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Decision Assistance
Lessons in Equestrian Travel
"It is lovely this life. I feel it when I ride against the storm, and the horse rears up, his hooves dancing in the air. In that mad second, before my mount takes off in senseless fainting speed, I scream against the storm, I'm alive!"
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Swedish Equestrian Traveler, Countess
Linde von Rosen, and her horse, Castor, were famous for making many long
distance rides across Europe in the 1920s and 30s. Her thoughts on
equestrian travel are featured in Part One of this special series
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A Preface to this Series
by CuChullaine O'Reilly
I have waited for more than
20 years for someone more competent than myself to address several vitally
important issues regarding equestrian travel. I assumed that one of the more
famous equestrian travelers from Europe would assume this task and give the
public the information it needed and desired.
But many equestrian
travelers, though brave in the saddle, are afraid of the pen. Their sphere of
operation remains the open wilderness, not the computer. Moreover, the few Long
Riders who have attempted to collect their thoughts on the subject of equestrian
travel have been sadly restricted to a limited publication in their own native
tongue. I take great pleasure though in
acknowledging my indebtedness to these friends, authors, and fellow Long Riders. Many new streams of wisdom have passed
through the crucibles of these noble minds, men and women of
action who call their saddles “Home”. This is their website. I am nothing
but their scribe.
A collective
global need remains however, to successfully learn how to undertake a long
Equestrian Journey. In this machine-dependant age the quest for such knowledge remains an
intellectual Terra
Incognita.
In order to help
further its educational mission, to promote and explain equestrian exploration,
we have decided to open this section of the website to the wisdom of those who rode
before us.
Some Practical Advice for Long Distance Riding
by
Countess Linde von Rosen
The material below originally appeared in a book published in 1929. This volume detailed the amazing equestrian travels of Countess Linde von Rosen and her equally famous traveling companion, Castor. This amazing Swedish duo literally rode all over Europe in the early 1920s, covering what today seems to have been incredible distances.
On Choosing a Horse
The horse is the most important on a long ride so I begin with him. In choosing a horse you should look for a sturdy type with strong hooves and tendons, one that has, above all, a long forward and ground covering walk. It is preferable that he be over rather than under seven years old. He should be fearless and used to different stables so that he will eat and drink wherever he is.
On Choosing Equipment
Equipment is the second most important consideration. The army has had the most
experience in testing what is practical. I have therefore used a cavalry saddle
(its bearing surface is larger and the pack has a better resting place),
officer’s model and their voylock, a six-folded saddle blanket, having the
advantage of always staying soft and that you always have a blanket along, but
with the disadvantage that it is very difficult to fold in such a way that there
are no uneven parts, which immediately would scald the horse.
Because of this, I have
used a thick pad during hot weather, cut square, so that the saddle bags would
not touch the horse directly, (which would cause immediate chafing) lined with
tight canvas so that sweat is easily washed off. I have used an ordinary
civilian model bridle, the army issue has attached halter, but I have found it
best to have a halter made of soft material to trade off with, otherwise the
horse is easily chafed around the ears and so on when wearing the same headgear
all the time.
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Linde von Rosen's riding equipment is seen
displayed at the 1956 Olympics. Her saddle is resting on a dummy horse,
while her weathered map bag hangs on the wall behind. A portrait of
Castor, her horse, is seen resting above the silver laurel crown given to
Linde when she rode into the city of Budapest, Hungary in 1926.
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The pack, stored in four
French Army saddle packets, (2 in front, 2 behind the saddle) have consisted of
the following:
In one front pocket; brush
and curry comb; wraps, blanket surcingle and sponge, plus halter and lead. In
the other front pocket; my toilet articles, soap, nail brush, toothbrush,
creams, powder, slippers, camera and a few smaller items. Back pocket number 1:
pajamas, a change of silk underwear, ditto of French knit ( for riding, when
thick underwear is preferable) three pair of stockings, diary, books, maps,
writing utensils. Back pocket number 2; shoes, hand bag and two dresses (in
winter a thick wool dress that does not wrinkle, plus a lighter one of muslin
cotton; summer time a silk dress with a flower pattern that does not show
wrinkles, all in as simple a cut and using as little material as possible). You
have to consider that each item, no matter how small, still weighs something.
Pack, saddle and blanket
weigh 23 ˝ kilos (52 pounds) and with my own weight of 72 kilos (158
pounds) in addition, that is a
grand total of 95 ˝ kilos (210 pounds) to carry. Besides this I carry a rolled up trench coat
behind the saddle.
Care and Feeding of the Horse on the Road
The care of the horse has
been as follows; When the day’s destination is reached around 4-5 p.m.,
sometimes earlier, sometimes later, I try to obtain the best stable
possible. I prefer those where privately owned cows and horses are kept as
opposed to public livery stables. (Cows and horses don’t have the same illnesses).
If the horse is to be boarded in an open stall,
it should be roomy and well bedded with clean straw. Better yet is to stable the
horse in a box stall, where the horse is able to rest properly. Regardless, my first task is to
wash out that night's manger with hot saline water. After that I request ten kilos
(22 pounds) of
oats, which I carefully weigh in a bag.
