Cowboy Bootcamp in California

Strap on your chaps and giddy up for Cowboy Bootcamp in Southern California’s Palos Verdes Peninsula! Just an hour’s drive from Los Angeles’ Hollywood, in the rolling green hills of a quaint equestrian community, owner Jim Moore offers wannabe cowboys a chance to ride horses and learn about the art of horsemanship.

The Outside Television camera crew and I took the scenic drive for a one-day course on how to ride like a pro. First step was to look the part. I traded in my city clothes for a pair of ripped jeans, a hide brim hat and – most importantly – a pair of very girly pink chaps. Once properly dressed in cowgirl gear, it was time to learn…Wild West style. (for photos check out www.traveljunkiejulia.com)

Part of good horsemanship is proper equine care, so Jim taught me how to groom the horse, clean its feet and saddle it properly. Next was ‘barn maintenance’ which is a sexy way of saying – poop patrol. Armed with a shovel, I scooped horse poop out of the stall and tidied up the straw-lined stables. A little manure manual labor never hurt anyone, right?

From the stables, I got acquainted with my horse, fed her a few carrots, saddled her up and mounted her, slipping one foot into the stirrup and hoisting my un-coordinated body into place. Jim and I ventured out to a set of trails that run 100 miles long, with parts of the trail overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Yes, the vistas were impressive but my focus was on my spirited, grass obsessed horse. I wish I could gallop off into the sunset like the heroine at the end of any classic western flick, but my horse seemed far more interested in snacking on weeds.

In order for the horse to feel safe under my command, I’d have to show it that I was the alpha male…the dominate leader with a confident hand who knew what the hell she was doing. Jim showed me how to hold and control the reins properly and how to subtly command the horse by squeezing my legs and saying ‘Ho!’ when I wanted her to stop. Apparently, horses will dutifully listen to commands, but often us newbie cowboys aren’t communicating the proper instructions.

Over the next few hours, I learned how to ‘speak’ horse. Unlike other horseback experiences I’ve had – the nose-to-tail kind where the horse just follows the one in front of him – at Cowboy Boot Camp I felt like I was actually riding. Yee haw! If ya’ll want to go riding at Cowboy Boot Camp and learn the art of horsemanship, check out www.CowboyBootCamp.net
For more photos of me wearing ridiculous pink chaps check out www.traveljunkiejulia.com