If you had the time and freedom to take a year long journey, would you spend it riding across the United States of America?
Modern life no longer considers the horse as a primary mode of transportation. It has mostly become an animal of leisure sports, done primarily for the entertainment of the rider. If one simply wanted to cross the United States, a horse would not be the first method proposed.
But what if it wasn’t about the destination, but instead, the journey? If one leaves from the coast on one side, travels over mountains, deserts, and plains, going all the way to the coast on the other side, would they gain enlightenment from the experience? Would the hardships of taking care of a notoriously fragile animal, combined with the uncertainty of how to survive yourself, leave you knowing yourself in a way you never thought before?
Many have thought so. They have made the journey, not because they had no other choice, but because they choose to take on this challenge. Here are a few of those stories.
Can You Ride Across America on a Horse?
Short answer, yes, you can. Long answer, yes, but you’re in a for a challenge, as you’ll need to plan an appropriate route, feed and care for your horse along the entire journey, and take care of yourself in very rough conditions.
In my opinion, only an experienced horseback rider and an experienced outdoorsmen should take on this on. The horse requires one set of skills, and surviving off bare bones camping requires another.
Of course, there’s always paying for a support team, accommodation, and horse board, so alternatively, you could just have a lot of money.
How Far Can a Horse Travel in one day?
In the best case scenario, for an average horse that is fit but not endurance racing fit, across easy terrain, one could probably cover between 20 and 30 miles a day.
Some horses are better at long rides. The Tevis Cup competition is the most extreme endurance riding competition in the world, covering 100 miles in 24 hours. Since this is the top tier of endurance horses, nearly all horses aren’t going to be capable of something like that.
That also doesn’t take into account any supplies that would need to be carried. Many long distance riders end up getting a pack horse, as it’s just too much for one horse to carry a person and supplies together.
How Long does it take to ride across America?
Lucian Spataro completed the coast to coast ride in a record breaking 150 days, but he had an entire team devoted to supporting him. Most estimates are double this length of time, so assume approximately a year, if no significant breaks are taken.
The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America
My interest in rides across America was sparked by this book. It’s the true story of a woman, Annie Wilkins, who rode her horse from Maine to California in 1954. This ride across America occurred during the age of the super highways being built, showing the country in ways we’ll never see it again. It’s a fascinating read about a woman who, as she was told her life was coming to an end, that she’d never left her home state of Maine. With only 1-2 years of life predicted to be left, she decided to spend them riding a horse out to see California.
These days, it’s unlikely anyone is going to be riding their horse down the highway like her, using very basic paper maps to navigate an entire country, and relying on the hospitality of strangers.
But how would her journey have went if it happened now, in the time of social media? There was plenty that Annie could be criticized for: She hadn’t even ridden in the 30 years before her trip. Her horses were acquired just for the journey. One of her them even died on the route, due to her own lack of knowledge.
Would she have encountered the same friendliness and hospitality of the nation? Or would she have been torn apart on social media?
Which brings us to…
The Tik Tok Cross Country Ride
Cyril Bertheau, 24, inspired by his family’s tradition of making epic rites of passage, decided to ride a horse from Austin, Texas, to Seattle, Washington, about 2,300 miles. In April 2023, he set off with his horse Shiok, who was newly purchased off Craigslist. At some point he acquired a second horse. He estimated that the trip would take him 100 days, and documented the journey on Tik Tok and Instagram.
It didn’t take long for the criticism to begin.
People were concerned about the welfare of his horses. Experienced riders were asking about the conditioning, care, and training of the horses. His accounts were flooded with concern for the horses.
Bertheau responded with video of the horses being checked by the vet, and a video of a police officer declaring the horse fine. He also said that he and the horses are being supported by a remote team, whatever that means. He would not divulge any information about how his horses’ training, or how he decided his travel route. He also would not give any information about his previous riding experience.
Was he abusing his horses? Or was he being unfairly picked on by the internet?
At one point, Bertheau stayed with a Texas rancher who later told news outlets that Bertheau, “had no idea what he’s doing.”
