Eight Steps: How to Ride Across Europe
October 2022, as seen in The Long Riders Guild
Finding Your Horses
Four months before the ride was due to begin, I had managed to find a six-year-old Persano gelding from the south of Italy. I am not from Italy, I am from Scotland, so as a foreigner I made sure to contact every group and person I could, with a suitable equine background. Originally, I had been seeking a Maremmano horse but the owner and manager of the Persano was very keen for me to celebrate his historic breed.
Unfortunately, with only three weeks before we were set to begin, it was obvious that the horse simply wasn’t ready for the task. He had been left to his own devices in the hills of Salerno and I had been back and forth from the UK, unable to make sure that the local farmer was riding him. When it comes to horses, never rely or put the responsibility onto someone else. I rented a car and visited six stables in five days from Naples to Milan. If I had not been resting on my laurels for the past four months, I would have probably tried to find a Maremmano, an Appoloosa, a Merens, or maybe even a Murgese. In the end I was told of an exceptional stud in the north of Italy called Bosana, famous for their Arab horses bred for endurance. With only twenty-one days to go I needed a horse that was fit, sound and healthy - the technicalities of long riding could be learnt on the road. I bought Sasha and had him transported down to where I was to begin, just south of Siena.
Planning Your Route
In my opinion, Europe is the safest and most accessible riding continent on the planet. Every country is populated with GR walking routes and most mountain ranges and frontiers have comprehensive passes. The widespread pilgrimage trails link up villages, towns and religious and historic sites, and, dating back as far as the first century, these hospitable routes were designed to allow the walker and rider a safe and tranquil journey. Much has changed since then but many routes remain in place, albeit adapted around the modern world. From Siena, Italy, I used the Via Francigena (a pilgrimage route that goes from Canterbury to Rome) to lead me to Ceparana, a town in the foothills of the Ligurian mountains. When planning my journey, crossing from Italy into France was a bit of a blank spot for me. It was too early in the year to cross the Alps - that much was clear. This left three options: I wait until the summer, I use the motorways and roads that link the Italian Riviera to the south of France, or I take a gamble with the Ligurian mountains. I had never heard of the Ligurian mountains before the ride but after contacting Long Rider Paula Giacomini I was put in touch with two locals to the area, Serena Berton and Lara Borello. It just so happened that these two women were desperate to create an ‘Ippo Via’ across the Ligurian mountains – a singular, comprehensive horse trail over the vast stretching range. There was an existing route for walkers, the Alta Via Monti Liguri, a 440km hiking trail that breaches the border but, up to this point, nothing had ever been concluded for horses. Together as a team, using a combination of local knowledge and existing trails, we created the first comprehensive horse trail over these mountains. It took me and Sasha 20 days to make the pass and there was snow and cold throughout. In the summer this range would have been passable in two weeks.
In France the Maritime Alps were simple enough to navigate and eventually I found Arles. From Arles we were back in the safe labyrinth of the pilgrimage links; I used the Arles way to take me to Lourdes and then joined the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the ‘Northern Way’, which took me along the Cantabrian coast and onto the Camino Primitivo which descended onto Santiago de Compostela and then Cape Finisterre, ‘the end of the land’. I wanted to use the ‘Northern Way’ as I have walked the Camino Frances previously on foot, crossing the Pyrenees at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, so I was keen for something different. We crossed the Pyrenees from Sare, France and followed the beautiful trail up and over La Rhune mountain, summiting at the frontier itself, before descending down into the Oiartzun, Spain. For a simpler ride, I would advise taking the Camino Frances, not the ‘Northern Way.’
Weather
Depending on the continent you are in, most long rides over three months will witness extreme and varied weather conditions. I began the ride in sunny Tuscany in late March. I wanted to reach Cape Finisterre by the start of July; riding in Italy, France or Spain in the height of summer can be a very uncomfortable task for you and your horse and spring is often a good time to ride as the waters in the rivers still tend to flow.
