Beantown Bonanza

One of the reasons Harvard is such an exciting place to go to school is because it's located smack in the middle of a small city. There is always action going on somewhere in Harvard Square and a variety of good restaurants, movies, plays, bookstores etc. to keep you busy (although New Yorkers might beg to differ).

Some people are addicted to the energy of urban life and are bored without it while others can only take it in limited doses. Harvard Square isn't exactly the Big Bad Apple, but constantly fighting crowds, dodging murderous Boston drivers and listening to angry panhandlers take their wrath out on you when you don't buy into their scams can begin to take a toll on you, especially if you're not a city person.

If you're sick of angry punks, rattling subways, and bricks (former governor Bill Weld '66 said the reason people don't look you in the eye in Cambridge is because they're trying not to trip on those treacherous brick walkways) then you need to get out of Harvard Square for a bit. Even a couple hours of respite will do wonders for your mind and body and give you a chance to clean out the soot from your lungs (I know Cambridge isn't L.A. but those old MBTA buses spew out their fair share of poisonous fumes). By getting out I don't mean taking the subway to the Porter Square shopping mall but going somewhere where there's open land, fresh air and a slower pace of life.

If you feel like playing cowboy for a day, you can go horseback riding at an equestrian center right outside of Boston that is accessible by public transportation. Called Boston Equestrian Center, it offers trail-rides on conservation land. Trail rides are $25 for one hour and are given for beginners through advanced riders. Boston Equestrian center also offers a $99 inclusive five week beginners program that teaches things like tacking and all the other basics of riding. That program takes place for an hour-and-a-half every Sunday and is offered every five weeks.

Horseback riding is a lot of fun and a great way to explore the woods. Most of the fun in riding though is the interaction between you and your horse. Horses can be very intelligent animals when they take their mind off of eating and are very sensitive to what you, the rider, is feeling. That's why one of the most important tips when you first get on a horse (besides making sure you're holding both reigns and that your feet are in the stirrups) is to just relax. You'll most likely have a better ride and more control of your horse if you're calm and collected from the start.

If you get on your horse with sweaty palms and your heart in your throat (as many beginners do), the chances are greater that your horse is going to find some way to give you a hard time.

For the most part, the East has a different philosophy in teaching horseback riding than the West does. I was taught how to ride in Wyoming by some cowboys who put me on a wild horse with no helmet and sent me off galloping into the sunset with a bunch of equally clueless beginners. Fortunately I survived this 'sink-or-swim' way of teaching without breaking my neck (only a few bruises), but obviously this is not how Boston Equestrian teaches riding or they'd in court every day facing massive lawsuits.

Horseback riding received a lot of bad press the last couple of years with Christopher Reeve's paralyzing accident and other fairly well-known figures getting injured by horses. Horseback riding is actually quite safe, especially if you are a beginner with an easy-going horse on a guided trail-ride and you pay attention and wear a helmet. It only starts to get more dangerous as your ability increases and you try to do more and more (such as jumping) with more high-strung horses.

To get to Boston Equestrian Center, take the inbound Red Line to Park St. and switch to the Orange Line. Take the Orange Line to the Haymarket stop and switch to the Haymarket bus station. Take bus #426 to Revere Saugus and get off at Linden Square in front of the Annamark nursing home. Walk up and take a left onto Liberty Avenue, then a left onto Breeden St., and then a right onto Morris St. You will see a big red barn that is Boston Equestrian Center. Make sure to call them ahead of time (338-8400) to schedule a ride.