Long distance riding

[old_woman]

Is there anyone here interested in long distance riding?

I'm not referring to competitive endurance riding in any way - been there, done that! - but to setting off to travel a long distance on your horse.

[Shadowlark]

http://www.peruvian-pasos.com/valbright_lwlg.html

:) The author is a friend of mine.. well OK a friend of mine's husband.

He is a facinating individual, and to hear him talk of the trip first hand is an amazing and inspiring experience!

I wish I could remember the exact details.. however Vern decided to import some proper Peruvian horses into North America, and chose to RIDE them up rather then trailer them to California. The horses wern't even fully trained, he finished thier training on the way. He is still a leading expert in Peruvian pedigree's and has litteraly written the book on the breed. I still have trouble imagining a man of about 6'5 ridding a 14.2 ish sized horse... let alone that far!


It's a topic of facination for me - and something I would like to do at some point in my life. I sure don't have the horse to do it right now. SInce I first heard of the Trans Canada Trail.. combined with story's of Terry Fox's historic run accross our great country - I have wanted to attempt to ride accross our huge country. I should probably start with something smaller.. like a trip to Edmonton or something ;)

[old_woman]

Yes, I've read a bit about him - he's the third one down on this page:

http://www.thelongridersguild.com/Members.htm

It's not weird to me, at all, that a tall man would ride "small" horses; many "small" horses seem generally sounder, stronger and longer-lived than the over-tall ones - and a smallish horse with a good build, such as a Welsh Cob or a Criollo (such as Aimee Tschiffely rode) will take up the leg length of the tallest person, so that they don't even look as if they are a tall person on a small horse! I am not familiar with Pasos so can't comment on them in that respect.


There is so much to read on the Long Rider's Guild website ...

I intend to stick to Europe. Maybe London to Ljubljana or the Atlantic Ocean to the Adriatic, or something like that ...

[Shadowlark]

They are rewnowed as sturdy little mounts - they have a load of "jam" and the gait.. well I have never ridden gait's quite like thiers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU4oWCjM37A&mode=related&search=
Short video of one gaiting out.

I can definatly see one in my own future ;)

[Saje]

http://www.peruvian-pasos.com/valbright_lwlg.html

:) The author is a friend of mine.. well OK a friend of mine's husband.

He is a facinating individual, and to hear him talk of the trip first hand is an amazing and inspiring experience!

I wish I could remember the exact details.. however Vern decided to import some proper Peruvian horses into North America, and chose to RIDE them up rather then trailer them to California. The horses wern't even fully trained, he finished thier training on the way. He is still a leading expert in Peruvian pedigree's and has litteraly written the book on the breed. I still have trouble imagining a man of about 6'5 ridding a 14.2 ish sized horse... let alone that far!


It's a topic of facination for me - and something I would like to do at some point in my life. I sure don't have the horse to do it right now. SInce I first heard of the Trans Canada Trail.. combined with story's of Terry Fox's historic run accross our great country - I have wanted to attempt to ride accross our huge country. I should probably start with something smaller.. like a trip to Edmonton or something ;)


Hi! I just joined but I'm going to butt in anyway. I'm up in Lac La Biche (hoping to move to the central cooridor in the next few months) and I would love to keep in touch with you on this idea. Can't do it for a few years as neither my horses or me are in the condition but I've wanted to ride the Trans Canada Trail since I was a kid!

Ok, ignore the newbie and carry on... :D
edit: sorry just realized this is an older post

[Horsewoman]

Is there anyone here interested in long distance riding?

I'm not referring to competitive endurance riding in any way - been there, done that! - but to setting off to travel a long distance on your horse.


Have vaguely thought about riding to visit different branches of the family as a post-retirement project. (About 75 miles to the nearest lot) Or doing the Trans-Pennine trail or Hadrian's Wall. Haven't thought it out though as it is only a "what if?" at the moment.

[Nik-n-Kia]

I'd love to do that as Kia can go all day when he is fit and I love just ambling about. When we're getting fit for the summer I just start riding about 11 in the morning and keep riding till I ge back home. Building up the trot every week til we're doing more trot that walk.

I would love to ride the west highland way but I dont think that it's allowed. If anyone wants to contradict me on it then go ahead as I would loooovvveee to do it!!!

Nikki xxxx

[old_woman]

I would love to ride the west highland way but I dont think that it's allowed. If anyone wants to contradict me on it then go ahead as I would loooovvveee to do it!!!