The greatest weather difficulty I faced was the snow in the Ligurian mountains and the heat of northern Spain. Having received no snow whatsoever all winter, the first snowfall of the year came as me and Sasha entered Ceparana, the first town on the Alta Via Monti Liguri. All around the world snow is falling later each year. I took a gamble crossing the mountains in April (Hannibal and Napoleon famously crossed the Alps in May/June), but due to the warmer temperatures this year I knew that the snow wouldn’t settle for more than two days. The Maritime Alps were a warm and wet relief, crossing them in late April, and the rest of the journey slowly increased in temperature and sun exposure until it became almost unbearable in Galicia, early July. Riding anywhere in Europe in July is not easy and it is really only in the early hours and in the late evening where temperatures are cool enough for you and your horse to make safe and effective headway.
Gear & Tack
Originally, I bought an ‘endurance’ Podium saddle and had saddle bags hand made in Torre del Greco. The saddle bags were made from lightweight, waterproof calfskin: two behind my legs that took the majority of the weight, two lighter bags strapped around the pommel of the saddle, and a motorcycle style pack for my tent that was clipped onto the cantle. I had to get rid of the Podium saddle only one week into the journey as it had caused a bad swelling on my horse’s withers. This was partially due to Sasha’s unusually high withers but was also a result of the imbalanced pressure that Podium saddles force upon a horse’s back. They are not designed for rides over 3 days long. Having walked on foot for almost 20 days because of this swelling and to avoid any accidents upon the dangerous terrain of the Ligurian mountains, I decided to buy a second hand Athena Prestige endurance saddle in the town of Colle di Nava, the night before I crossed into France. I used this saddle to take me across the Maritime Alps, the entirety of the south of France, the Pyrenees and the entire north coast of Spain. It is incredible.
Unfortunately, the Athena Prestige saddle was not equipped with saddle bags, so I had to carry my kit on my back in a rucksack. Weighing 18 kilos overall this was heavy and, at first, awkward to ride with, but I had to get used to this. Any less pressure on my horse was less pressure on the ride and I was determined to make it to Finisterre with Sasha in better condition than he was when we began.
Horse Care
Keeping my horse happy and healthy were the only real concerns of the ride. On balance, the rest is immaterial. One of the most inspiring pleasures of life is forming a bond with your horse; seeing Sasha run up to me to be tacked up each morning or feeling him walk by my side for hours without having to lead him. These were the signs of a happy horse, living in an environment natural and instinctive to him.
Having realised quickly the importance of travelling on foot, we made a lot of ground together and became far closer companions, experiencing the most enduring passages shoulder to shoulder. Any chance that I could walk instead of ride I would. As far as I was concerned, unnecessary pressure on his back and body would only hinder his stamina and be detrimental to those moments when I really needed his help, which I did.
I watered him whenever there was a river or lake and made sure to rest him for at least half an hour before feeding him at night and to feed him a lighter breakfast at least half an hour before leaving in the morning. We grazed for twenty minutes either side of midday and stopped for at least half an hour for lunch. I rode him bitless for almost the entire ride for his comfort and for an increased sensitivity between us – it made me ride better and listen closer to him, thus strengthening the trust between us. Trust and energy are so important – when the moments of real danger occur then it is these foundational reserves of emotion and stamina that make the difference. At the end of each day, I would monitor is back and pour water on his legs to reduce any swelling. Arnica was very useful as was Betadine and honey for any cuts.
Monitoring his muscles, joints, coat and gums was important in identifying initial signs of any potential problem.
