Long Rider Honoured as a “Living Treasure”
The term “Living Treasure” designates those rare Long Riders who attained a high degree of mastery regarding equestrian travel. This honour is never bestowed because of mere mileage. It is not measured against how many dangers one has survived. It does not take into account the number of nations a person rode across. It is never linked to celebrity. Being accounted a Living Treasure means the person is not only knowledgeable in a technical sense. This is an honour extended to a handful of the Guild’s tribal elders, each of whom achieved spiritual enlightenment during a difficult journey and then passed on their traditional knowledge to a younger generation. 85-year-old Tex Cashner has been designated a Living Treasure in appreciation of his efforts to help keep vital equestrian travel wisdom alive for nearly seventy years.
Guild welcomes new Members who rode across Canada
David Nahachewsky spent
nearly a decade planning a ride across Canada. When he set off in April he
was accompanied by his daughters Stacia and Teresa. Despite their efforts to
prepare, Stacia recounted how the journey challenged the family.
“When I started this trip,” she wrote in a
report,
“I had a very romantic vision of what it was going to be like. Me and my
horse, riding in the sunset, warm and beautiful. But this isn’t a vacation,
it’s an adventure with unexpected hardships.”
What the family could not have foreseen was that their ride across Canada
would end prematurely. Widespread wild fires in British Columbia caused
national parks to be evacuated. When heavy smoke affected the health of one
their horses the Nahachewskys made a remarkable
ethical decision. They chose to conclude the journey just short of their
goal, the Pacific Ocean, rather than risk the health of their equine
companion.
Read more....
Welcome to the Guild, Long Riders!
Stories from the Road Expanded
The Long Riders' Guild is committed to preserving the oral legends and written accounts passed on by the world’s equestrian explorers. One essential part of this effort is the unique Stories from the Road literary collection, containing stories that document 700 years of equestrian travel. Many of the articles date back to the original launching of the LRG website, so after 17 years the layout has been reorganized and the collection expanded. More than a hundred stories have been arranged by place, date and topic. This includes an extract from the forthcoming Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration which explains how meat-eating horses were used in attempts to reach the South Pole. The photo shows Sir Ernest Shackleton's meat-eating Siberian horse, Socks.
Special Illustrated article about Tschiffely’s Ride
In the company of his two horses, Mancha and Gato, Long Rider Aimé Tschiffely set off from Argentina in 1924. The purpose of the 10,000 mile journey was to ride from Buenos Aires to Washington DC. What Tschiffely did not suspect was that ahead of him lay a host of adventures, including rope bridges, vampire bats, sand storms, treacherous mountains, quicksand and hostile natives. The Illustrated History of Tschiffely’s Ride recounts the story of the greatest equestrian epic of the twentieth century, a journey that came about because a man and his horses refused to quit - ever! Special photographs provided by the Tschiffely Literary Estate depict Tschiffely and his horses as they made their way across deadly deserts, passed through jungles and traversed sky-high mountain passes.
How to Ride in Great Britain
English Long Rider Elizabeth Davies has made an important contribution to the Guild’s “How to Ride in….” collection of article. After riding more than a thousand miles from “Newcastle Emlyn in south-west Wales up to the south of Scotland near Kirkcudbright and back again,” Elizabeth gathered information which will prove to be of value to other travellers. Her informative article How to Ride in Great Britain provides valuable information about road conditions and how hoof boots proved useful. She also provides news about an effective insect repellent that helps ward off the notorious midges that torment Long Riders and their horses in the United Kingdom.
Tunnels and Bridges
In the summer of 2017 David, Stacia, and Teresa Nahachewsky began a journey from Alberta to British Columbia, Canada. After riding 1,600 kilometres (1000 miles), the Long Rider family had encountered bad bugs, endured harsh weather and avoided dangerous traffic. But waiting up ahead were a series of Bridges and Tunnels that tested the bravery of horses and humans. Read more....
