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Last year at this time I wrote about travel riding aspirations rather than resolutions: dream rides I’d love to take around the world.

Well, guess what? I’m still dreaming. None on the list materialized, but I haven’t given up. Somehow, sometime, you’ll read post about the week I spent at a Spanish riding school or my ten-day hack across Ireland. But not today.

Today, I’m writing about the adventures (closer to home) I will do this year – some I’ve already booked (and others I’m figuring out how to pay for). My resolution to myself (and you dear reading, but better to make a list of your own) is to complete that list, which by default, becomes an editorial preview of the horsetrotting.net 2015 year. Here’s the list so far:

PanAm Games, Toronto (Caledon), Ontario – Traffic jams around Toronto thanks to construction in preparation of the anticipated PanAm Games have clogged the city for a year. Fortunately, the equestrian events are in Caledon, Ontario, west of Hogtown and closer to my home. Also, there’s a shiny new equestrian centre built for the event. Tickets to the jumping finals sold out in about six hours, so I was only able to secure admission to the preliminary events, but I’ll take it. I will be attending the Eventing Medal Finals, however. Also on my wish list are tickets to the ParaPanAm equestrian events a week later – particularly dressage.

Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, Ontario – We’ve already booked our weekend winter escape (this one for two) at Deerhurst Resort, a large destination facility in Ontario’s Muskoka region. Plus we’re taking the dogs (ok, this one will be for four), which I’ll also write about on dogtrotting.net , a horsetrotting.net sister publication. We’ll be trail riding through hopefully slightly snow-covered Canadian wilderness, and it’ll be the boyfriend’s first time trail riding, so maybe I’ll create a convert.

B&B Ranch, Fly Creek, New York State – This central New York state B&B features only five guests rooms on a working farm and equestrian centre complete with indoor pool and spa. (Rural meets urban with all the creature comforts). A two-night stay includes a five-course gourmet Italian dinner using farm-fresh ingredients and of course an English riding lesson. Because it’s also a boarding facility, you can bring your own horse while visiting, but I’ll be trying out one of their school horses, likely before the big meal.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – A historical re-enactment a la equine is in the works, and no I won’t be firing a musket and recreating a civil war battle, but I plan to do one better: tour the historic site on horseback. Apparently several operators offer this ride and a few dress participants in the military uniform of the time, just to add a step (or stride) of authenticity to the experience.

Stay tuned. Encourage friends to sign up for www.horsetrotting.net and share experiences in the comments sections. As usual, I’ll be posting twice a month.

Note all images featured here are from the 2015 Horsetrotting.net calendar: http://www.lulu.com/shop/sherri-telenko/wwwhorsetrottingnet-calendar/calendar/product-21900223.html#ratingsReview

Brand new wild horse roaming free in the OBX