Horses
Photo courtesy Hugh MacDermott
In this modern-day era, with its
emphasis on inherent safeties and pasteurised heroes, it is easy to forget that
it was the symbiotic blending of human intellect and equine speed which
originally spurred the advancement of history and civilization. Although names
like Marco Polo are commonly associated with equestrian exploration, a journey
through the annals of the Historical Long Riders reveals the astonishing fact
that Charles Darwin, Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, President Chester Arthur and Queen
Elizabeth I were also enthusiastic equestrian travellers. This eternal longing
for mounted adventure explains why courageous riders, such as the Anglo-Irish
Long Rider Hugh
MacDermott pictured above, have set out to explore the wide vistas of the
world.
It would be impossible to
recount all of the equestrian stars in the exploration firmament. Yet some names
and deeds shine brighter than others. In 1889
Russian Long
Rider Mikhail
Asseyev launched the modern equestrian travel movement when he rode his Cossack
mare, Diane, 1,646 miles from Lubny, Russia to the newly-erected Eiffel Tower in
Paris, France.
Then in 1912
North American Long
Rider George Beck rode his Morab gelding, Pinto, 20,352 miles during a journey
to all 48 state capitals. Finally, in 1925 the Swiss
Long Rider
Aimé Tschiffely
successfully rode his Criollo gelding, Mancha, 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires,
Argentina to Washington, DC.
Mere names cannot speak of all
the perils they witnessed, the dangers they survived, and the sacrifices they
and their horses made for each other. Yet it was Asseyev who set the tone for
all the great Long Riders who followed, for though his remarkable journey
averaged fifty miles a day, the Russian’s horse was in such superb condition
that the French awarded the dashing officer a gold medal.
Accordingly, though Basha and
CuChullaine acknowledge the inherent bodily perils involved in equestrian travel
to both horse and rider, at all stages during the training, regardless of the
terrain, and despite inhospitable climates, the World Ride will demonstrate a
relentless concern for the security of the horses. This is because Long Riders,
such as the O’Reillys, never lose sight of the integrity of their
mounts. Kindness to the horses is the ruling principle and their welfare will
take precedence over all other demands. Plus, the equine health results garnered
from the journey will be shared with the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington
DC.
Much of the
twentieth
century was dominated by equestrian competitive events and a desire to breed
horses for looks, not function. Equestrian exploration represents a fundamental
shift away from those proceedings and attitudes.
Long Riders are not about
conquering the horse. They are involved in an inter-species understanding. They
are focused on the deceleration of the soul, not the idle boasting of a
lightning-flash crossing of a continent. Long distance travelling alters the
horse too. A bond occurs when rider and horse survive the unknown elements of a
trip together. A new herd ethic develops when courage and trust become mutually
paramount to both species.
Thus, the
World Ride is an all-inclusive equestrian mission designed to encourage the
positive interaction of horses and humans, not demonstrate the superiority of
one particular breed. Equines of all types will be studied to confirm the
historically vital interspecies link between horses and humans.
CuChullaine, meanwhile, is
currently searching in Europe for a suitable Road Horse with the requisite
strength and courage. Because so many modern domesticated horses have been
infantilised to the point that they require constant care, the mount of a Long
Rider must have been bred for functionality, not status. It must be strong,
patient, hard-working and vigorous. It must have sound limbs, hard hoofs, strong
teeth and nerves of steel. It must also have high endurance and be a weight
carrier.
With the selection of these two
dependable horses, and with the route mapped, the World Ride will help usher in
a golden age of equestrian travel that encourages seeking greater personal
freedom, not blue ribbons.
One World - One Ride
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