our journeying easier. Yesterday, was a smoother ride as we faced less hills and carried a lighter load. It was a sign of days to come, my upcoming route to Mexico and beyond. Gone are the steep hills that define Guatemala, and make this country a very difficult one for solo horse travel. It has been a remarkably tough start, but as we walk and ride into WEEK 3 our mileage and days are sure to be much shorter.
Our hosts all throughout have been more than accomodating. They have been like lights of hope shining on us and their country! We have shared horse, farming and life stories, and Roxy has given rides to children along the way. She is slowly turning into a therapy horse day by day!
https://youtu.be/MFcSj6_45HA
I ride with pride and humility, learning and sharing about horse culture as we go…
We are riding to raise funds for Equine Therapy in Mexico.
https://5000milesofhope.org/red-terapias-ecuestres-mexico/
We approach the border and as usual, borders cost a lot of money. This is the time when I ask if you would like to help us with our ride by making a donation or by buying a copy of one of our books.
You can donate to Equine Therapy in Mexico or to us here 》》》
https://5000milesofhope.org/5001donations/
Thanks for reading and all your support!
Chris MacLuckies’ professional career began with a decade-long stint as an organic vegetable grower in Ontario Canada. His career is prolific in breadth and scope. He has farmed organics commercially, volunteered in Guatemala, ran a gardening business, raised and raced sled dogs, tended his livestock, and ridden his horse on a multi-country expedition.
Chris is a certified TEFL ESL English Teacher, author of seven books, freelance content creator, and outdoor travel gear designer.
