Horseback riding

J

Justin

New member
My friends uncle gave us this idea that i thought was pretty cool.

We were talking about different ways to travel and in his drunken stupor he said something along the lines of, "Well sheeit! Might as well ride a god damn horse across the country! Alls you need is a good pack mule, man. I mean, a good un'. Get yourself a good set boots and your set to go. Not JUST boots, but i mean BOOTS. *laughs and pounds half of his steel reserve*"..etc,etc.

So i've been toying with the idea (for a few years now) of getting one of those job things and spending a pretty penny on a horse and a pack mule or something. What do you think?
 
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They were/are a caravan traveling the world on horseback. Not sure if they're still going, but maybe they might be able to answer questions about traveling long distances by horseback.
Horses are extremely expensive to feed. They are able to survive summers without additional foods, because they are allowed to spend all day constantly grazing. A traveling horse would need additional nutrition, that you would likely have to pay for. They are prone to things like colic. Huge Vet bills are inevitable. They need shoes, (a ferrier bill-until you learned how to do it) specifically b/c of concrete, and concrete is horrible for them to travel at more than a walk over, or for long distances. Horses are great companions, but you have to understand horse temperment, and breed differences. Think of the water you would have to carry.
I think i read some where that horses aren't great for long distances, b/c they will suddenly drop dead on you. Something i read in a fiction book, i think. Something about camels being better, but horse travel is not an impossible mission. Something you have to be financially and mentally able to handle. Horses live for 20 years or more. You could easily cripple a horse if you mistreated it during a traveling mission like this. If you don't understand horses, you might not know that you were hurting it. Horses can also kill you, or cause you brain damage very easily. They have massive legs, attached to strong hooves, and wild, easily frightened dispositions.
Anyway, check out those crazy horsebacking hippies in that link. You might find inspiration.
 
Idealy, this would be an amazing trip.
Hey, if you have the training and everything to do it, go for it. I definitly wouldn't be able to do it, nor would I have the funds lol.
But yeah, it would be worth the experience.
 
Ive ridden horses all my life and i think it could easily be done ....my uncle rode from alabama to texas like six years ago on an old school cattle drive.
You definately couldn't just buy a horse and hit the road, but if you took your time and studied up it would definatly be possible. start up costs would be the biggest obstacle, and mapping out your route to ensure you hit a good waterhole a couple times a day. my moms really into horses so if you have anymore questions let me know and i'll ask her for you, if i dont know. but yeah that would be awesome ...id love to pack up and ride across country ..saddletramps -like the good ole days right. you could even get a covered wagon and shit
 
i would LOVE to do this. i rode horses for 8 years...they're amazing animals. but like coldsteelrail said, there are definately funds and research involved...water, vet bills, shoeing them, getting the right horse for the job...
but if i could take care of those things myself and minimize or compeltely eliminate the bills, i would sure pack up and ride outta town.
 
yeah, i was moreso fantasizing about the whole thing anyways. I dont have the patience for long term goals, but thanks for the responses. I kind of just imagined myself sitting back with a half gallon in my hand at all times while my trusty steed took me all over the country and everything that is good in life would just happen while i did nothing but drink and be jolly.
 
maybe i'll just buy a miniature pony and pet it all the time. That would satisfy my fanatacism for horses right now i think
 
Im a horse trainer and let me tell you why this wouldnt work.
Maybe 60-80 years this was very possible but your forgetting some things. horses now a day are so disgustingly bred their hooves crumble with season change, they need their hooves professionally trimmed every 6 weeks or they will chip to nothing or overgrow. a horse or mule will go lame without having their hooves done and being worked for long hours day after day on different tarain. and also most horses need shoes so now your looking at $100 every 5-6 weeks. horse food is expensive and they eat ALLOT ,their sensitive to diets and changes in their food can make them deathly sick. its also illegal to ride horses in allot of places. THIS IS A DREAM YOU SHOULD GIVE UP for the sake of the animals. I just wish i could explain how the breeding of modern horses has made them practically useless, horses break down quicker than you think.
 
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