Ranch Journal
Stopping at Chucuyo Waterfall on the Horse Ride
Chucuyo Waterfall gives us a good place to rest riders, check saddles, and let the horses settle before we head over the ridge.
Chucuyo Waterfall is one of the natural stopping points on our horse ride through Chacuyo Valley.
It gives us a place to do a few things that matter. Riders can get down, drink some water, eat a snack, and take photos. If they want to, the pool there is calm and deep enough for a dip. And for us, it is also a good place to look over the horses and make sure everything is still sitting right.
When we stop there, I like to check the saddles before we keep going. Sometimes a horse settles in differently once the ride is underway, and a trail-side adjustment is the right thing to do. It is a simple habit, but it keeps both horse and rider more comfortable for the rest of the route.
That is part of the way we do horse rides here. It is not just about getting from one point to another. It is about paying attention to the horse, the rider, and the mountain as we go.
On one of our early rides, we took Becky and her son Lux through the valley to the waterfall, then over the ridge to Los Angeles. Stops like this are part of what makes our horseback rides in the mountains feel calm and unhurried, and they help us keep the horses comfortable too.
A good trail stop should do both. It should give people something beautiful to enjoy, and it should give the horses a fair break before the next stretch.