|
Hawaii’s Back Yard
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi
|
Go out on horseback on Kauai tour
From the time I could pick up crayons, I was sketching horses and dreaming of owning one. I devoured all the classics -- "Black Beauty," "Misty of Chincoteague," "My Friend Flicka," "National Velvet," "The Black Stallion" -- and looked forward to flipping on the TV every week to watch "Bonanza," more to admire Ben Cartwright's palomino and Little Joe's pinto than anything else.
Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride
Meet at: Princeville Ranch Stable's headquarters at the intersection of Kapaka Road and Highway 56, about a mile west of Princeville Airport on Kauai. Watch for Mile Marker 27; it's less than a mile from there.
Offered: The three-hour ride goes out at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Check in 30 minutes before departure time.
Cost: $125 per person, including tax and a lunch of turkey and salami pita sandwiches, cheese, fresh fruit, cookies and juice
Call: 808-826-6777. Reservations are required.
E-mail: info@princevilleranch.com
Web site: www.princevilleranch.com
Notes: Riders must be in good physical condition and able to handle two hours on horseback and a steep hike down to and up from the picnic site. Wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, sunglasses, a liberal dose of sunscreen, a hat or visor, and a bathing suit under your clothes if you wish to swim. Bring a towel. Minimum age is 8 and maximum weight is 230 pounds. Children younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 18 must have written consent from a parent or guardian. The four-hour Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride departs at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Mondays to Saturdays. It costs $135 per person and includes everything in the three-hour tour, plus another hour on horseback.
|
On Sunday afternoons, I begged my parents to drive me to Aina Haina (considered "country" back then), where a beefy cowpoke would trailer ponies to a big grassy field that has since been covered by a McDonald's and a parking lot. Along with at least a dozen other kids, I'd wait patiently for my turn to mount up for a quarter per ride.
What fun it was! Round and round we went in a small circular arena on the backs of steeds with names like Sparky, Dynamite and Apache. We'd start off at a walk to get accustomed to the feel of sitting in the saddle, but by our last few circuits, we'd be going along at a lively trot.
I loved everything about riding -- the movements of those spirited ponies, their warm bodies and distinctive smell, and I even enjoyed getting my hands and jeans dirty. More than 40 years later, it's a pastime I still pursue with passion.
Go on Princeville Ranch Stable's Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride the next time you're on Kauai and you'll understand why.
"Horses are incredibly majestic animals," observed Rick Promer, the guide the day I took the tour. "They're beautiful to watch, and they're always teaching us something, whether it's patience, humility, responsibility or respect."
According to Promer, the horses used for the ride are gentle and even-keeled, but definitely not nags.
"We don't use old gray mares," he said. "Our horses are in excellent shape and they respond well; they require their riders to motivate them and communicate with them. Our guests leave with more knowledge about horses than they had before and have a great experience no matter what their skill level is. A lot of people who take this tour have never been on a horse before."
Riders are matched with mounts based on their size, weight and riding ability. "We have horses that are more energetic, so we put more experienced riders on them, but really, any person can ride any of our horses," Promer said. "They're all steady and trustworthy."
Every horse in the string has been selected and trained by David Carswell, regarded as one of Hawaii's top horsemen. The Carswell family has leased 2,500-acre Princeville Ranch since 1978, initially as the base for their horseback-riding business. For 12 years, they've also raised cattle. Today, 600 head of Brangus (a cross between Brahman and Angus breeds) roam the ranch's verdant pastures.
"They're used to people on horseback," Promer said. "Sometimes we'll ride right through 200 or 300 of them. We've seen calves being born; February through April usually are the birthing months."
Only a small herd was in the pasture my group rode across; contentedly grazing, they barely gave us a glance. We ambled along, admiring Mount Namokama in the distance and a wide variety of plants close-up. Guava, hala (pandanus), mountain apple, hau trees and more decorated the landscape. Our pace was kept to a leisurely walk, allowing plenty of time for us to drink in the spectacular scenery, shoot photos and "talk story."
COURTESY OF PRINCEVILLE RANCH
Horse riders of all skill levels from ages 8 and up are welcome on Princeville Ranch's Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride.
|
|
COURTESY OF PRINCEVILLE RANCH
It's a steep climb to a waterfall, the highlight of the hike, but safety harnesses help.
|
|
AFTER ABOUT AN hour on horseback, we dismounted and started a quarter-mile hike down a steep trail through a dense forest of ferns, jetberry, eucalyptus, vervain and kukui (candlenut).
We heard the song of the falls long before we saw it. As we descended 20 wooden steps set into the earth, it came into view -- a fern-lined, 80-foot silvery veil cascading into a refreshing pool. We took a dip, meditated on nearby ledges and enjoyed a picnic lunch before heading up a different path to the area where our horses were tethered.
A 12-foot climb up a rugged rock formation to another pretty waterfall was the highlight of this hike. Don't worry; although it may seem daunting at first, you don't have to be a mountaineer to tackle it. Wearing a safety harness and making good use of footholds, we all made it to the top in less than a minute.
Promer has taken guests from all walks of life on the Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride, but the ones who stand out most in his mind are those who have physical challenges, whether it be a disability or a serious illness.
"A lot of times they do this tour as a life-affirming thing because of the difficulties that they've gone through," he said.
He recalled a woman in her 50s who'd undergone 11 surgeries for cancer.
"She did the ride and the hike, and climbed up the rock wall," he said. "It took a lot of courage and energy for her to do that, but she insisted she could do it, and she did."
In a few cases, riding at Princeville Ranch has dramatically changed people's lives. It did for Robin Cooke, who took a private tour when she was vacationing on Kauai three and a half years ago. She was so captivated by the scenery that she went into the stable's office and applied for a job after finishing the tour.
"She was hired, and six weeks later, she moved here from Jacksonville, Fla.," Promer said. "She's now the assistant manager of Princeville Ranch Stables and also works as a guide. She had no idea she was going to move here; it took just one ride to convince her this was the place she wanted to be."
Lush tropical foliage, breathtaking panoramas unmarred by buildings, swimming beneath a waterfall -- these are the things people dream of when they're planning a visit to Hawaii.
"The Waterfall Swim Picnic Ride fulfills that fantasy," Promer said. "Add the adventure of being on horseback and the tour is that much more special."
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based free-lance writer and Society of American Travel Writers award winner.