German
French
SpanishJanine Whyte, the “Globe-trotting Cowgirl” - Part II
By: Virginia Imberti Posted: 24/01/2020
Ampascachi sonly offers horse riding holidays in Argentina.
Horse culture is part of Argentina’s traditions.
Exploring this country on horseback is an unforgettable experience.
Janine and her experiences in equestrian tourism
In this second part, we continue our interview with Janine Whyte the Globe-trotting Cowgirl, who reveals her experiences in equestrian tourism and explains her point of view that is being formed during these years based on life experiences as a rider.
Since her first horseback safari in Botswana in May 2009, Janine has travelled off the beaten track and on four hooves in over 20 countries enjoying many adventures such as traversing the mighty Andes mountain range and crossing the oldest desert in the world.
She has just returned home to Ireland after spending a year in Africa working on various horse safari’s in exchange for room and board and is currently in the middle of writing a book of her experiences!
Which was your first equestrian trip?
My first equestrian trip was in May 2009 when I travelled to Southern Botswana, the Limpopo Region and partook in a big game safari by horse. I had no idea that such opportunities existed. I always wanted to do a cattle drive in the great Wild West of America, but after an in depth internet search a whole new world was opened up to me, there were almost too many options!
Landing in Africa for the first time is something truly amazing, the vastness, the ruggedness, the rawness, an almost primal sense of belonging takes over, a sense of despite having left this continent many, many thousands of years ago, you have now returned home. Well, I can't speak for everybody, but that's exactly how I felt descending the steps of the air-plane at Johannesburg International Airport, that and a slight twinge of jet-lag mixed with adrenaline at the adventure that was to ensue!
Our days started with coffee or tea being brought to our tents at 5.30am, along with hot water to wash, the aim being to be mounted by 6.30 and have our rides complete by lunchtime to avoid the burning African sun, enjoy a leisurely lunch and siesta and fill our evenings with game drives, bush walks or just simply visiting a beautiful look out point to enjoy a refreshing cold drink while the day gave way to night, before returning to camp to enjoy delicious meals cooked over the fire.
Every day brought new experiences that left me speechless, an assault on the senses that formulated incredible memories that I will never tire of reliving. We rode over a varying terrain of basalt ridges and old elephant trails, the sandstone formations of Soloman's Wall where ancient civilisations harboured wealth among the hills where the Limpopo and Matloutse rivers meet, dense mopane bush, open plains and a land dotted with giant Boabab trees.
The smell of wild sage and fresh grass hung in the air as we meandered along our way. I vividly remember the magical sight of a guard of honour of about twenty giraffes chewing lazily on the trees, their long lashed eyes semi closed in indifference as our horses soldiered by.
I'll never forget the feel of adrenaline as we narrowly avoided being charged by a protective bull elephant, his ears flapping in rage and trunk showering us with dust when we stumbled across his herd in a thick mopane forest, two firm cracks of Cor's bull whip as we slowly retreated to safety staved him off.
The pure sense of freedom and exhilaration as we enjoyed lengthy canters along sandy tracks impala, kudu, zebra and ostrich running along side us. The nervous energy twitching through our horse's bodies when we found a lone lion cub, it's protective mother surely stalking us from afar.
The freedom of riding in wide open space surrounded by such beauty and intensity had me hooked, I was soon very much addicted to equestrian holidays!
If you had to invite someone to a horse ride, and that person didn’t know anything about equestrian tourism, what would you say to convince them?
That it will be the best decision that they ever make and it will change your life. I have met the most interesting people and had the most amazing experiences on horse riding holidays. I have never met a person that regretted going on an equestrian holiday and every rider should experience a riding holiday at least once in their life time.
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What characteristics do you appreciate the most in a horse in order to feel comfortable during a route?
As long as I am in the saddle I am happy. Growing up without a horse of my own but beside a riding school I got very used to riding whatever I was given and just get on with it so I got used to riding a variety of different horses with different characteristics and personalities. I always make the most of the horse I am riding, try to understand why they are moving or behaving in a certain way and try to find the keys to unlock their potential.
I don’t believe that there are truly any “bad” horses, it’s how they are treated, how people approach them and how they are ridden. Horses pick up on our energy, and if we are told a horse is a certain way it affects our judgement and instantly our energy and the horse responds directly to that.
I prefer not being told at all what a horse is like, just get on and figure it out without any preconceived ideas . If I had to choose though I would say a more forward going horse and I like horses that have a quirky personality or are a little complex, horses that are not easy, that take time to figure out, once you do, it’s magical.