Long Rider Honoured
In the company of her two Mangalarga Marchador mares, Isis and Marenga, German Long Rider Sabine Keller completed a journey of 1,660 kilometres from the Baltic Sea to Lyon, France. This was Sabine’s third journey of more than 1,000 miles. This trip concluded at an immense assembly of European equestrian riders. The Equirando, which is held every two years, had more than a thousand horses and riders in attendance. Because Sabine had ridden further to the event than any other traveller in attendance, she was presented with an award in recognition of her skills as a Long Rider.
Horse Travel Handbook is an answer to a prayer
The incredible surprise and delight at finding the Horse Travel Handbook is an answer to an unspoken prayer. Read more… Dr. Paula Kristian read the Horse Travel Handbook prior to departing on a journey through the United States.
Sir Humphry Wakefield named as a Friend of the Guild
During the course of his adventurous life, Sir Humphry Wakefield was a Captain in Her Majesty’s Tenth Hussars, who rode in Argentina, Turkey and India. In recognition of the fact that at 81 years young Sir Humphry Wakefield is the oldest person to have departed on a modern equestrian journey, he has been named as a Friend of the Guild. Read more...
Long Rider Carries the Guild Flag 5,000 kilometres along the BNT - Journey now continues to the end of the Australian continent
The Spirit of Adventure is alive in Australia!
The historic equestrian journey begun by Australian Long Rider Kimberley Delavere is about to begin the final and most difficult stage, when the equestrian traveller sets off to ride the length of Cape York Peninsula, a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth.
In a message to the Guild, sent before her departure, Kim wrote, “The Cape York Peninsula is very isolated, with only a small town and a few road houses. She who thinks the hard part is over is opening herself up to a whole lot of dramatic irony.” Read more....
I am a Member of the Guild and a Long Rider
Filipe Leite rode from Canada to Tierra del Fuego.
I want to take a moment to thank the Long Riders Guild and all of the extraordinary Long Riders who have helped me these past 5 years! When I was a child, it was Aimé Tschiffely’s book, Tschiffely’s Ride, that made me dream of one day setting out on my own equestrian journey. The first thing I did while planning my own adventure was contact the Long Riders Guild to ask for help. The Guild armed me with the know-how and tools needed in order to successfully pull off these arduous journeys. Read more….
Forest Fires affect North American Long Riders – Horses injured due to smoke inhalation
Changes in global weather patterns and a hotter climate have been of concern to the Long Riders’ Guild since 2012. In that year the LRG began asking Long Riders to report on conditions which might affect horses and humans making journeys. It didn’t take long for disturbing news to arrive.
Sea G Rhydr, who was making an ocean to ocean ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic in 2012, reported difficulty in finding grazing as she rode west. Filipe Leite, who was riding from Canada to Brazil at the same time, discovered that finding water and grazing in the middle portion of the United States was very difficult.
A new threat has now been encountered by Long Riders in North America – wildfires. Read more....
Extraordinary Demonstration of Equestrian Brotherhood
An incredible example of how trust is formed between Long Riders occurred when two teams of Long Riders met in the Andes Mountains of Chile. Not only was this a historic meeting, it also resulted in saving the life of four expedition horses.
Greta and Alejandro Matos, who live in Chile, set out to ride north from Villa O'Higgins, in southern Patagonia, to the distant town of Pucón.
“Our trip was incredible! We traversed a wide array of terrain including wild glaciers, mountains and forests. We travelled along old pioneer trails that are no longer maintained. In one section we were totally cut off from towns, roads and society for 27 days.”
Meanwhile two Australian Long Riders were riding and surfing south along the coast of Chile. Matt Hannon and Heather Hillier’s route took them from Pichilemu to Concepción.
Having contacted the Guild prior to their departure, the two groups of Long Riders were aware of each other. Not only did the Long Riders' expeditions link up, after the journeys were concluded, Greta and Alejandro rescued Matt and Heather’s horses from a grim death.
When the Hannons finished their ride, they were alarmed to discover that Chile has a culinary tradition of eating horse meat. Many Chileans offered to purchase the Hannon’s horses for this purpose. Desperate to find their horses a safe home, the Australians asked Greta and Alejandro if they could help.