Nikki xxxx

Some parts of the WHW are not accessible or suitable for horses, but many parts of it are and the recent changes in access legislation in Scotland have made this type of track far more accessible for horses. The entire length of the Great Glen Way is now accessible to horses, for example ...

[virtuallyhorses]

I'd love to but haven't gotten any further than thinking so far. I was totally inspired reading Tschiffelys Ride and then again watching Long Way Round - okay I know that was motorcycles but I couldn't help thinking that some of their tough bits would've been a lot easier on horseback ;)

[Santi]

I got completely obsessed when i found the longriders guild a few years ago - its a great site.
I really want to do a ride through France, they print a map of bridleways through france and you can go from top to bottom off road (there's not even a sniff of a bridleway for miles here and i live in 'horsey' suffolk!).

I've got as far as going on a trimming course last year and keeping my horses barefoot so i wouldn't need a farrier on the road. One day i'll do it!

[Roheryn]

I would love to try a long-distance ride too. Not endurance riding, just the sort of thing you describe, old_woman. :)

Years ago I read a wonderful book, Ride a White Horse. I think it is this book, by William Holt:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ride-White-Horse-Equestrian-Classics/dp/1590480449

The cover looks different than the book I read, but the horse's name is the same (Trigger). Ever since I read it I have wanted to do something like it.

I have never before heard of the Long Riders Guild--I am really glad to learn about it here and I want to check out their website!

I also found this a week or so ago, about long-distance horseback riding in Europe:
http://www.freewebs.com/bridleways/

I hope you get to do it! If you should want a companion, let me know!

Have you seen this site? I just discovered it--
http://www.equineramblersuk.co.uk/

[Persona]

I rode the South Downs Way on my horse at the end of summer 2004, from Winchester to Eastbourne, 112 miles in total (including the bits to the B&Bs) over five days - it was tremendous!!! I'd love to do the same thing on another 'path'.

[old_woman]

Did you ride alone or with (human) friends?

[No_Angel]

Im hoping to start endurance riding, but my mum and I are planning to do a distance ride over 3-4 days this summer for our combined birthday on our horses, im really looking forward to it.

[old_woman]

Nice! Where are you planning to go?

[No_Angel]

most likely around the welsh borders as it isnt to far away and theres lovely scenery:D

[lor]

I know this is a slightly old post, but a group of us are planning to ride the Pennine way in Sept this year on our exmoor ponies. I was going to start a thread re advice on long distance riding, but there are some great links on here to look at so thanks folks:D

[Roheryn]

I'm glad the thread is being kept active. I've just been rereading Ride a White Horse and I really want to do a long-distance ride!

[mancha70@hotmai]

"There is so much to read on the Long Rider's Guild website ..."

Hi, going through some older post, and noted your interest on long rides, I aspire to be a long rider.
The long riders guild is my fav web site, I could spend days on it!!

I have read numerous long riders books, at the mo Im reading a Christina Dodwell book.

[No_Angel]

Ohh this thread is back:D

Well I did my ride, only 2 days but it was great:D We went over the Stiperstones and Long Mynd. I would like to do another this year and go into wales further.

[Wally]

Have you read Tschiffely's Ride?

Argentina to Washington on a Criollo? Well two. ;) took him just over 2 years in 1925.

[mancha70@hotmai]

Have you read Tschiffely's Ride?

Argentina to Washington on a Criollo? Well two. ;) took him just over 2 years in 1925.



Yes and most of his other books too!

[marieb]

I did a ride from Tredegar to Warminster 25 years ago this month. I had a 3/4 bred arab that time, but I would love to do something like it again on my Criollo Spot, but I would need to be a hell of a lot fitter than I am now 3 hours riding does me in! lol.
As we are about to go to the States I am planning to go into the Mark Twain National Forest (1/2 million acres) as we will be living there. They do trail rides there too so I am really looking forward to that sort of thing over there.
My ride 25 years ago was mostly road work, as there was no other way, but I wouldn't want to do that again.
When we get there our plan is to invite people to stay at our holiday resort and bring their horses with them, so who knows, I many even be organising such things!

[palmerlover52]

One day I will ride the South Down's Way. When I have a horse. And can safely care for myself without lopping off my fingers. I don't think I'd ever ride alone though, I'd get lonely and I have the directional abilities of a teaspoon. Sat Nav for horses anyone?!

There's also a ride that Free-Rein do that I want to undertake sometime in the future. Solo's Mum is doing it with me. Solo's Mum doesn't know this yet ;)

[debsandpets]

Sat Nav for horses well .............................





