Horses were originally domesticated by cowboys so they could sit during skirmishes rather than stand on their painful prairie shoes made of coyote skulls. Let a magnificent beast replace your feet with today's Groupon: for $32, you get a 60-minute private horseback-riding lesson at Olde Towne Equestrian Center, a rural retreat in a suburban Selden setting. Ages two and up are welcome.

Atop one of Olde Towne’s champion horses, you’ll spend an hour learning how to tack up, proper posture, and all basics of horsemanship. Olde Towne’s professional riding instructors will provide helpful hints, tricks of the trade, and advice about how to get down from a high horse. They’ll cater the lesson to any student's ability, whether you're an advanced rider looking to get back in the saddle or an urbanite who has never seen a horse or seen a horse juggle flaming ping pong balls. Riders trained at Olde Towne have gone on to win accolades and awards at national shows, most recently the three-year-old leadline winner at the Hampton Classic 2009. Grab today's Groupon to feel the wind in your hair, hear the clip-clops of a live hoofmobile, and smell some horse-flesh. Remember to wear smooth-soled riding footwear with at least a half-inch heel.