On their blog, Greta explained, “They called us and asked if we would be willing and able to add four more horses to our herd. After figuring out how to bring the horses a closer distance, they spent the last two weeks of their ride riding the horses to our home. We rode our Patagonia horses out to receive them and together we all rode back to the campo. It really has felt like a magic twist of fate to have their horses among our herd.”
The photo (right) shows Greta, Matt, Alejandro, Heather and the teams' horses.
More praise for The Horse Travel Handbook.
Noted for its no-nonsense advice
“Equestrian travel is for the young at heart! I am about to depart on my first serious equestrian journey at the ripe age of 81. Read more…
Sir Humphry Wakefield read The Horse Travel Handbook prior to riding from Scotland towards Cornwall.
The Horse Travel Handbook Could Save Your Life
When we encountered obstacles or
potential dangers, we would consult the Handbook to calm our nerves and make
sure we had all the ideas and wisdom fresh in our mind before entering the
danger we knew we had too. Read more…
Stacey Nahachewsky, her father, David, and sister, Teresa, crossed
Canada. They are the first Long Riders to not only take the Horse Travel
Handbook with them, but to consult the book while travelling.
A one of a kind book that will change the course of equestrian travel history
I truly believe this book will save not only the lives of many horses but those of their riders too. I have not come across anything like it before. Read more…
Cathleen Leonard read the Horse Travel Handbook prior to riding from Durness, the most north-westerly town in Scotland, to Cornwall.
Horse Travel Journal proves useful during 10,000 mile journey
Meredith Cherry is the first woman to attempt to ride the challenging route that links 48 American states. She and her horse, Apollo (top), set off from California in January. The team reached their seventh state in July. To keep track of her progress, Meredith is using the Horse Travel Journal (below), a special book published by the Long Riders’ Guild Press. The Long Rider wrote to say, “The Journal has been an excellent tool for tracking mileage, people, Apollo's health, etc. I often refer to it especially when I'm trying to recall when I was at a certain town.”
Testimonial – Long Riders are a tough breed
Expeditions are often arduous and difficult, perhaps more so when the typical hierarchy of needs such as a warm place to sleep for the night, are superseded by thoughts for your horse’s well being. This is the Long Rider’s code. Read more.... English Long Rider Jack Toulson rode across northern Mongolia.
Testimonial – Thanks to the Guild
Donna and I want to extend our gratitude and sincere thanks. It's a brilliant thing the Long Riders’ Guild has done. Our journey would simply not have been the same nor made easier without the Long Riders’ Guild being there for us. We cannot thank you enough. Australian Long Rider Nic Cuthbert, and his wife, Donna, rode from Sagsay soum, Bayan-Ulgii aymag, Western Mongolia to Baganuur, Tov aymag, Eastern Mongolia.
Polar Ponies
Mounted man has been riding through winter weather for centuries. But the story of how horses were used to explore the Arctic Circle and Antarctica has been largely ignored or misinterpreted. Polar Ponies, based upon an evidence presented in The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration explains how meat-eating Siberian horses accomplished remarkable feats in the frozen lands at the top and bottom of the Earth. The photo shows Tom Crean and Teddy Evans alongside the horses used to explore Antarctica in 1912.
Riding Across Korea
Though Korea is now separated into two hostile nations, in 1894 it was a kingdom where ancient customs still held sway. Having already ridden in Hawaii, Persia, Japan and Tibet, Isabella Bird was determined to put her saddle on one of Korea’s notoriously savage horses (right) and set off in search of more adventures. The first woman to be made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and one of the most celebrated travel writers of the 19th century, Bird’s account of Riding Across Korea provides a glimpse into a lost age.
Davenport’s Dog
It is a common idea. Why not take a dog along when you set off on an equestrian journey? Homer Davenport (right) loved dogs. So when he made a journey into the Ottoman Empire in 1906, in search of the best pure-bred Arabian horses, Davenport decided that his expedition needed a canine companion. As a special Story from the Road explains, life doesn’t always go the way we planned, as Davenport and other dog-owning Long Riders have learned.