How many horse breeds have you got the chance to know? What could you say about each of them?
A lot! I’ve ridden Criollo’s, Quarter Horses, Arabs, Lusitano’s, Thoroughbreds, Boerperds, Ethiopian Ponies, Basuto Ponies, Peruvian Paso’s, Trotters, Anglo – Arabs, Connemara’s, Irish Draughts, Namibian Warmbloods and the list continues!
I’ve actually got a section on my website www.indiananeenersglobetrottingcowgirl.com entitled “Meet the Horses” where you can learn all about the horses I’ve had the pleasure of riding on my escapades and also some of their breed characteristics and histories. They are all incredibly special to me.
What do you think the advantages of riding Peruvian Paso horses are, when you go on an equestrian route?
In 2015 I travelled to Peru to partake in the Sacred Valley Ride. When I decided to do The Sacred Valley Ride in Peru I had already spent time riding in the majestic Andes mountain ranges of Ecuador, Argentina and Chile. I knew the landscape would be breath taking and captivating, I had felt the biting chill coupled with the burning sun of high altitude and I knew the terrain would be technical and challenging.
I had experienced it all previously and I wasn’t overly keen on spending our nights in a hotel away from the horses, but I had never ridden a Peruvian Paso and I wanted to dance the Paso Llano with the “Rolls Royce of the horse world”.
Descended from the horses of the Conquistadors, the Peruvian Paso is “hot-blooded” possessing the royal heritage of pure Spanish breeds. No outside blood has been introduced to the breed since it landed on Peruvian shores; instead it was selectively bred for its distinctive amble, the velvety smooth Paso Llano, at the time there was a need for an effortlessly fluid and comfortable ride as there was no other mode of transport that could link the valleys, provinces and villages of the coast with those of the mountainous regions further inland.
Today’s Peruvian Paso is the result of over 400 years of highly selective breeding making it the ultimate horse for riding pleasure and one of the country’s greatest treasures.
I rode a beautiful Peruvian Paso stallion on that ride, Cruz de Jaime. To this day he is still one of my most memorable horses. Every second I spent in the saddle with Cruz I adored. He liked to prance, cavort and show off every morning but once on the trail he was a dream. We spent six days of extreme technical riding together, climbing to altitudes of 4,350m above sea level along often non-existent rocky paths, enjoyed some glorious canters in the open space of the altiplano and he really enjoyed lots of attention, massages and stretches and scratches!
On day 3, I was particularly unwell. I felt like death warmed up after a whole night of vomiting and other nastiness! I strongly considered not riding but I didn’t want to miss a day in the saddle so though I couldn’t even keep camomile tea down, I was not sacrificing a day with Cruz. Horses are incredible animals, they know exactly how you are feeling before you even do, they are so in tune with our energy, at times its almost frightening.
I watch people ride sometimes and I can tell if they are scared, nervous, lazy, aggressive, all by how the horse beneath them act’s, it’s fascinating. The day I was sick, Cruz behaved as if I were a small child that needed protection… instead of prancing and jogging, he walked mindfully and carefully… instead of rushing and racing, he moved slowly and gently. Cruz knew I was ill and he was taking care of me, everybody else on the ride remarked on it, so incredible.
After a mid-ride break in Cusco, I was back to my usual self, and so was Cruz once he established I was well again! At the end of our trip I cried saying goodbye, especially when he kept looking back at me, I even tried to talk Eddie into selling him to me, contemplated stealing him, even hatched a little plan in my head about how I could smuggle him home to Ireland, but in the end I relented realising that he had a wonderful life on the ranch and I was privileged with wonderful memories.
Cruz possessed grace, style, stamina, comfort, beauty. This stallion is the living embodiment of the wonderful Peruvian Paso. Every rider needs to experience the sheer joy and comfort of riding a Peruvian Paso.
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Have you ever been to Argentina? If you have, what did you like the most about horse riding in this country? If you haven’t, would you like to visit it?
For my second ever horse-riding trip I travelled to Argentina to cross the Andes into Chile by horse. Our starting point was Estancia Huechahue, nestled in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, hugging close to the Argentinian/Chilean border of the Neuquén Province.
The first days riding was around a small portion of the Estancia, mainly just to get a taste for our mounts, the style of riding and the type of terrain we would likely encounter. Illumine was my partner for the Argentinian portion of this trip and she valiantly carried me across rock strewn fields, displayed her great power and strength in scaling mountains, crossed through sparkling glacial streams and enjoyed galloping in the great wide open spaces of the Estancia, all under the cover of a clear blue sky. It felt like riding through a postcard, perfect in every way.
