Nope. As it turns out, nobody did.
What DID happen, is that an old man pointed up the hill toward the Incan stronghold of Sacsayhuaman, and then immediately offered us the best deal in Peru: the use of his two horses for a mere 50 Peruvian Sol (about 12 dollars). So we did what any two Canadians, facing a steep climb on a hot day at high altitude, would do… we accidentally overpaid, apologized for it, and swung into the saddle wearing flip-flops.
Now, if you find yourself lacking in your knowledge of Inca history, allow me to supply you with the Cole’s Notes version: Sacsayhuaman is the largest Incan structure surviving today and is built on large hill above the former Inca capital of Cuzco (or Cusco). Its construction began during the reign of Pachacuti, the great Inca Emperor of the mid-15th century CE and consists of several, stacked, zig-zagging patterned walls, all built from stones that weigh up to 100 tons that fit perfectly together. In fact, the stone masonry is so precise that, even though dry-fit, the massive blocks will not allow a credit card to slide between them.
Used as an Inca fortress during the Spanish Conquest of Peru in 1532, the colossal structure became key in defending (albeit, unsuccessfully) against Francisco Pizarro and his invading army. After the sacking of Cuzco by the Spanish, Sacsayhuaman was covered with earth, as a way to deter remaining Inca rebels from using the structure again.
The site was only rediscovered in the early 20th century and is now used to reenact Incan traditions—most notably, the festival of Inti Raymi, held every year on the winter solstice.