horse tales

Galloping Gourmets share good times & meals

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY Elaine Macdonald

People often look for ways to spend their free time. There are many sports and outdoor recreation involving healthy activities. Besides aerobic and gym activities, some common outdoor hobbies that can be shared with friends are golf, swimming, bicycling, hiking and horseback riding.

There is something quite satisfying about being close to nature and taking in the great outdoors. The choice is yours in selecting an on-the-go outside pursuit!

The Galloping Gourmets are a little-known group of lady trail riders who take pleasure in riding trails throughout Southern California. The Gourmets are not affiliated with any association or organization.

The riders are a close-knit group of women who enjoy riding their horses and savor a good meal after the ride. Most of the riders are retired. Some have a flexible work schedule and are able to attend the two scheduled rides a month.

The ride calendar is discussed and prearranged at the yearly Galloping Gourmet Christmas party. Each year the party is held at a member’s home. At this time, new members are welcomed into the group and new ride locations are discussed. Rides in the High Desert are desirable in the winter and spring, while riding in the Los Angeles area and the mountains are selected for the summer months.

Stroll down the trail

The group is 45 members strong. They come from various communities in Southern California. There might be 12 to 20 women on any given ride. The group rides are not advertised or open to the public. The Galloping Gourmets can invite guests to join them on a trail ride.

There are requirements in order to ride with the group. A guest should be a seasoned rider (no children or men) and have a quiet, safe trail horse that can maneuver around obstacles found along the trail.

There are many different breeds that the women choose for their stroll down the trail. Some prefer quarter horses, Arabians, appaloosas and paints, while others prefer gaited horses such as Tennessee walkers, fox trotters and Peruvian Pasos.

A good trail horse is worth its weight in gold, and trail etiquette from each rider is expected. Horses that display bad behavior on the trail while in a group of riders might be a safety concern. It is quite a satisfying outdoor experience to ride your favorite horse down the trail with a good group of like-minded women.

Enjoying sweeping vistas and naming flowers found along the trail is always a welcome sensation. Fording creeks while stopping to look at wildlife on easy riding trails is forever a splendid opportunity. The Galloping Gourmets ride from three to four hours at a time and enjoy the mystery and adventure of every ride.

After the ride, the ladies meet for social time. The leader for that day’s ride selects and works with a local restaurant able to accommodate the large party of lady riders. The riders often attract attention when entering the food establishments. Heads turn when customers see a dozen or more cowgirls being seated in western attire. The clinking of spurs stops when the gals kick off their boots to sit back and enjoy a late lunch with refreshments. After lunch, the women drive their large rigs from the parking lot to haul their precious cargo of companion horses homeward.

A bit of history

“My friends and I started riding locally in the Shadows Hill-Sunland area,” said Jean (Reynolds) Reisen, one of five original members of the Galloping Gourmets.

“After riding casually together for seven years on the same trails, we decided to be more adventurous and trailer out to new trails. We chose every other Tuesday for our travel day. Our group of five soon began to balloon as we invited friends. We were choosy who we would invite. The gals had to be polite, stay together in the group, and watch out for each other. Novice riders or green (untrained) horses were not welcome. We started meeting at Christmas time to set up the rides for the year. Each member would contribute $3 to cover the cost of mailing the Xeroxed ride dates and contact numbers of members.”

Reisen said some of the ride locations have included Happy Camp in Canoga Park, Brookshire Park in Pasadena, Griffith Park in Burbank, Malibu Creek, Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce, Lockwood Valley, Mount Pinos in Frazier Park, the High Desert, and Mammoth (a week-long adventure in August).

The Galloping Gourmets is celebrating its 30th year.

“The ladies group represents a great example of horsemanship and camaraderie,” Reisen said. “Our history may be helpful to others who would like to start a riding club made up of friends.”

While Reisen no longer rides horses because of recent hip surgeries, she is active in showing and driving mini horses in Tehachapi.