The Mongolian Cure For Hoof-Phobia

By Bruce Kirkby

Rating: ** ½

In this article, Bruce Kirkby and his friend Christine decide to take a trip to Mongolia, unsure of where they’ll go. During they’re six week adventure they take in Mongolian traditions, their customs, and obsession with milk.

The first day they arrived, they went to a farm and purchase three horses. They also found a very kind man who would guide them through the beginning of their journey on horseback, around Hovsgol Nuur. The fifteenth largest lake in the World . Being inexperienced and very nervous on horseback, they quickly found they needed his help. After the fifth day of travel, their guide Nara , had to commence his journey home, leaving the two tourists on their own. They made their way around the lake with a few hitches, including having one of their horses stolen. Along the way they stopped in some tiny villages, and being common courtesy among Mongolians to give food ( milk, cheese, and yogurt), shelter, and gifts to passerby’s , found them selves bearing scarves and homemade items. As they felt they needed to give something in return, Bruce and Christine would give their clothes, and unnecessary items, leaving them with no possessions. And they loved it, not having to carry around useless items and being free from the modern day advances. In a month and a half they finished their trip through Mongolia and headed back to their home in Canada. Feeling brand-new and realizing the best things in life are not the things we own, but the people we share it with.

I think we can all learn a lesson from this, sometimes you have to just let go and live a little. It may be hard to part with your worldly possessions but once their gone, you won’t miss them. I enjoyed this article as it shows how to live carefree, just enjoying the world we have, and the small amount of time we have to enjoy it.

Kirkby, Bruce. ‘The Mongolian Cure For Hoof-Phobia’. Explore, September/October 2006