Author warns about “a new timidity among travellers”
In 1973 Irish author Dervla Murphy
journeyed to Baltistan in northern Pakistan, where she and her daughter
walked and rode through the Karakoram Mountains during winter. The
award-winning writer has warned that technology endangers the spirit of
adventure.
“The
internet has brought a change in the very concept of travel as a process
taking one away from the familiar into the unknown. Now the familiar is not
left behind and the unknown has become familiar before one leaves home.”
Read more…
Travelling on the Tea Horse Trail
A documentary film follows a caravan that makes its way along the ancient Tea Horse Trail, leading from Yunnan, China to Tibet. Read more….
Long Rider Journeys from Canada to Patagonia
In 2012 Filipe Masetti Leite, inspired by Tschiffely’s Ride, rode from Canada to Brazil. After going through twelve countries, 240 horse shoes, and spending two years in the saddle, Filipe reached his family’s home in Brazil in 2014.
Then Filipe decided to journey to Tierra del Fuego and set off in April, 2016. The subsequent journey was filled with unexpected delays and hardships. But finally, on July 8th 2017, Filipe rode into the city of Ushuaia, Argentina. He had carried the Long Riders’ Guild flag through sixteen countries and sixteen thousand kilometres lay behind him. Read more.....
More praise for The Horse Travel Handbook.
Bravo for a Brilliant Book.
In today’s society, full of vehicles and modern technologies, equestrian travel is a thing that can change a person. The Horse Travel Handbook has made history as the first of its kind and many generations will gain valuable knowledge from it. Read more…
Dalibor Balut made the first modern ride to all corners of his native Czech Republic. The journey took him along the borders of Poland, Germany, Austria and Slovakia.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
As a newcomer to the world of horses, The Horse Travel Handbook gave me strength and clarity to plan my mammoth dream of a long ride. CuChullaine O’Reilly manages to cut down foolish romantic notions that can get you and your horse killed, while still encouraging the great adventure of the long ride provided one has reverence for the massive undertaking they are beginning. Read More…
Gideon Irving read The Horse Travel Handbook prior to departing on an 8,000 mile equestrian journey across the United States.
The Horse Travel Handbook is a great source of proven advice.
This is the book I wish I’d read before I travelled twice (27 months - 5,000 miles) across the USA by horse and mule. The Handbook is not just for folks that want to ride across a continent, The Horse Travel Handbook is a great source of proven advice for shorter trips, from afternoon to overnight jaunts. Read more…
American Long Rider Bernie Harberts rode “ocean to ocean,” across the USA. Then he travelled by mule-drawn wagon from Canada to Mexico.
Don't Leave the Barn Without this Book!
Starting a Long Ride requires a lot of character. Those who read The Horse Travel Handbook will be much more likely to reach their destination safely and in good health. Read more…
American Long Rider Howard Wooldridge rode from Savannah, Georgia to Newport, Oregon; then he rode across the USA again from Los Angeles to New York.
Best book on the topic.
If you are considering a long ride, this is the best resource available to you. I appreciate the extreme emphasis this book puts on the health and welfare of your horses.
Lynnea Zuniga read The Horse Travel Handbook prior to departing on a 1,000 mile ride through Mongolia’s Altai Mountains.
!!!Seat-of-your-pants travel book!!!
The Horse Travel Handbook is an outstanding reference. The pages come alive with description and action all melded together, in one of the most exciting and readable books on horse travel ever written. CuChullaine O’Reilly captures the essence of multiple scenarios around the world from quicksand to flooding, always keeping the safety of the horses foremost, but inviting adventure.
Karla Edmunds Christensen rode from Maine to Montana in 1976.
Father and Daughters Ride Across Canada
Retired fire fighter David Nahachewsky spent nearly a decade planning a ride across his native land. His daughters Stacia and Teresa make this a unique “father-daughter” equestrian expedition. The team, which set off in April, have been making steady progress across Canada. However as Stacia explained on the family’s blog, “This is not a vacation!”
