Page 102 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER SPRING 2022

love me, don’t you, horsey?” I wanted to pull off my Gorji, my guide led me to a horse which was as
duster and throw it over her head. Kelly turned small as a Shetland pony. ”Our horses might have
right onto a forest trail dappled with golden aspen small legs, but they respond perfectly to com-
and fragrant Ponderosa. It was like a magic forest mands and are some of the fastest in the world,” he
but Lisa wouldn’t shut up. “Go, horsey,” Lisa said. said. “And please don’t say giddy-up. Say chew and
“Hey,” she called to Kelly. “My horsey won’t go. She whip him on the flank. You’ll be flying across the
just wants to eat.” plains just like Genghis.“
“Pull up on the reins. Then he pointed to some-
Don’t let her eat,” said Kelly. thing which looked like a
“But she’s hungry!” Lisa metal croquet wicket and
protested. said, “If you’re afraid, hold
onto the sissy bar.” The sad-
“Horses are always hun-
dle (if you could call it that)
gry. Give her a kick.”
was made of three wooden
“Oh, I don’t want to hurt planks with no give, more
her,” said Lisa, and then, to
uncomfortable than sitting
the horse, “Please be a nice
on a wrought-iron bench.
horsey and go.”
“Chew,” Gorji said, and
I knew Kelly wouldn’t say started up the trail on his
anything because Lisa was a
horse.
guest, but this was ridicu-
“Chew,” I said and kicked
lous. Unable to hold it in any
longer, I turned my head and my horse. It didn’t budge.
called back to her, “Horses Gorji turned around,
don’t speak English. They “Kick him harder,” he said.
speak reins and hands.” She I dug my sneakers into his
went silent, but only for a flanks. “Chew,” I said, but he
little while. Soon she was at still wouldn’t move. Gorji
it again: “Oh horsey, you love me don’t you?” now galloped away. “Chew,” I said, kicking with my
When we finally arrived back at the corral, I got foot, but nothing happened. I screamed for Gorji
off my horse and left, too angry to say goodbye. to come back. When he finally did, I said, “I have a
When I saw them at dinner, I turned my chair away bad horse,”
and ordered the most comforting food on the “It’s not the horse, it’s you,” he said.
menu: a double martini. “No, it’s the horse,” I insisted. “Let’s change
But I’m not a quitter, My next trip was to Mon- horses.” He rolled his eyes, but I insisted we
golia, a place where children learn to ride before switch.
they can walk. The Mongolians invented the bit, “Chew,” said Gorji to his horse and galloped
stirrup, and boots that point upwards for stability. away.
Here, you can ride everywhere with no fences “Chew,” I said to the new horse and kicked him.
anywhere. One of the most beautiful places is It was as if the same bad scene were replaying. I
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, the area where screamed for Gorji to return and he finally gal-
Genghis Khan was born. I envisioned myself gal- loped back. “I told you it was you and not the
loping across open grasslands surrounded by horse,” he said.
spectacular rock formations, pine forests, and
“Well, whatever, he refuses to move.”
the Khentii mountains.

102 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2022