Next, I wash first the hooves and legs, then
the saddle area, of the horse with cold water. Then I wrap the legs with wet linen
wraps (they stay on until dry) and the horse is blanketed. You have to rub him
with straw if he appears too cold. After this he is allowed to drink as much
water as he wants. I then give him 3 kilos (6.6 pounds) of oats and as much hay as he
will eat, usually around 5 kilos (11 pounds). Many horses will not eat until they have had water and
as the main objective is to have the horse consume as much feed as possible, I
have always given him water first and never noticed any adverse effects.
The feed in every stable has to be
thoroughly inspected, making sure that no rats have been in the oats and that the hay does
not smell moldy. You must
never leave the barn until you have made sure that the horse is eating with good
appetite. The horse’s condition is crucial on a long ride and you must monitor
his appetite. The more he eats, the better. A few hundred grams of sugar cubes
per day (about 20-30 sugar cubes) is very beneficial for a long distance horse.
When everything in the barn
is done, I go to the hotel and change from top to toe and have a bath, if one is
available. At 9 p.m., after my own dinner, I return to the stable, give a light
grooming but let the blanket stay on over night and feed another 4 kilos (9
pounds) of oats
and let the water bucket stay in the box. Between 5-6 in the morning, the
remaining 3 kilos (6.6 pounds) of oats are fed, followed by a thorough grooming and
application of hoof conditioner.
A Day on the Road
I start between eight and
nine in the morning. Wraps applied on the horse's front legs
provide support and rest.
When choosing roads, I mostly
follow the main roads. Shortcuts are often tardy. Castor prefers
the hard even road over soft meadows and uneven loose ground.
Our pace has been mostly at
the walk on a long rein, to allow the propelling power of the hind end to work
freely. Castor walks in paso like walk (where you sit as quiet and still as in a
chair). He normally covers 10 kilometers (6.25 miles) in 70 minutes. He keeps this pace all day, every day. Trot
is occasional, perhaps a total of 10 kilometers (6.25 miles) over a distance of 60
kilometers (37 miles) traveled in a day. We practically never
gallop, unless we are nearing a destination where we will have an
extended stay. When it isn’t a competition and you have all day, it is smart
to save your horse. In spite of this, I seldom dismount to lead my horse. This
would only occur in difficult mountain terrain or on very hot days. I often ride
60 kilometers (37 miles) at a stretch without leaving the saddle.
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Among their many famous rides, Linde and
Castor traveled from Stockholm, Sweden to Rome, Italy in less than 30
days.
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Lodgings and Problems on the Road
If the horse feels tired or
sore, the best thing is to rest a day. In
any case, the horse has to have one rest day a week.
Should he become saddle sore, you can cut a hole in the saddle blanket,
but the best thing to do is to continue on bare back.
If the saddle is properly fitted to the horse, sores should not occur.
But it can happen easily enough and is a very sad and troublesome
occurrence on a journey like this.
The itinerary should be
arranged so that there are not too many long segments in a row, but rather every
other one. On even ground 40-50
kilometers (25-30 miles) a day makes for a very pleasant ride, while riding more
than 60 kilometers (37 miles) starts being
a bit long. In mountainous regions,
40 kilometers (25 miles) a day is quite enough. It
is a good idea to plan rest days in cities, where you can hope to find a good
stable and interesting things to do yourself.
It is also a good idea to book a hotel room in advance in a larger city.
However in smaller towns it is quite sufficient just to ask someone, preferably a
policeman, where to find lodgings for you and your horse. If there is no stable at
the hotel, they can easily recommend someplace.
You must never forget that
the horse is your primary concern. Your needs always come secondary to his. But even if he is stabled in the best of barns, never leave
his care to anyone else.
Financing Equestrian Travel
Finally a few words about the economic aspect. Most people believe that this is a tremendously expensive proposition. Of course, this will depend on how you live, but I want to stress the fact that the year has the same number of days, whether you keep a horse here or there. The cost of basic maintenance for Castor and me cost pretty much the same everywhere I travel. Only if I live in a large city does it becomes much more expensive, what with entertainment, car, clothes, dinners and so on. However on a long ride you most often stay in small hostels and you are always moving.
Life on the Road
Plus, when you are traveling no one worries about the look of your dress. Secondly, after a 60-70 kilometer (37-44 mile) ride out in the fresh air, you are glad to hit the sack early! You have a wonderfully good tiredness and sleep well anywhere. My meals I divide into: breakfast with coffee, egg, bread and butter at 8 a.m., followed by a cup of chocolate between five and six p.m. after I arrive at my destination. I normally have my dinner at eight p.m.. It consists of an omelet and bread, plus some fruit.
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"I am thankful for every step I have
ridden on the path of life. Through a network of roads and destinies we
all wander towards the same goal." Countess Linde von Rosen
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Many people cannot
understand how you can ride alone. First
of all, you are not alone, since you have your horse.
Secondly, no two horses walk alike, and thirdly two people seldom think
alike. When one wants to stop, the
other one wants to continue and so on.
Additionally, in
foreign countries you never get close to the people if you have a
compatriot along, since the two of you will naturally speak your native tongue.
This erects a
wall put up between “them” and “us”.
The Long Riders' Guild -
Dedicated to those who rode before us!
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