The other side of horseback riding

By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

I’M not very fond of horses (or animals for that matter), so horseback riding isn’t usually part of my Baguio itinerary. However, on my recent trip to Baguio, I figured that I had to try it just for the sake of saying that I went horseback riding, so I did just that.

I found myself in Shalan ni Kabadjo, a small horseback riding place inside Camp John Hay, where we were staying. It was small, unlike other famous horseback riding spots like Wright Park. A small sign hung on a post showing their rates — P350 for an hour and P200 for half an hour.

Benjamin Ngo-Ay, the manager of Shalan, was nice enough to show me around and tell me about their riding path. He said that Shalan gets a lot of customers during the summer (especially around April) and over the holidays.

Here’s a video I took.

Shalan has sixteen trainers who come in everyday to have their horses rented out. These trainers rely on Shalan for their everyday income.

Since they all need to earn a living, they make sure that every trainer gets an equal chance to rent out their horses in a day. During lean months, some trainers bring their horses elsewhere while the rest split the money they earned for the day.

He also shared that horseback riding is not as lucrative as it once was. Fewer visitors try it out (usually foreigners are the ones who do). He said that some trainers were forced to sell their horses and just find another job. But others like himself stuck it out and stayed in the business just because they love it.

“Hindi ko iiwanan ito,” he said. “Napag-aral ko ang mga anak ko dahil dito.”

I originally did not want to stay long, but Manong Ben’s stories made me stay. While he guided his horse Kopiko around the riding path, he told me amusing stories about Baguio, his family, and even some chismis about a local celebritiy who went riding in Shalan once.

When you hear about horseback riding, you naturally think about the horses. Not a lot of people see the trainers who work hard to take care of their horses and earn a living. After hearing Manong Ben’s stories, I’ve found new respect for horse trainers like him. My horseback riding experience was not even about the horses anymore; it was about the people and their stories. I’m still not fond of horses, but I told Manong Ben that I’d drop by again the next time I’m in Baguio, that is if he’s still there.

“Naku iha, siguradong nandito pa ako,” he said.

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