Sleigh Ride - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Sleigh Ride

From skiing to sledding there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors during the chilly days of winter.

Reporter Sarah Gustin takes you for a sleigh ride along the river bottoms of the Missouri.

Dixie and Frank and Dolly, sometimes I bring her out too.

What started as Dixie and Frank's winter workout has turned into a favorite winter activity.

Brian McGinness / Team Driver: "There were a lot of years of just fantasying working with horses before I started doing it. One of the things I thought of, wouldn't it be fun to do sleigh rides and wagon rides and now that I am comfortable working with the horses, it's a dream come true. It's a lot of fun."

Sarah Gustin / sgustin@kxnet.com: "McGinness says that a sleigh ride will last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, all depending on how cold it is outside."

Brian McGinness / Team Driver: "That first ride we went for about an hour and a half because we were having such a nice time, and I am open to that too, depends on how cold it is actually."

5 days a week Brian McGiness harnesses this duo for their run along the river.

Brian McGinness / Team Driver: "In the spring, they will be working on the farm and they have to plow. Plowing is a lot of work, so they have to be in shape to do a good job, so that is how it benefits them and me."

He says while most trips are for exercise, he has been using the team to also get some work done.

Brian McGinness / Team Driver: "We use wood in our house, heat our house with wood. so kinda got a big spot of woods down there, but can't drive in there too well, so I go and cut the wood and then I bring the horses, load the wood in here and bring it home."

The loop's about 4 miles---just enough to work up a sweat.

Brian McGinness / Team Driver: "I most enjoy working with the horses, I like to see them being used and being useful and I feel like it's what I have them for."

South of Mandan for KX News, I am Sarah Gustin.>>

If you would like to go for a ride you can call Riverbound Farm at 202-9834.