With a foot in the stirrup, a lunge and a swing of the leg, a person can feel on top of the world.

At least that’s how a Record reporter felt when he learned how to ride a horse with South Whidbey equestrian Diana Putney on Monday afternoon.

“There is just something about being on top of a horse,” Putney said while riding. “They’re large prey animals, but are so in tune with what the rider is feeling and if they’re comfortable.”

Putney’s farm borders the forested trail system Putney Woods, which is named after her. From her property, into the forest just across the street and through the mud, Putney’s horses know the routine. Her most docile and elderly horse, 28-year-old Appendix Quarter Horse named Indi, is particularly familiar with the trails and taking amateur riders on a journey. Despite having a novice rider, Indi handled the trip with ease.

Although a first ride can seem deceptively easy, Putney and Erin Hanson, Putney’s daughter and leader of 4-H horse group Whidbey Wranglers, say new riders will feel sore in places that don’t typically ache.

They were right.

The Record reporter’s groin, feet, core and certain leg muscles he didn’t know existed ached from what was a seemingly easy ride on the steadiest of horses. His feet were numb with a slight stinging sensation when they touched the ground.

“Riding builds great core strength and works a lot of muscles that aren’t usually worked,” Hanson said.

“You have to be careful when getting off a horse because your legs may be stiff and a little numb and you won’t realize it,” Putney said. “Sometimes people will jump down rather than using the step ladder and their legs give out.”

According to Putney, Hanson and other riders, the equestrian scene on South Whidbey is as strong as ever. There has always been a healthy riding community on the South End. Hanson said she and her friends used to ride their horses to 4-H meetings and to each other’s houses, and although riders aren’t typically seen on road shoulders anymore, there is now an extensive trail system that avoids vehicular traffic thanks to people such as Putney and groups like the Back Country Horsemen. They estimate there are just as many riders as ever who take advantage of the numerous horse organizations on South Whidbey, from 4-H groups to therapeutic riding programs for people with disabilities and medical conditions.

“The horse community is still thriving here, and it’s one of the reasons I moved out here from the North Bend area,” Diane Bolton, incoming president of Island County Back Country Horsemen, said. “I think a lot of that has to do with the protected trail systems being a priority here. In places like Bellevue and North Bend, you’re always losing trails.”

Putney doesn’t think urbanization is necessarily a threat here. Growth can bring changes to a community’s rural character, but Putney says people she knows in the equestrian scene aren’t concerned about horse riding fading away anytime soon. She credits stewards and those who fight for trails as a serious force.

The forested trails are well groomed, too. Groups like the Back Country Horsemen, who have adopted Putney Woods, regularly ride through the forest with saws to make sure the paths are clear of fallen trees. The Community Park trail system, Trillium Trails and Trustland Trails offer other routes for riders.

On South Whidbey, it’s easy to find someone willing to teach others how to ride, whether adults or kids. All the reporter had to do to get a first-time ride was ask. According to Hanson, riders are always looking for an excuse to hop on their horse and teach kids the value of caring for them. It’s part of the reason why the equestrian community continues to thrive and churn out talent, such as 2012 dressage Olympian Adrienne Lyle and 2016 eventing reserve Maya Black, who wasn’t able to travel due to an injury to her horse.

“For kids, caring for a horse keeps them out of trouble and gives them something to do,” Hanson said. “There is not a whole lot for kids to do on the South End, so filling that hole is important. It also teaches kids how to be responsible.”

Although Hanson has been riding since she was little, she continues to have the same enthusiasm she’s always had for horses. For her, it’s more than a physical activity, and the Record reporter couldn’t agree more.

“Horses are good for the soul,” Hanson said. “There’s a saying in the horse community — the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person.”

Kyle Jensen / The Record Diana Putney prepares 28-year-old Quarter Horse Indi to take a Record reporter for a ride.

Kyle Jensen / The Record Whidbey Wranglers leader Erin Hanson leads a ride through Putney Woods. Hanson is the daughter of Diana and Gary Putney, the trail’s namesake.