Nassim - 15.3hh Berber-Arab stallion in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

In May 2004, I had an adventure with Nassim, a Berber/Arab stallion, in Morocco. The horse riding holiday was organised as a trial run of the High Atlas Crossing arranged specially for Unicorn Trails and it started in the desert at a kasbah in the palm plantation of Skoura, traversed the High Atlas Mountains (pass of Tizi-n-Tichka at 8000 feet, 2400 metres) and finished at the Plains of Marrakech. The complete trip was 230 miles (370km) and involved ten and a half days of riding in the early part of May, although the weather was 'unseasonably cold' in the mountains, hence the warm clothing evident in the photograph. There were five riders, although only two of us, and our two guides, had time to make the complete traverse.

Nassim by the desert nomad well

Nassim - At the nomad well

Our route through the desert and mountains had to include places for our horses to drink. In the picture to the left, the High Atlas Mountains are several days away on the horizon but this campsite was in the open desert, set up near a nomad well. On this occasion Nassim was uncharacteristically relaxed and I was able to leave him to take his photograph.

By contrast, Nassim was more lively when he was given a bath; the photograph was taken just a little too late as a moment earlier he was up on his hind legs. Actually, he is having his second bath because, immediately after his first bath, he rolled in the mud!

Nassim in the river

Nassim having a cool bath

Nassim in a rear

Nassim on the loose

Nassim is great at breaking loose: breaking his rope, pulling up the bush he is tied to or, as here, pulling up his peg! (Rather like a ship weighing anchor, he gets right over the peg and pulls up - by going up on his hind legs.) Again, the photograph below was taken just too late because he's on his way down again, but you can see his flowing mane and the flying peg.

Nassim was not a very 'personable' horse; he would rather you let him get on with his job and you can just get on with yours, without any of this bonding 'stuff' (but this had all changed by the time I rode him again in 2006). Susannah, who also made the complete trip, made great friends with her 'boy', Al Pacino. She is seen here first thing in the morning saying 'hello'.

Al Pacino and Susannah

So many people have kindly encouraged me to publish more pictures of my adventure, so I have put together several pages:

Nassim and The High Atlas Explorer Trail