Riders enjoy Saguaro National Park East from horseback.
Barb Rutt
On a beautiful spring day at the end of March, seven members of the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club saddled up and went horseback riding in Saguaro National Park East. They met at Houston’s Horseback Riding Stables, located on Tucson’s northeast side and nestled next to the Rincon Mountains, for the two-hour ride. Houston’s has been a locally owned business since 1988 and welcomes riders of all abilities.
All mounts were retired rodeo horses, sure-footed and easy to guide along the desert landscape that was dotted with numerous wildflowers and saguaros. Each rider was paired with a particular horse (Cinco, Biggie, Rip, Mac, Rings, Neil, and Ray) based on his/her height and weight. Experienced wranglers led our line of horses along the trail and pointed out interesting sights as we enjoyed the wide-open vistas.
Many of the riders had taken a horseback ride last fall at Houston’s and decided to go again to enjoy another horseback ride in the spring. Houston’s wranglers make the ride an enjoyable experience, and we had no trouble riding though the beautiful national park.
Following our riding adventure, the group met at The Barnyard Crafthouse & Eatery for lunch. This is a family-owned restaurant, which opened in 2021, and the group enjoyed delicious burgers, sandwiches, and refreshments. This restaurant is located a short distance from the national park and provided a great atmosphere to share our experiences about the horse ride. The cowboys and cowgirls included Kathy Minx, Jeff Love, Marc Humphrey, Judy and Bruce Landeck, and Barb and Mike Rutt.