“When I started this trip I had a very romantic vision of what it was going to be like. Me and my horse, riding in the sunset, warm and beautiful. This isn’t a vacation, it’s an adventure. Like any true adventure there are perils and unexpected hardships. Once you learn to let go of the negative, the positive is overwhelming and wonderful. It’s a feeling no vacation has ever given me.… worth it.” Read more....
Nevada Discovery Ride added to Long Rider Routes
The Guild now archives the details of a growing collection of Long Rider Routes This unique repository contains the knowledge gained by equestrian explorers past and present, and will allow future Long Riders to travel with an increased degree of confidence and safety between distant destinations.
In 2016 American Long Rider Samantha Szesciorka made her second journey through Nevada. The Nevada Discovery Ride was done to encourage the adoption of America’s wild horses.
Around the World in a Horse-Drawn Wagon
David Grant had a dream – to travel around the entire globe in a horse-drawn wagon. He set off in 1990 and, after overcoming an unbelievable number of difficulties, David completed the incredible journey in 1997 and wrote a book entitled “The Seven Year Hitch (top). Because of his expertise on the subject, the Long Riders’ Guild asked David to write The Wagon Travel Handbook (bottom), which was published in 2006.
What makes Grant’s adventure even more astonishing is that he took his three small children with him. Torcuil was nine and daughter Eilidh was eight. The youngest son, Fionn Grant, was only six when the Grant family set off from Vierhouten, Holland. Now Fionn has written an intense and personal article. Read more...
The Sun Does Not Wait for You
Agustín Mayer had to make a choice – keep his promising job with an international company or set off on an equestrian journey across Argentina. But enriching his soul took precedence over enlarging his bank account. The Sun Does Not Wait for You recounts the adventurous journey which Agustín and his companion Sebastian Perkins made across Patagonia and that pampas. An e-book version of this engaging travel tale is now available
Canadian Town Outlaws Horse Riding
The town of Victoriaville, Quebec has passed a law forbidding people to ride horses within the city limits. Jean Roy (right), seen riding his horse, Dandy Blue Pine, was fined $8,000 and sent to jail when he refused to abide by the new statute. The law was specially created so as to prohibit horses from being allowed in parks, public squares, and playgrounds, on sidewalks or bicycle paths or at any large public gathering. A local newspaper article explained that “frankly the town could do without people on horseback clogging the roads.”
Horse Travel Between Peru and Chile Restricted
The Guild has received information from Vincent Cochin, who wished to ride from Peru into Chile. Upon the Guild’s suggestion, Vincent contacted representatives of both governments so as to determine if horse travellers were permitted to cross these international borders. The response was decidedly negative. Vincent was informed that before a horse is permitted to leave Peru it must be given blood tests by a veterinarian and then spend a month in quarantine. Upon entering Chile, another set of blood tests and a quarantine of at least 15 days are required.
Breaking Barriers - Ride Across Greece Inspires Documentary Film about Lady Long Rider
While young women today are encouraged to swing into the saddle and ride towards the horizon, previous generations of lady Long Riders did not receive such support. For example when SuSan Hammer (top) declared she was going to ride from Florida to Texas in 1980, she was roundly denounced by the press and the public. It's never about a person's age, sex, religion or national origin. It's always about a person (even one that's just 5'3" tall like SuSan was) having the courage to swing onto a tall horse and ride towards the distant horizon!
Penny Turner is another example of a woman with a dream who wouldn’t be stopped. Like SuSan, Penny grew up wanting to ride horses and go on adventures. She too was forced to overcome problems, but this only strengthened Penny’s resolve. She and her horse George set off on a 1,000 mile exploration of Greece. Not only did they complete the journey, there is now an enchanting documentary film about this unique ride.
