With Evan Leiva following me in his truck, Frenchie, Bruiser and I made our way out of Liberia. The support vehicle came in very handy as I was riding in the dark. Due to the extreme heat and humidity here in Costa Rica, I am forced to begin my days before the sun rises. This makes it a lot easier for the ponies to trek, but it also puts us in great danger as cars are unable to see the horses until the last minute. Luckily, Evan followed me until the first rays began to light the sky.

“Okay brother you should be good now, good luck and if there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to call,” Evan said as we shook hands and he drove off.

The next few days were hard as the heat only seemed to go up and the roads got narrower and narrower. Fortunately, the idea of arriving at the coast and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time on our Long Ride kept the moral up!

Finally on a steamy Tuesday afternoon, just outside of Puntarenas, we arrive at the coast. For the first time in their lives, Frenchie and Bruiser looked out at the Pacific Ocean – what a moment. I walked them down to the water and as soon as the first wave flows toward their hooves they both shoot back as if it is burning lava. I walk them back towards the waves but as soon as the water returns they do the same thing.

“Easy boys, easy, it’s just water,” I reassure them as I give Bruiser’s neck a pat.

We try a few more times but Frenchie is not having any of it. I can almost read his mind, “Are you kidding me, after all of this riding you now want us to cross the ocean? I don’t think so.”

After starring into the horizon for a while and getting the boys to at least sniff this weird looking substance, we continued our ride for Jaco. I cant even express how big this moment is for us! I remember daydreaming about my Long Ride from Toronto 2 years ago and walking my ponies on the shores of the Pacific Ocean was such a distant thought. Now here we are, leaving hoof prints in the sand.