A Pokemon Go Horseback Adventure!

By: Brittany Bevis

By now, chances are you’ve heard about the international gaming phenomenon known as Pokémon Go. Launched on July 6th, the app reportedly made more than $14 million across all mobile platforms during the first week of its release. Some news reports indicate that more users are playing Pokemon Go than are using Snapchat and Twitter…

In case you weren’t around in the late 90s, here’s a bit of explanation. The Pokémon Go craze stems from Nintendo’s original game, which introduced a fantasy version of the Japanese tradition of bug-catching. Pokemon are fictional characters that humans catch and train to battle each other for sport. Now, Nintendo has taken the next step by combining the fantasy world of Pokemon with the GPS mapping capabilities of our smartphones, allowing gamers to catch Pokemon in the real world.

Confused yet? So was APHA member, Darla McCain, when her 15-year-old, self-professed “non-horsey son” asked if he could ride. “I’ve tried for years to get my boys to ride with me,” she says. “Although I was hot and tired, having just returned from two days of trail riding and camping, I said, ‘of course you can ride!” When Jordan came out all decked out in jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat, I knew something was up…”

The goal of Pokemon Go is to explore the cities and towns where you live in an attempt to catch as many different types of Pokemon as possible. When gamers walk into the vicinity of a Pokemon, their phone will vibrate to let them know one is nearby. By using the phone’s camera, the Pokemon magically appear in your surroundings. Gamers have to move to catch them, and some are fast. So, what better way to catch a speedy Pokemon than to rope him, from horseback?!

Jordan has been playing the game for about one week and so far he has caught 20 Pokemons. “I started playing Pokemon Go simply because it looked fun, and I’d heard good things about it. However, riding a horse to help catch Pokemon was more of a joke than a serious tactic. I thought that the concepts of Pokemon and riding horses were incredibly different, and merging the two cultures seemed somewhat humorous,” he says.

Jordan’s partner for his Pokemon Go horseback adventure was “Leta,” a 9-year-old sorrel overo mare by Impressive Proposal. Darla purchased the horse three weeks ago from a good friend, because the mare is by her stallion. “We bought our black overo stallion, Impressive Proposal, as a weanling, 19 years ago,” she says. “He is an APHA Champion and a multiple World Champion and Reserve World Champion sire. We have been raising and showing foals by him for 17 years and are now breeding some of his daughters.”

“I show when I can, but with three boys that play sports, my weekends are consumed. I did breed, train, and show one of my homebred fillies to win a Reserve World Championship in Open Longe Line. I like to trail ride my APHA horses when I can, as well. My husband and boys help out when absolutely necessary, but the horses are my passion.”

Unfortunately, Jordan didn’t catch any Pokemon while riding Leta; however, it may have sparked an interest that can be explored in the future. “Some Pokemon are harder to catch,” he says. “A horse would most likely prove beneficial to help catching the more rare Pokemon; however, this idea wasn’t part of my original thought. I haven’t caught many rare ones quite yet, but my rarest one is Oddish. There is actually an alien spaceship nearby that a couple of my buddies and I went to, and we found quite a bit of Pokemon there.”

“I would definitely like to ride more in the future. Horses have always been around my family, but they didn’t really peak my interest until now.”

Admittedly, Darla doesn’t know much about the game. She’s just glad it’s encouraging kids to leave the house, get some exercise, and have new adventures. “I honestly don’t understand this game, but I do enjoy watching my kids and friends share their captures!” she says. “I’m just glad my house isn’t a Pokestop!”

“We got some cute pictures of the horseback riding Pokemon Go adventure, but, as I figured, Jordan was done riding after about 10 minutes. Maybe, if I just walk away and stop critiquing his riding, he’ll ride more. I just can’t help it!”

With the game’s uber popularity on the rise it’s likely you will encounter a few Pokemon-seekers hunting down a Squirtle or Bulbasaur in your neck of the woods. That’s because the game also leads players to Pokestops, where they can gather eggs, score extra points, and catch more Pokemon. Typically, Pokestops are located at easily identifiable landmarks like historical monuments, public art installations, universities, or museums.

There have been a few strange stories circulating, like the US soldier who captured a Pokemon while on the front lines in Iraq or the man who found a Pokemon on his wife’s hospital while she was giving birth.

TIME- 9 Weirdest Places People Have Caught Pokemon So Far

US Weekly- Pokemon Go- 8 Weirdest Incidents So Far

Granted, it’s all fun and games… until someone gets hurt. So, if you plan to go on your own Pokemon Go adventure, use common sense.

If a Pokemon shows up on private property or a dangerous construction site, you should probably let that one go…

If you spot a Pokemon at a funeral home, in a cemetery, or at a hospital, those probably aren’t good places to be hunting Pokemon…

Finally, if someone offers to drive you around in their car so you can catch more Pokemon, that’s probably a BAD idea.

Stay safe and have fun hunting your Pokemon!