Journey across America Honours Long Rider Heroes
For more than a century they were known as the “Forgotten Heroes” of the Long Riders’ Guild. In 1912, four men known as the Overland Westerners, embarked on a 20,000 mile cross-country journey through the United States. Though two other men completed similar journeys in the USA, Meredith Cherry is the first woman to attempt to ride the challenging 48 state route. Having departed from California in January, she crossed Oregon and made her way to Shelton, Washington, the small town where the Overland Westerners began their journey. Read more...
Crocodiles and Cheesecake – Riding Alone Across Australia
Kimberley Delavere set off in 2016 to ride solo more than 3,000 miles along the length of the Bicentennial National Trail. Kim, who is the first person to carry the Guild’s flag across the Australian continent, has encountered, endured and survived a host of challenges, setbacks and dangers, including having her first horse, Clem, hit by a motorist. Undeterred, Kim and her new mount, Archie, (pictured) have pressed further north towards her final destination of Cooktown. While she has overcome a great many ordeals, Kim wasn’t looking forward to riding through that part of Queensland which is notoriously infested with salt-water crocodiles. In a recent blog entry, Kim recounts how she celebrated her 26th birthday with a slice of cheesecake and one eye swollen shut by a wasp sting.
Rare Malady Strikes Long Rider’s Horse in Chile
The forthcoming Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration documents many kinds of equine health problems. One equine health hazard has been discovered by German Long Rider Christina Puszkar. While riding solo through the Andes Mountains in Chile, Christina’s horse, Fiestero (right), became ill. Horse owners in the Andes diagnosed the illness as “Mal Seco,” a localized danger which is not known in other parts of Chile, but which is the focus of a special scientific study in England.
Christina warned, “It would be good idea for any Long Rider going to Chile to keep Mal Seco in mind, because it is a very complicated disease that can hit your horse unexpectedly in the mountains.” Read more...
Extraordinary Film Documents Wagon Journey from Canada to Mexico
After sailing around the world alone, Bernie Harberts rode “ocean to ocean” across the United States. Then he set out on a remarkable journey in search of the “lost sea” that once covered America’s Great Plains. What he found was a nation awash with contradictory beliefs, a people longing for emotional stability, and an environment facing catastrophic changes. Bernie's documentary film is worthy of attention for a wide variety of reasons. Read more....
How to Ride in Central Mongolia
A new series of articles will provide important information on how to make equestrian journeys in different countries. This new “How to Ride….” series was created with the help of Dutch Long Rider Simone Johanna Aleida. She wrote, “The knowledge of the Long Riders Guild has been very essential while I prepared my horseback journey to Mongolia. I always felt very supported by CuChullaine O’Reilly, and could turn to him with all my questions and concerns". Read more....
Simone Johanna’s article entitled, How to Ride in Central Mongolia, contains valuable information for any would-be Long Rider.
As part of the Guild’s new series, Italian Long Rider Valerio Ceconi describes how he spent more than three months making a solo equestrian journey in Patagonia and Argentina.
Renowned Road Horse Passes Away
In 2012 Filipe Leite set off on a 10,000 mile journey from Canada to Brazil. Accompanying him were two Quarter Horses, Bruiser and Frenchie. But in New Mexico Filipe was given a Palomino mustang as a gift. Dude proved to be a tough and reliable member of the team. In an email to the Guild, Filipe Leite wrote with the sad news that Dude had died. Filipe told the Guild, "I stood stroking his thick, curly light blond mane for hours while he stood there with puppy eyes, asking for more. He had the most heart out of all of the horses I have ever ridden. In the heat, snow, on the highest cordilleras and the deepest rivers, he always gave me 110 per cent. He had no quit in him. Dude was nothing short of a great warrior.”
Looking for an Adventure in Argentina?
