Lesotho Part 1: Top of the World Pony Ride

Lesotho is an 'island' country surrounded by South Africa and it is a very mountainous place. We decided to pay a visit to this special place to learn more about rural life and culture of the Basotho people, who live in Lesotho and speak Sesotho (it took us a few days to learn that trio of words). Here is a little more info About Lesotho

We had heard the best way to get a glimpse of the country was to take a 'pony' trek. I immediately scoffed at such an idea, imagining that I'd be placed atop a Shetland and sent up a mountain, my feet dragging all the way. Turns out that the Basotho Pony is just a small horse, and a sure-footed one at that. After the minibus taxi, pony is the preferred form of transport in Lesotho. Anna is the horse rider in our family so she took the pictures while assuring me that I wouldn't fall down a canyon. 'Loose rein' she'd repeat and that was pretty good advice. It was an all-day trek up mountains, through villages, and across valleys.

The lodge required that a helmet be worn, making me look like even more of a rookie.

Across corn fields to the mountains

Not sure who is herding who.

With our hiking guide to see some cave paintings. They each got the memo about Monday's shirt color.

One of the villages we passed through

Our guide Tato was awesome

So many things about this ride were new and interesting and challenging. We passed fields of corn cared for entirely by hand and equipment drawn by animal. Our guide spoke to us about the challenges of subsistence farming and his dreams for the future of his family. I was reminded of the villages we visited in the mountains of Japan and about the drastic economic disparities in our world that I too often prefer to ignore. And I learned a lot from my horse as well…about giving her a loose rein because she knew the way up and down the mountain much better than me.

Thanks as always for your comments! I'll have another post coming about Lesotho soon…

 

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