Horse & Style Magazine: Patagone
Gone with the Wild
As Featured in Horse & Style Magazine
Written by Alli Addison
Photography by Stevie Anna, Javier Castillo, Carlos Montagut, and Anthony Taylor
In this fast-paced modern world there still exists a wild, rugged and untamed southern land. ‘A limitless place, a trail not yet taken. A land filled with inspiring tales and unaltered truths, and one of the last untouched places on earth.’ This is Patagonia. And this is a place to be explored. But the slow travel days of yesteryear have nearly been forgotten, as we journey from one side of this earth to the next at unnatural speeds. So how does one reconnect with the land, our culture and our ancestors? Exploration by way of the horse.
Horse & Style community, it is time to become acquainted with the nomadic, adventuring, storytelling horsewoman, Stevie Anna Plummer. A great explorer of our generation. The freelancing free-spirit that is readying herself to embark upon a 1,000 mile exploration of Patagonia, with just herself, her trusty canine companion Darcie and her two Criollo Argentinian horses. Two feet, four paws, eight hooves and 1000 miles. Yes, a solo journey across the wild lands of Patagonia. Prepare yourself to be inspired.
H&S: Before we dive into Patagone and your current adventures, let’s start at the beginning. How did your passion for horses, travel and adventure come to be?
SA: I was raised in the woods of Oregon and the plains of West Texas to a religious family. Horses weren’t a part of my life until I made them a part of my life. I believe a lot of young girls go through a horse phase, if not every girl, at one point in their childhood. Sometimes it just sticks, and with me, it was an obsession from the moment I knew what a horse was. I started lessons when I was 4 years old, but my family was never able to afford a horse, so this forced me to ride other peoples horses. Which offered me so much opportunity to learn. And ultimately made me a good rider. In Texas we participated in rodeos and playdays. I loved this, not so much for the competition, but for the fun. It was an opportunity to get out and ride. But as I grew up, I transitioned out of the adrenaline and into the back country. There was an element of peace, enjoyment and serenity. When I graduated high school, I moved to Alaska and began working giving pony club lessons and trail rides. I found myself traveling to the lower 48 and doing the same thing. I was always a camper as well. Combining the two together, horses and nature, was complete harmony. It was where I really wanted to spend my time.