I was bit by a horse at summer camp when I was a kid. It was the last week of summer and all the horses were pretty ornery from having kids climbing all over them the past 3 months. I’d spent most of my week at camp shooting bows and arrows, carving my spork, learning how to read a compass, and various other things you do at summer camp. My day finally arrived to ride the horse and I was pretty excited. Unfortunately the horse wasn’t as excited as me, and while I was learning how to groom him, he turned his head and bit me. The bite left a big purple welt on my chest, and a lifelong hesitancy around future horses I’d meet. I got off pretty easy though, as my horse wasn’t the only grouchy one at the camp. My friend’s horse trampled him. He was fine however after several weeks in the hospital (he was actually fine after a few minutes)
So, with my uneasiness around horses always present, I saw a really majestic horse today and thought I’d take some photos of him. This horse was grazing just outside our idyllic, peaceful camping spot in El Chalten, Argentina. He was munching away happily on grass and seemed “like a very nice and well behaved horse.” I was wrong. A few seconds after I started snapping photos, the horse reared his head and took off running towards the river bank. Once he reached the bank he promptly turned around, leveled his gigantic head at me, and came running back at full force. My bad-luck attraction to ornery horses was in full effect today.
I’m trying to become a better photographer, so initially I held my ground and kept snapping pictures. However, at a certain point my own self-preservation took hold, and I ran away screaming hysterically like a 2nd grade school girl being chased at recess. The “terrifying” horse ran past, almost grazing me, and disappeared in a cloud of grass and dirt up another hill. I’m not certain, but I think I heard him snort my name as he ran past. I kept glancing uneasily in his direction to see if he was coming back to finish me off. Ana provided no help for my desperate situation other than to laugh at me. And I thought we were a team! We got some good photos though, so here they are. The last one was when I bugged out.
On a happier note, the offending horse was caught and eaten later that evening. He was delicious.
I’m glad that horse didn’t trample you! But at the same time the vision of you screeching like a girl as you took off for the hills was quite amusing. Can’t say I wouldn’t have been laughing with Ana.. (actually I probably would have been shooting and then screeching with you!)
May 12, 2010
Hermoso todo lo qu estamos viendo del viaje!!! Pero quisiera dejar claro algo… en Argentina no se comen caballos, al contrario… y me gustaria entender el chiste por el caballo rebelde que no queria fotos… esa no es carne de caballo esa es buenisima carne de vaca… Genial el chiste!!! ABrazos y felicitaciones por el viaje!!!!
Chad escribió: Marce, gracias por tu aclaración! Tiene usted razón, en realidad la carne fue bife y muy bueno! Ana y yo comimos en el restaurante tres veces porque era muy buena. Nos gusta mucho la carne Argentina, vamos a extrañar mucho a este país cuando nos vayamos. Quise decir por la chiste que en el caballo que me aterrorizó :), no un reflejo de la cocina Argentina - es espectacular!!! Lo siento si mi chiste no se tradujo muy bien. Gracias por mantenerme honesta y leyendo nuestro blog! Saludos! Chad
May 12, 2010
Beautiful everything we are seeing on the trip! But let me clarify something … in Argentina, we do not eat horses, on the contrary … and I would like to understand the joke about the horse rebel who did not want pictures … this is not horse meat, this is good quality beef… Brilliant joke! Hugs and congratulations on the trip!!
Chad wrote: Marce, thanks for your clarification. You are right, the beef is actually cow and it was really good! Ana and I ate at that restaurant 3 times because it was so good. We like Argentina beef a lot, we will miss this country very much when we leave. I meant for the joke to be on the horse that terrorized me :), not a reflection of Argentina cooking - it’s awesome!!! Sorry if my joke didn’t translate very well. Thanks for keeping me honest though and reading our blog! Saludos! Chad
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