Oaxaca on Horseback

After a week in the city, we spent three days and nights at the Rancho Pitaya, about twelve miles east of Oaxaca. We did some day rides in the area surrounding the ranch. But the highlight was a longer trip we took by trailering the horses to an area deeper in the valley, and then riding through farmland and up into the hills.

We gained enough elevation to have great views across the valley, and encountered all sorts of semi-wild critters, including a herd of horses. We saw all kinds of farm work being done, and various clusters of livestock.


This was a great chance to see something of rural Mexico never visable from the boat! Thanks to Sara Giles-Madden, a fellow rider who shared her photos with us.

This long ride began and ended at an old hacienda, mostly in ruins, but with a small, recently restored chapel. The owner, the older man in the photo below, was sitting in the courtyard, shucking the recently harvested corn so it could be sun dried and ground into masa. Clearly someone who loves the old ways.