Riding amid the tussock country in the backblocks of the Otago hinterland reminded him of The Sound of Music classic Climb Ev'ry Mountain.
"I feel a yodel coming on," Mr Blackadder joked.
Taking part in their first Otago Goldfields Cavalcade has been a boys' own adventure for Mr Blackadder (71) and his two mates, fellow Cantabrians Jim Lapsley (65) and Sean Lloyd (49).
The trio were riding on the Tussock Creek light wagon and riding trail, led by long-time trail boss Chris Bayne.
The trail left Ribbonwood Station, near Omarama, on Sunday, wending its way into the Ahuriri Valley and into the Lindis Valley on the way to Lake Hawea for the cavalcade finale on Saturday.
The cavalcade was on the "bucket list" for Mr Blackadder, father of former All Blacks and Crusaders captain Todd Blackadder.
He used to play polo - back in about 1920, his friends quipped - but there had been a `big gap" of about 30 years since he last rode a horse.
Still, that was a load more experience than his two friends, who agreed in a "weak moment" to come along, despite lacking any horse-riding experience.
But they had taken up the challenge, learned to ride quickly and were now enjoying seeing the sights off the beaten track that would normally not be seen driving along the main road. They had borrowed "everything" for the ride, including horses, tack and horse-floats.
Asked whether they would be signing up for another cavalcade, Mr Lapsley said they "might have a debrief" when they got home.
The light wagon trail included cavalcade veterans such as Alice Sinclair and Brenda Harland, along with some newcomers, including a rider from England.
Some of the views that had been encountered - including fresh snow on the hills around Omarama earlier in the week - had been "to die for", Mrs Bayne said.