German Long Rider Roland Berg travelled through Europe by making journeys through Germany, France, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Then he decided to explore the Andes Mountains in Patagonia. Roland and his horses, Trueno and Jefe, are seen crossing Tres Picos, one of the Andes Mountains. The dormant volcano, Lanin, can be seen in the distance. Roland has written to the LRG: “In October I will ride in Patagonia, following the Andes north. I will avoid roads and be travelling along trails in remote parts of the mountains. Piling on the miles or reaching a particular goal are not important. What's important is the way of living in nature and in freedom with our horses." Anyone interested in joining Roland on his next equestrian expedition is invited to contact him at his website. www.weitreiter.de
The Guild would like to welcome new Member Valerio Ceconi, who rode from El Calafate to San Martin de Los Andes, Argentina. He is the first person to have read The Horse Travel Handbook and to have then completed an equestrian expedition. Read Valerio's testimonial of thanks ...
The Guild would like to welcome new Member Fritz Gangkofner. “In 2016 I started near Budapest and rode through Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany. It was a very great experience with my Haflinger gelding Andy. I slept 98% in a tent and lived in free and nearly untouched nature.”
Long Rider’s Siberian Adventure story published in Hungary
An article detailing how New Zealand Long Rider Ian Robinson was the first foreign equestrian explorer to venture into Yakutia in 125 years was published by the Long Riders’ Guild. The story was quickly republished by Horse Talk, the international equestrian news service. Soon afterwards the Guild was contacted by Boglárka Vajda. A noted journalist and talented linguist, she translated the article for Lovas Nemzet (Horse Nation) magazine.
Exploring Siberia’s Equestrian Culture
When people think of Yakutia in Siberia the word “horse” does not automatically come to mind. Yet an ancient equine symbol appears on the newly-minted coins for the region (right). Why? Yakutia is home to the world’s most astonishing equestrian culture, a place where horses learned to survive by entering into a state of semi-hibernation and humans routinely ride in minus 50 degree weather. New Zealand Long Rider Ian Robinson is the first foreign equestrian explorer to venture into Yakutia in 125 years. His remarkable “Story from the Road” provides an eyewitness account that reveals how he rode through a landscape so vast and uninhabited that he did not see another human being for seventeen days.
Horse Travel Handbook described as “A New Classic”
“For thousands of years we have travelled on horseback but until now no one has shown us the way.”
The Horse Travel Handbook is a cavalry-style manual drawn from its parent edition The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration. It is small enough to fit into a saddlebag and contains the most critically important information that a Long Rider may need to consult while travelling.
The Foreword was written by Colonel John Blashford-Snell (right), who founded the Scientific Exploration Society and was awarded the Patron's Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. He is seen riding in Mongolia in 2013.
Reviews from Long Riders and readers have praised the book, which has been described as “the Long Rider’s Bible.” Others have stated that the Handbook “is a MUST READ for anyone even considering a long ride.”
The Horse Travel Handbook is the Holy Grail for Long Riders.
CuChullaine has somehow, through years of research, communication with equine travellers, and his own personal experience as a Long Rider, managed to consolidate into one book the vast amount of knowledge and experience required to begin preparations for any person interested in the rare, challenging lifestyle that is that of the Long Rider. Read more...
Australian Long Rider Kimberley Delavere is riding solo along the Bicentennial National Trail.
The Horse Travel Handbook is written for all modern Long Riders worldwide.
It is quite extraordinary in the global range and depth of its practical content and advice, and in its sense of ethic, its vision and its passion. It is written for those planning their first journey and those already highly experienced. Read more...…
William Reddaway and his horse Strider completed the first modern equestrian journey to thirty of Great Britain’s historic cathedrals and abbeys.
Twelve Years in the Saddle
With 28,000 miles and 12 years of equestrian travel experience, I say The Horse Travel Handbook is a must read. Read more...
American Long Rider Bernice Ende
The Most Important Equestrian Travel Book Since Tschiffely’s Ride
The Horse Travel Handbook is more than useful - it's just totally absorbing! It is written with eloquence, passion and extraordinary attention to detail and the wisdom of experience shines through every page. This book will be as much of a landmark in equestrian travel history as Tschiffely's Ride.
Paula Sells is the author of “The British Tack Room.
I can't recommend the Horse Travel Handbook highly enough!
What a remarkable, knowledgeable and convenient resource for anyone wishing to undertake equestrian travel. Read more...
