Horse riding from hell, Sucre

Intent on doing something active but not too active (as the Inca Trail is coming up) I decide to sign up or a day horse riding in the Bolivian countryside.

It's a disaster from start to end. We start an hour late and are are taken to what looks like a knackers's yard. When I ask for a riding helmet our guide looks bemused and is forced to return to the office. He returns with four cycle helmets and although not happy, we agree to go ahead.

The guide, who looks 12 but is 18 leads out the filthiest, skinniest, most malnourished horses I've ever seen. One appears completely psychotic so the guide decides to ride him. As a fairly novice rider I'm given a horse called 'Killer' as he's supposed to be the most docile. With a name like that I'm sceptical. To be honest the other horses don't look much better.

For the first hour Killer and I get on fine and we stroll through stunning valleys and hills although the terrain is rough and rocky. Falling off is not an options I want to think about. I must admit I'm a bit nervous and can't fully enjoy the scenery as I'm concentrating on handling the horse. It's all too good to be true. All of a sudden Killer decides he's going to do his own thing and not pay any attention to my 'commands'. He suddenly bolts in the opposite direction to everyone else and I struggle to stay on. It feels like going downstairs on my backside - fast. The guide later tells me he's upset as his 'girlfriend' (the horse's) left the group earlier.

I struggle with Killer for another half an hour until I genuinely start fearing for my life as he starts rearing up on his hind legs. One of the girls who's a more experienced rider offers to take him on and for an hour struggles with his temperamental ways until the guide takes him over but also suffers.

After four hours riding I'm relieved to be alive and on the final stretch. After having to dismount and lead the horses down a narrow mountain path we crossing a river still mounted. One of the horses decides he wants to bathe while crossing with Antonia still on his back. At the end we're rewarded with a barbecue but we're too exhausted to enjoy it. We're all thankful to have got through it relatively unscathed. To forget the dreadful experience we end up at Mitos for cocktails and dancing.

(Photo - the girls and the horses looking rather tame)