We were in small dusty town called Tupiza, Bolivia.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, after a long life of crime all over North and South America, committed their last robbery in this area before the law finally caught up with them. So it was a place full of wild west history and put images in my head of sherrifs and cowboys, rustling and campfires, beans and blazing saddles, so becoming a cowboy while we were here seemed to make perfect sense!

Growing up , I cant remember ever properly riding a horse , so when we decided that being cowboys for a day would be a good idea it was with some trepidation! When we booked it I had an image of all the horses being tethered together in a line and us being led by an experienced cowboy, slowly and sedately through the canyons. So you can imagine my surprise when we arrived at the 'ranch',which was actually a run down,tin shed on the side of the road with one tree where the horses were tied. I started to worry when I realised that the saddles, stirrups and the rest of the equipment was really worn, the reins were just bits of rope and there didnt appear to be any food or water for the horses.

Being a complete novice I didnt question it and just did what I was told. The guy asked us if we were experienced horse riders and when we said "no, absolutely not", he must have heard, "yep, no probs, been doin it for years" because the next thing I know I had been given a horse, no instruction and a rock to climb on to her from because she was quite big and I could nt get my leg over (now then!!!).

No sooner had I got on the saddle, the horse made off down the road...my feet both immediately came out of the stirrups and I accidentally let go of the reins, but she didnt seem to mind, she just carried on. As a first go at horse riding it was all a bit of a shock, all a bit un nerving. I looked behind and no one was following. Rays horse didnt appear to want to move and there I was trotting down the dusty road on a horse I could nt drive, in Bolivia, on my own!!

Eventually I realised that we had been joined by our group leader, a very able 14 year old who was riding without holding onto any reins and seemed to be controlling his horse with his knees alone and although very young, he gave me a bit of confidence. At least someone knew what they were doing!

Eventually everyone caught up and we naturally formed a single file with our guide at the back and my bossy horse leading. She insisted on being in front and if any other horse tried to over take she would break into a gallop and bite anything passing.... brilliant, I got the bolshy horse!!

We had been going down a normal road for about five minutes when the guide gestured for me to go straight onwards...no chance ! Mrs Bolshy had her own agenda and started speeding up into another scary gallop once again and headed right, down a track, at full pelt, then stopped abruptly at a tree and proceded to have a good old munch, so wilful!!...anyway, turned out she absolutely knew where she was going and as the track disappeared it opened up into some of the most spectacular scenery, proper canyons,cactus and a vulture like bird which screeched around the canyons as if warning us of some impending doom. It really felt like we were on a hollywood film set and Clint Eastwood would turn up any minute, wearing his poncho and chewing on a cigar!...I had to pinch myself several times en route..here I was in Bolivia, in Butch and Sundance territory, in the canyons on a bonkers horse......wow!

We rode up to a gap in the rocks with a little stream trickling through, tethered the horses (hee hee I even sound like a cowboy!) and took a photo break, which was handy because every time I had tried to take a photo while on the horse she seemed to know and started to gallop. She was definitely in charge of the trip.

The boys horse seemed to take a liking to Ray and followed him around, we offered him, water, a tangerine, a biscuit but all he seemed to want was to be near Ray...aw !

The 14 year old took the lead after this and started off down a different track. I think because we were so rubbish at driving and controlling the horses they all flew into a sudden state of confusion and each horse started galloping off in a different direction, it was a great big ball of dusty choas! ...yeee ha!! There were five horses in total and our very capable guide ended up having to chase each one of us in turn and round us up like sheep, tie us to a tree and go and get the next one. We were so useless it was hilarious!!...I managed, through trial error and extreme terror to stop my horse by pulling on the reins but no sooner had she stopped than she revved up and shot off in a different direction again, my heart was pounding from fear off falling off...it was brilliant!!

We were in the saddle for five hours and eventually I started to trust my horse, she was beautiful and she knew precisely what she was doing. There was one point where a great big gust of wind came sweeping through the canyon and blew my hat off and it flew past her ears. This really spooked her and off she charged off again...once again I was rescued by the boy and tied to a tree almost as if I was being punished for being so rubbish!

We went up and down fairly steep and rocky parts of the canyon but she was very cautious, considered and precise in her footing and by the end of the afternoon I had grown so fond of her. We had an agreement, I would talk to her and praise her and pat her and she would get me back safely, thankfully it seemed to work.

As we headed back, my back, hips, shoulders..well everything ached and I wondered how cowboys spend days on end on horse back, they must have buttocks of steel!

I was really sad to get back to the tin shack ranch, I didnt want this trip to end and I really didnt want her to go back to the dusty road to be tied to a tree. This trip had absolutely been right up my street and I would definitely do it again. I never did find out the name of my horse but I stroked her velvetty nose at the end and thanked her for looking after me and really hoped someone was looking after her because this was her life and she'd have to do it all again tomorrow.....blimey, no wonder she was bolshy!!