A Worry-Free Hike, a Contented Family

It’s a bit crowded in the saddle, with my 4-year-old son, Simon, and me sharing a horse. Diamond, our ride, sinks her hooves deep into the thick mud with each step. We peek through the trees, trying to catch a glimpse of the majestic Lake Louise below, one of the Canadian Rockies’ most celebrated gems. We are following the rest of our family — my husband, Rich, and our daughters, Nicole, 11, and Emily, 9 — on a horseback ascent to the Lake Agnes teahouse, climbing to a 1,320-foot elevation. What Simon doesn’t realize yet is that on the way back down the trail, this saddle is all mine.