The next four days as we left the wide open plains of Argentine Patagonia and climbed the wild and rugged Argentinian Andes with our sure footed steeds and bulging saddle bags, we were challenged by Mother Nature at every turn.
The mountains we traversed were steep, climbing almost vertically in some parts, the power engine of Illumine’s hindquarters devouring each step hungrily. The descents were so sheer in some parts it was as if the ground had just been swallowed up beneath us, one false move would see you crashing to the bottom.
Clinging to the side of a craggy mountain face is where complete trust between horse and rider came into play, a connection that merges you both into one entity, moving as one being.
After the arduous clamber of the mountains we enjoyed gallops along sandy tracks nestled between the majestic peaks, cows and llamas watching curiously, we wandered through forests of monkey puzzle trees and crashed through crystal clear streams beneath a changing array of weather systems… Wind and rain gave way to sunshine and stillness, cold and damp gave way to warmth and dry, the monumental snow capped peak of Mount Lanin Volcano ever watchful, ever present, growing more impressive with every hoof beat.
Our leisurely lunch stops gave us time to recoup; Pedro always welcomed us with a smile and a feast to silence the hunger pangs. The rich velvety tones of Argentina’s famous “vino tinto” red wine lulled us into a restful siesta beneath the warm caress of the midday sun; our horses munching happily close by.
By night we camped in the wilderness, tents pitched by luminous mountain lakes or cascading streams, the icy cold water a shock to the system but a blessing for the sore muscles! We experienced a night as true gauchos when we reached Lorenzo’s sheep farm, wild and remote with no vehicular access, we slept on our sheepskins and rode with a caravan of pack horses. Pedro cooked fine feasts over the fire, great big chunks of Argentinian beef and racks of ribs to satisfy our growling stomachs and fuel us for the next day’s adventures.
An amazing experience in a beautiful country.
Do you like equestrian trips with comfort or do you prefer those that are more adventure-like, where you sleep in camping, in tents?
I have to say that my preference is more for camping and adventure than comfort and luxury, give me the five million star hotel over the five star hotel anytime! A lot of the places that I have ridden in are very remote, I often find that the most beautiful and serene landscapes are those that are inaccessible. I like crawling out of my tent to a beautiful sunrise or sleeping beneath a blanket of stars, no level of luxury can top Mother Nature for me.
Which words would you use to define your life up to this moment?
Adventurous, Fortunate, Beautiful, Amazing… Perfect!
Do you have any mentor or model from the equestrian world? (Another influencer, a sportsperson.)
I recently read a book entitled “Horses Never Lie” by an American trainer called Mark Rashid and I was captivated. In his book he verbalises exactly my thought processes when it comes to working and being with horses, leading by example and not by force, being the type of leader to your horse that is dependable and confident, the type of leader your horse will not only willingly choose to follow, but actually seek out.
I was not able to put it down!
It is a book that I will read over and over again and hopefully with each read it will help me be a better horsewoman, there is always room for improvement!
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years time I hope to have my book published, I hope to be able to give up the day job and I hope to be more involved in Equestrian Tourism. The dream is to have a horse safari of my own, to be able to share my love of horses, travel and adventure with others on my own trails… it’s a work in progress!
/ Sources of the photos: www.indiananeenersglobetrottingcowgirl.com /
Janine is a lovely person, talking to her is a joy as she is willing to answer all your questions. It is amazing what a close bond she has to horses and her profound look on life, as she enjoys the simple things.
In this interview, Janine has given us more than one reason to start planning horse riding holidays and connect to the really important things in life.
Thank you Janine for sharing your thoughts with us!
We hope that our readers find it as interesting and inspiring as we do. If you got curious, you can read more about her trips and follow her equestrian adventures on her blog, on Facebook, and you can see more photos on Instagram.
Thinking about a horse riding holiday but don’t know how to book it?
Download our free eBook "How to plan your next horseback trip" and learn all you need to know when choosing the right holiday and outfitter for your next equestrian adventure.
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MESSAGE TO OUR READERS
The content creation team at Ampascachi Horse Riding Holiday would like to thank our readers who have written a comment on this interview with Janine Whyte.
We would like to clarify that the content creation team does not make comments or judgements on the answers of the interviewed person.
In this case we solely publish the opinions of our blog readers about the concepts of the interview, whenever they do not offend the interviewed person.
Thank you again for your comments.