Australian Long Rider Danny Phegan rode from Darwin, Northern Territory to Cockle Creek Bay, Tasmania.
3,500-mile Long Rider Endorses CuChullaine O'Reilly's The Horse Travel
Handbook
CuChullaine O'Reilly has devoted more time, energy, personal resources,
intelligence, devotion, reportage, and fervour to the preservation of the
art of long-distance riding than any other world citizen in modern
times--and probably ever. Read more....
American Long Rider Lisa Stewart
Exploration Allies Plan Interplanetary Journey – Guild Flag to Accompany Mission to Mars
Tom and Tina Sjogren are the adventurous rebels who climbed Mt. Everest, explored the oceans in a sailboat, travelled to both poles and founded Explorer’s Web, the planet’s premier source for exploration news. Having looked down from Earth’s tallest mountain, the Sjogrens are now looking up to Mars. An extensive article details how they are building a two-person space vehicle capable of making the 34 million mile journey. Their intention is to explore the red planet and return to Earth with news of their discoveries. The Long Riders' Guild flag with accompany them. Read more....
21 Tips on How to Buy a Horse Anywhere in the World
Former generations of horse travellers took the basis of their equestrian knowledge for granted. For centuries they passed on wisdom in an oral tradition, never foreseeing the day when horses would be replaced as the primary mode of transportation. Now a new generation of Long Riders, one that has access to more information than the Founding Members of the Guild collectively knew, is ensuring that equestrian travel will be preserved for posterity.
Having spent months trying to locate and purchase horses fit for travel, Stevie Anna Plummer learned how difficult that task was. Armed with her hard-won knowledge, Stevie Anna composed a “Story from the Road” entitled 21 Rules for Buying a Horse.
Long Rider Discovers Defence Against Deadly Horse Attack
Previous generations of Long Riders knew that horses were potentially deadly. The combination of agility, strength, speed, deadly kicks and meat-ripping teeth allows a horse to inflict terrible wounds or kill his opponent with relative ease should he feel the need to defend himself.
Having endured multiple encounters with wild horses in Nevada, Long Rider Samantha Szesciorka gave serious thought to how she might protect herself from curious or aggressive equines. A special report explains how Samantha’s eyewitness experiences resulted in the creation of a simple, inexpensive, and effective invention that can work anywhere and may save Long Rider lives.
Long Rider Safety in the 21st Century
In 2013 the worst accident in the history of modern equestrian travel took the life of a female Long Rider, left her companion seriously wounded and gravely injured their horses. English Long Rider Christine Henchie, 29, was killed instantly by an out-of-control bus in Tanzania. Her fiancé, South African Long Rider Billy Brenchley, 43, escaped death by inches but suffered a broken leg. That is why Meredith Cherry (right), who is the first woman to attempt to ride to all 48 states in the continental USA devoted so much time and effort to locate and obtain equipment which would dramatically improve the margin of safety for her and her horse, Apollo. The result of Meredith’s research is a set of equipment that makes the Long Rider and Road Horse highly visible to drivers. In a special Story from the Road, Meredith provides photographs which show the equipment that is keeping her and Apollo safe during their 10,000 mile journey.
Saddlebag Safety
Many Long Riders have used the waterproof Ortlieb saddlebags. Yet if not placed properly, the bags ride too low and may injure the road horse. German Long Rider Sabine Keller provides answers and photos on how to resolve this technical problem.
Historian Documents how Horses were transported by Submarines during the First World War
It was known as the “Great War,” a global battle, lasting from 1914 to 1918, that killed nine million combatants. The conflict is usually associated with trench warfare, a tactic used before the launch of the Battle of the Somme, in which more than a million men were killed or wounded. What has escaped the attention of historians until now is that an astonishing episode in equestrian history occurred in 1915. In an article entitled Horses in Submarines: A Transportation Nightmare, Raul Colon reveals how First Lord of the British Admiralty, Winston Churchill, conceived a secret plan to transport horses from England to Turkey – via submarines.
