HARRISON — “The horses know the way to carry the sleigh over white and drifting snow…” Bursting into sleighing songs was irresistible as 111 members of USM LAC Senior College Outdoor Adventure Club set out to explore the fields and woods on a sunny Feb. 16. Sleigh bells ringing, two golden Belgian horses, Madison and Dixon, stepped across the fields following a trail that led into a woodland. A light snow clung to the branches. “It’s like being in a Christmas card!,” one member exclaimed.

Bill and Darcy Winslow, owners of High View Farm, offer sleigh rides through their property for 12 people on suitable weekends in winter. “If it’s too cold for the horses, it’s too cold for you,” Bill explained when postponing the January outing. Dressed in layers with warm blankets, members were ready for what has become an annual event for the club on Feb. 16.

Part way into the trip they passed a yurt. Recently built, it is heated with a wood stove and is available for rent by the day.

Just before the ride’s end, the group stopped at a campfire where hot chocolate and marshmallows were waiting. Kelly, the farm dog who ran alongside the sleigh, waited for a treat.

“If it weren’t for this Senior College club I would never have a horse-drawn sleighing experience like this,” one member said. After 1.5 hours on the trail, the group had lunch at Cindy’s Dockside in Poland Spring.

Senior College club membership is included in the annual membership fee of $35. Club members plan and share the cost of outings held throughout the year. To learn more about activities planned for spring and summer, contact Pat Vampatella, [email protected].