There is a newish thing on the market called satmap which can be used for walkers, cycling, horseriding etc - not cheap tho, looking into getting one for when we decide to take the criollos away for a few days later in the year

Debs

[palmerlover52]

But then could I handle the woman being all patronising and calm when really she is steering me into a gorsebush?
:p I think I have issues.

[icegirl]

Ive just read a fab book, sent by my brother in Canada, called: "Ride the Rising Wind" by Barbara Kingscote. She rode a Canadian saddlebred called Zazy across Canada in the 1950s (Quebec to Vancouver). The breed is indigenous to Quebec and the horse sounds amazing. Well worth an inspirational read - even though this is an old thread!

[Pigletsmum]

satmap sounds interesting.....getting lost is my biggest fear at the mo :p

[debsandpets]

There are a few on ebay at the moment, for considerably less than RRP of wait for it .............................................













£299 for the unit and then £99 for each map group except the cairngorms at £129 - see told you it wasn't cheap !!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Mind you as it is endorsed by all the different mountain rescue groups etc it must be good !!!!

Check out this link http://www.satmap.com/

Debs

[Pigletsmum]

:p hmmmm ebay definately cheaper.....will keep my eye on it i think.....tried to explain to my hubby but he couldnt understand how we might get lost :eek: he has less understanding about riding that i thought :D

[Wally]

Map reading is one of the joys of going anywhere.

I must eb the only person in the UK without a mobile phone and sat-nat.

[palmerlover52]

Map reading is one of the joys of going anywhere.

I must eb the only person in the UK without a mobile phone and sat-nat.

No, getting angry, tearing up the map, screeching at anybody in sight, crying hysterically then gorging on Schokolade is the fun part ;)

I swear one of the NH trainers became vaguely known when they were in their younger years for riding across America but I can't for the life of me remember. I might have made it up. It might be a wonderous dream.

[Pigletsmum]

:) i could probably try map reading too just need to get organised :eek:

[mancha70@hotmai]

found this interesting site through a web site called "Trotontv" which looks good too.

http://expeditionequus.com/

[pendragon]

Some parts of the WHW are not accessible or suitable for horses, but many parts of it are and the recent changes in access legislation in Scotland have made this type of track far more accessible for horses. The entire length of the Great Glen Way is now accessible to horses, for example ...

Definitely interested in riding long distance and would be very interested to hear places in Scotland I could do that with my boy. We've done the Buccleuch ride a few years ago now (i know that's not really LONG distance!) but I also did one of the ILPH Pack Challenges out in New Zealand where we had six days just riding out in the Southern Alps moving from station to station - absolutely fabulous experience.

And yep to that website and those books:) Keeps me going on the bad days when you can't get out to ride!

[Louki]

Ive done the west highland way, southern upland way & ridden across scotland on horseback. Great fun, great bunch of people, we organised it so we had 2 drivers ahead of us packing all the kit & electric fencing & tents etc. No reason for doing it other than 8 of us got chatting in the pub one night & fancied a holiday that involved the horses.

[Brychen]

There is a very good video by Dylan Winter called 'the Travelling horse' he travels 25 miles per day along the prehistoric route through avebury and the south downs. I cant remember the routes name! he has some really good tips on tack, equipmnet, camping out etc. He traveled on a big chestnut mare mare.

The video also has sections with him talking to long distance experts for theri tips (as in 1,000s of miles a ride) such as the hanbury tennisons who brought their camargues over from the camargue to the UK by riding them, a guy whose name I forgot who bought a crillo out of the slaughter shipments that arrive in italy and rode it back to the UK.

I dont know if you can get it on DVD but I can recomend it as its the only one I have ever seen that is geared up to riding a long distance non competativly. The bit at the end always made be cry as he says something along the lines of

' if molly (the horse) was a car she would now be at scrap at 15 years and but being a horse she is now going to retire and breed me her replacement'

he also had a radio series and wrote a book about a very stresseful coast to coast ride through wales. Most the bridle paths were blocked and his other horse(not Molly) turned out to be foaling imminently.

There also used to be a good book available via the welsh tourist board about two women who did the same ride a few years later.

The le trek DVD has some useful hints on map reading and equipment as well.

Another good resource is American Ride camp which is the US endurance bodies forum and site. it has tonnes of info and links for non competative long distance.

Now Im wondering why Iam stressing about a local show when I could have spent the day hacking. oh well...back to work and the joy of VAT!

