After crossing the state of Parana from North to South, we arrived in the city of Barracao – the last city we would cross before entering Santa Catarina.

Here, three cities, three states and two countries meet in one place. Barracao, Parana is separated by one street from Dionisio Cerqueira, Santa Catarina and General Manuel Belgrano, Missiones, Argentina.

Here Brazilians and Argentinians are neighbours.

“There are people who live in Brazil and work in Argentina and vice versa,” Pedro, our host told me while we walked through the streets of Argentina.

There is no river that separates the two south american countries here. All day people roam free through the dry border entering one country and leaving the other. It’s mind boggling.

On our fist morning resting in Barracao, I made a horrible discovery while feeding the mares. Life had kicked Doll on her back left leg leaving it swollen and a little lame. With the only horse vet in town in bed-rest due to a jaw operation, I was forced to deal with this problem myself. I sent the recovering vet a video of the wound and he prescribed the medication I was to use for the next 4 days. Every morning I had to give Doll an intravenous anti-inflammatory injection and in the afternoon an antibiotic one in her muscle.

“When you are on a trip like this I guess you have to be a bit of a vet,” Pedro said as I found Doll’s vein one morning.

After 3 days treating Doll the swelling on her leg went down and she was walking a lot better. We said goodbye to Pedro and thanked him for all of his help before riding into the state of Santa Catarina. A Gaucho and his little boy rode with me for the day as we followed small dirt roads south. It felt amazing to be entering another Brazilian state.

“I don’t think my son will ever forget this day as long as he lives Filipe. I’m sure one day he will tell his grandchildren he rode with the cowboy who is travelling the world on horseback,” Marcelo told me at the end of the day.

When I went to say goodbye to his son Marcelinho, I could see he really wanted my healing rope. He had been eyeing it all day.

“Marcelinho, since you rode with me today, I want you to have this rope,” I said passing him the  bright pink nylon rope.

He opened up a big smile on his cute little face and gave me a tight hug.