“He didn’t feed his horse while he was here,” the rancher said, explaining further that he took it upon himself to feed Berteau’s horse, and was not reimbursed for it. He shared photos with an online blog that declared the horse’s legs were swollen, had cuts, and appeared “tender to the touch on his back.”
Berthaeu was eventually stopped by police and was charged with a misdemeanor, but not due to horse welfare concerns. Instead he lacked a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for either horse.
Officers who stopped him also commented on the condition of the horses: “I also observed Pete to have a large open/oozing and swollen saddle sore, approximately 4 inches long on his right rib cage, and his left hind fetlock was significantly swollen.” The officer also added that Pete appeared unsound.
Bertheau never made it to Seattle, but he said he took the horses to the vet, and then continued riding for another two weeks. He then declared his ride over.
“I got cited and went on to continue and finish the trip a whole 2 weeks after. I didn’t abandon my trip, I finished and changed the destination midway. It was never about finishing in Seattle, it has no significance.“
With his journey over, he apparently had zero desire to keep riding. He listed them for sale for $60,000, hugely inflating the value of the two horses apparently due to the social media fame. Naturally, he was criticized for inflating the cost of the horses, but also for showing only select images of the horses, which many believed was done deliberately to avoid showing their poor condition.
But for those concerned about the price, Berthaeu was also open to trades of automobiles and real estate.
Shiok later sold at auction for $9,600.
The 1974 Ride
Not all who attempt to ride across country are inexperienced riders. In 1974, an experienced rider team traveled from Colorado to Maryland in 4 months.
Roz Green had been gifted her first pony at 4 years old. She was foxhunting at 6 years old. She took her horse with her to boarding school. There she met Chris Mann, who rode on the equestrian team with her.
It was grief that caused her to take on her journey. Her beloved father, supporter of her equestrian endeavors, had died while she was living in Colorado. She decided to ride home to Annapolis, Maryland.
These experienced riders took on their journey responsibly. They each had a riding horse and they shared a pack horse. Each night they found a place for the horses to graze. Every two weeks the horses had their shoes reset by a farrier.
Like Wilkins, they were welcomed as they crossed the U.S., with small towns celebrating their arrival and farmers inviting them to stay with them. But there were still critics. Despite the lack of social media and therefore real time information on their actions, they still had a concerned citizen call the FBI on them to do a brand inspection, convinced they were doing something wrong.
Despite the stops, they efficiently made it to Annapolis, where Green settled down for a new career.
With the ride complete, one of the horses was donated to their old boarding school. But Green, a rider at heart, kept the other two with her.
The Trail Across America
If you’re looking to ride across America, you’re in luck, because there’s an entire mapped out route to use. The American Discovery Trail runs from Cape Henlopen, Delaware, all the way to Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California. It’s a connected route of national parks and trails, recreation trails, and local and regional trails, spanning 6, 800 miles. It goes through cities, small towns, forests, mountains and deserts.
In 2003, Matt Parker was the first horseback rider to complete the trail. It was a two year journey, stopping along the way for temporary jobs and a break for winter weather. He shuffled through three different horses: a racking horse, a Missouri Fox Trotter, and an appaloosa. Even though most of the trail he followed was the ADT, he did have to leave the trail a few times, as some parts of the ADT do not allow horses.
Parker was 25 when he took on this journey. When asked why, he stated, “I kind of wanted to see what I was made of at a basic level. I couldn’t imagine a more supreme test than to ride a horse across the U.S. in this day and age. I’ve already had the best education money can buy …and it didn’t teach me a thing about manhood. This trip for me is a rite of passage to manhood.”
Interested in the Long Ride?
For those looking to try out the adventure of traveling with their horses and long rides without the commitment of months to years of adventuring, Endurance riding might be a good way to start. There are organized rides across the country, which might fulfill that wanderlust itch without all the perils of taking on an exceedingly long journey.
For those people who stumbled upon this page and aren’t actually horseback riders, but want to do a long ride – take some lessons first. Learn about horse care. Make friends with trail riders. Invest your time in learning before you put an innocent animal into this kind of situation.
For those who ignore that and do it anyway, well, I think you’re just trying to feed your ego. Since we’re all going to hear about your ride, because why else would you do it, be prepared for the waves of criticism you’re going to receive.