Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland – Travel Portland's Staff Blog

Photo by Jean-Francois Leblanc

I am not a horse person.

I like horses and have even ridden them over the years but I don’t count as a real horse person who understands the nuance of a horse. But that doesn’t matter. I went to the opening of Cavalia this week and it blew me away. It was amazing. It was beautiful. The horses are amazing and beautiful but the training, even to this untrained eye, was mind-blowing. I know those horses were doing things that are so difficult that it was unreal. The riders are obviously amazing — they defy gravity and have to balance sideways and upside down at death-defying speeds that makes you cheer. And the acrobats always defy reality. But the horses! And it is all done gently. Observing the rapport between the performers and the horses was the best part of all.

If you are a horse person, go see Cavalia. If you aren’t a horse person, go see Cavalia!

Riding through the Douglas Fir forest in Mt. Hood Territory

That’s right — Greater Portland. Within about a 40-minute drive from downtown Portland into Clackamas County, you’ll find Dream Ridge Stables, heaven for anyone who wants to ride a horse, whether they have a lot of experience, or none.

The owner, Karen, makes everyone who walks into her stable feel calm and comfortable with a lesson and training before heading out into the field and trails.

That's me on the right, feeding my new friend Elmo

Surrounded by old growth forest and a backdrop of Mount Hood, their rides are peaceful, scenic and exhilarating at the same time. I had a blast despite only having ridden a horse twice before, and can’t wait to get back to see my new buddy, “Elmo.” Turns out he’s a foodie like me — he kept stopping for snacks of leaves and branches along the trail.