Learn from the Locals
There would have been no way that I would have crossed the Ligurian mountains or the north coast of Spain without the invaluable guidance of locals. Two women in particular helped me create an ‘Ippo Via’ across the Liguran mountains, using a combination of their own treks and rides along with pre-existing walking trails and partisan passes. In the more remote areas of any country, especially mountainous regions, equine contacts are sparse and so it was vital for me to ask and depend upon newfound communities and strangers. Throughout the journey I made a point of staying with vets, horse owners and farmers. Once I made the effort, the communities that unlocked themselves to me were vital for the health of my horse and the success of the ride. Even in the most remote parts of Spain, France and Italy I was able to find a vet or a farrier, thanks to the new friends I had made only days before.
Riding and spending time with the locals was, at times, far more informative than any research I could have done. Only the locals know the oldest or most hidden shortcuts, rivers and routes and, as horse owner’s themselves, they had access to the best riding country in the areas. I loved learning and using all the small habits and tricks that the locals used with their horses. I find the varied and differing cultures of horsemanship fascinating and important to know when understanding a country and its people. Naturally there were also those who were bewildered and confused at what I was attempting to do. Sometimes this can cause people to be afraid as the extreme nature of your adventure is something that they simply do not understand. Always smile, always be grateful and curious, and always make someone feel and understand that they are a part of your journey.
Food
As I was riding in more than one country and for such long hours, I knew that feed was always going to be a high concern. I rode down the length of the UK in 2020 and this was a far simpler task than the ride across Europe as the horse I was riding was native to the UK, a Highland/Connemara, and it could survive well off the grass and nutrients that the country provided. For the first week of the ride across Europe, I managed to find feed and shelter with the locals of Tuscany upon the Via Francigena, a populated and accessible region. However, in order to travel with only one horse and to maintain 28-35km days, a high energy and nutrient rich feed is essential, along with the necessity to walk on foot for over 50% of the time. If I was going to travel with a horse ‘foreign’ to the land and hope to survive off local hay, grass and feed supplies then the ride would take me a lot longer. The input of additional feed counteracts the output of the large amounts of energy used. I therefore had a support car to deposit feed supplies for me in the Ligurian mountains and in parts of France and Spain. I used Guidolin Water Fioc plus along with various natural supplements for coat, immune system, muscle relief and joints. Towards the end of the ride, I orally injected Vetnova Redcell each day to keep his red blood cell count at a healthy level, due to a local tic that had infected him with Anemia.
Locals in Europe are on the whole very accommodating and rarely did I have to pay for any feed for my horse. The stabling prices varied from €10 – €40 for a night, hay and water included. For human food, I never had lunch and usually ate with my host for supper and breakfast. If not, I would stop at a café or bar after an hour of riding. My horse became an expert at standing for me in squares and alleyways if I was in need of refreshment, perhaps because he knew that he would be rewarded with an apple or carrot. I always carried and refilled my water bottle and made sure my horse drank whenever he could. France, especially, has many working drinking fountains in hamlets, villages and towns.
Safety
People and cars are the greatest danger – no driver can appreciate the horse like a rider. Tunnels are to be avoided unless absolutely essential and continuous concrete, asphalt or tarmac roads are not conducive to a long-distance ride – it is a fast way to cause damage to your horse. Ensure horseshoes have studs in order to avoid slipping on concrete – Spain has lots of steep concrete track – or use appropriate horse boots.
Never rush a long ride, if you are cutting corners, riding too fast, or taking short cuts for the sake of progress then you are missing the entire point of the journey and will, undoubtedly, cause discomfort or injury to your horse and yourself. It is the little moments in between that make up a Long Ride and when the journey comes to its end it will be those little moments that you remember and miss the most. Racing for more kilometres under your belt will not make your horse happy, and this is always the most important thing. Always try and think from the point of view of the horse.
Be wary of bridges, aqueducts, quarries, rivers, dogs and wolves – animals in Europe are not likely to cause any predatory danger to a horse, but they can certainly make them panic which is a great danger in itself. As it is with all adventures, unplanned and unsafe scenarios will come and find you, approaching each new situation with a calm and collected mindset will ensure the safest outcome. The horse mirrors your emotions.
