Horsey Riding

[Valandil]

Not certain this is the best forum, but I have a question about horseback riding. I'm putting it here because it involves a bit of writing I hope to do.

How far might someone be expected to ride a horse each day? This is the same rider, same horse. Distances for both roads and open terrain (let's say no roads, but no mountains either - maybe some woodlands, some open grasslands...) would be appreciated.

Also - how far would it be for a very long extended trip and how far for a short spurt of 2-4 days? How far would be a 'standard' amount - and how far for pushing the limits of human and equine endurance?

 

[Hammersmith]

That's a fantastic question. I have often wondered the same and been forced to treat my answers as vaguely as possible. Of course, there's also the "special horses" like Shadowfax

Another good question would be how far people can walk when absolutely pushing the limits. Both questions rely heavily on the geography I'd imagine.

 

[e.Blackstar]

I read somewhere that the average human walks at 4 miles per hour, and most physically fit people can keep that pace for about 10 hours, as long as they drink on the move. This is over average to mild terrain, keep in mind.

 

[Gothmog]

An interesting question. You may be able to get some answers on this site:

Endurance GB

It deals with endurance riding at different levels of horse and rider. Hope it helps

 

[greypilgrim]

If you really push yourself, you could probly run about 100 miles in one day. If you push your horse hard, double that. That's just a guess.

 

[Elorendil]

What you're talking about is what is called "endurance riding" by today's equestrians. Endurance rides can be found all over the world, and vary in length and terrain. Here is some information on some of the most prestigious endurance rides.

The Lipton Cup is 100km course, and was once completed in 4hrs 38m 42sec, with average speeds of 29km and 26km in the first two legs, and an average of 27km for the final leg of 19km.

The Tevis Cup, the most prestigious endurance race in the U.S. is 100 miles long and is over very difficult terrain. It goes up, over mountains, through steep ravines and valleys, over very treacherous and rocky terrain. Most of it is done at a trot or slow canter, though some sections require walking. It was completed by one rider in 23 hours.

Some endurance rides are stretched over multiple days. The legendary endurance rider Frank T. Hopkins did many of these multiple day rides. He compete in a 1,799-mile where competitors were limited to 10 hours of riding a day. It took Frank 31 days to complete, with average distance at 57.7 miles per day.
Frank's most famoust ride was through the Arabian desert. (The recent movie, Hidalgo, is based on this race) 3,000 miles long, most of it is over limestone. Frank Hopkins won complete and won this race in 68 days.

So how far can a horse go in one day? It depends on how well the horse is conditioned and what the terrain is. The flatter and easier the terrain, the more ground a horse can cover.

I hope this helps!