Some students are reluctant to return to school, but Katie Housek probably has set a record for foot-dragging scholars.
She took 11 days to get back to her studies at Olds College in September.
She and her sister, Becky, took the unusual route of travelling by horse from their parents’ farm near Beechy, Sask., to the college in Olds, Alta., – a 500 kilometre ride.
“It was partly for the challenge and to raise money for friends of ours who are missionaries in Indonesia,” Katie said.
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She doesn’t know how much money they raised because it was to go directly to the missionaries.
The Housek sisters, 18 and 20 years old, grew up on a cattle ranch where most of the work is done from horseback. They were also in 4-H so the trip by horse was not a major problem. Katie said the hardest part was getting up early every morning, and some days were hot. The only worrisome time was when a dog chased them and scattered their horses. One of them ran down the highway.
“I was praying, but some truckers stopped and blocked the horse’s retreat,” allowing the Houseks to catch up with it.
They took three Quarter horses, rotating them through riding and pack duties. The sisters also walked half the time to give the horses a break. One horse lost a shoe so they left it with friends along the way.
“They were troupers,” Katie said of the horses.
She said most people they met were friendly and the sisters spent their nights in farmers’ fields with permission or with friends.
Katie said she and her sister are talking about doing another long distance horse trip, possibly to California. But those plans will have to wait until she finishes her equine studies this year at the college and her sister finishes high school. Katie hopes to eventually start a breeding, training and performance horse business.
Her sister didn’t have to trek home by herself. Their parents came to pick up Becky and the horses and give them a ride home – a trip that took a day.
