A few weeks ago we posted about the guy who is riding across country (he’s currently in Tennessee). In the comments Elise mentioned her friend’s aunt did something similar. You’ve got to check out End of the Trail. Bernice Ende rode 5,000 miles on her 8 year old thoroughbred mare Honor and with her dog Claire. She made the trip alone, human-wise, over the course of 16 months from May 2006 to October 2007. If you click the “Current Information” link at the top of that site you can see more information and pictures. I really admire someone who can take a 16 month horse ride. I imagine it takes a lot of skill, some money in the bank and a very comfortable saddle. During her trip, Honor went through 14 sets of horseshoes. I hadn’t heard the term before but I read this kind of trip is called “Long Riding”.
I’m not sure I’d want to take that long of a trip but I can appreciate the desire to get away from the world and live without deadlines and much responsibility. I’m sure she discovered a lot about herself and America along the way. I’ve bookmarked her site so I’m ready in case she decides to do it again.
Thanks for the note, Elise.
Also, Bernice probably couldn’t have done it without a decent sponsor and it looks like a company called Outfitters Supply filled that role. It looks like they really helped her out along the way so I think it’s worth clicking over to their online store to check them out. They carry a lot of trail gear I haven’t seen in the other online stores I’ve been to. I’ve never done business with them, they’re not paying me anything for the link and we’re not affiliated.
That sounds like so much fun! I wish I had the time and money to go “long riding”. Have you ever been on a long ride like that before? That lady really inspires me to take the time and do something like that! I loved the picture. It is great!
~Helen
Ya, I think that money in the bank must be key to that kind of adventure. While I’d love to have that much time with my horse, I’m not so sure I’d like to spend it all in the saddle. lol
if you want to get more info on Long riding a good site is http://www.thelongriderguild.com.
Hey there,
I am a friend of Bernice’s from down in Dallas and I must tell you that she does all of her rides without a lot of money in the bank. In fact, Bernice survives on about twenty bucks a week. She eats like a bird (lot of brown rice and beans), drinks from stock tanks (if she has too) and just gets by on the kindness of total strangers. Amazing, yes she is! She is riding now through the midwest, finishing up a ride that started back in March of 2009 and took her down the western US and into Texas. There, unfortunately she lost Honor in an accident. Very sad. But she has a new horse now, a big gelding named Hart and he is great! Check out her progress on http://www.endeofthetrail.com Click on the current tab for info! If she comes your way, or even close, she is worth the drive to go out and meet….Bernice is one incredible human being.