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!