[blues mum]

found this interesting site through a web site called "Trotontv" which looks good too.

http://expeditionequus.com/

she is great, stopped off at the farm , and camped for 2 nights on the way through.
I would like to ride the south downs way.
one year I belive I shall round up Joyscarer, Icegirl, and any one else who fancies an old girls road trip with a difference, and head off.

[pendragon]

Ive done the west highland way, southern upland way & ridden across scotland on horseback. Great fun, great bunch of people, we organised it so we had 2 drivers ahead of us packing all the kit & electric fencing & tents etc. No reason for doing it other than 8 of us got chatting in the pub one night & fancied a holiday that involved the horses.

Oooh - would definitely like to hear more. Southern Upland way especially, that one I've had my eye on for a while - is it all doable on pony? Ridden parts of it while trekking with the Exmoors and walked some of it too.... Sounds fab

[capalldubh]

I read The Maze by Lucy Rees - she travels across parts of the US, it's the Arizona desert I think - they basically get two unbroken horses and train them as they go. It was a great story, and made me think I'd love to do a long distance ride. I sometimes like to imagine - when I'm hacking out on a wee circuit :o - that me and horse are at the start of a big journey and that we'll just keep going.

Then I head home, put the horse back in his wee field, and go and earn the money to pay for his livery :(

My OH has ridden Lands End to John O'Groats on his bike - I wonder if he could be persuaded to do it again accompanied by a horse?

Map reading is one of the joys of going anywhere.
Agree! Will not have a satnav anywhere near me - they stop you thinking... Maps are wonderful things, they're as important to humans as books and stories.

[Clava]

I rode the South Downs Way on my horse at the end of summer 2004, from Winchester to Eastbourne, 112 miles in total (including the bits to the B&Bs) over five days - it was tremendous!!! I'd love to do the same thing on another 'path'.

I've always wanted to do that, the closest I've been is walking it (and riding a couple of hours of it occasionally:))

[Clava]

One day I will ride the South Down's Way. When I have a horse. And can safely care for myself without lopping off my fingers. I don't think I'd ever ride alone though, I'd get lonely and I have the directional abilities of a teaspoon. Sat Nav for horses anyone?!

There's also a ride that Free-Rein do that I want to undertake sometime in the future. Solo's Mum is doing it with me. Solo's Mum doesn't know this yet ;)

When you get a horse, I'll come with you:) I'm good at reading maps too.

[Louki]

Oooh - would definitely like to hear more. Southern Upland way especially, that one I've had my eye on for a while - is it all doable on pony? Ridden parts of it while trekking with the Exmoors and walked some of it too.... Sounds fab


If you plan right & choose the right horses, its all do-able with horses, in quite a few places the traffic is serious so you need really steady horses or plan on reaching those area's later in the evening, and there are a few places where its much safer to get off and walk or take the side roads & bypass.

http://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/cms/ great info site on the southern upland, One day I shalt do it again if i can gather a bunch of great people again. The local countryside rangers were a fantastic help to us in route & time planning & suggesting the best places to aim for with camping overnight in mind.

[caitrionaoleary]

I rode 400kms with my horse Chandra in India last year. It took us ten days (including a rest day), the main thing is traveling light and keeping a steady pace. The Long Riders Guild are lovely, they were a great source of advice and support to me when I was planning my ride. CuChullaine O'Reilly rode through Pakistan in the early 80's and wrote up his adventures here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Khyber-Knights-Perilous-Adventure-Forbidden/dp/1590480007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246375368&sr=1-1

As for me, I have only managed a blog, http://pushkar2008.blogspot.com/

[palmerlover52]

When you get a horse, I'll come with you:) I'm good at reading maps too.

You're hired! :D I have been doing some number crunching and what not, 'cause I'm a maths geek and supposing everything goes to plan I should be able to afford a horse by my secon dyear of uni. Only 3 years to go :rolleyes:


Then again, when does anything ever go to plan ;)

[SHH]

Ive just got back from riding around the whole of Exmoor and the New Forest for the last two weeks we were out riding for upto 7 hrs a day and riding at speeds between 10 and 12kph i had my faithfull crew with me along with my vet who came for free as i was riding for Help for Heros charety we raised 5000 pounds. It is so much fun specially if your doing it for a good course luckly i had no Endurance rides for a couple of weeks to come so its a well earned rest for my horse and me then its off to do the Home Inter Champs in a couple of weeks