In a nutshell, it was pretty awesome…
More than anything, I learned what a truly extraordinary horse will do for you, and that extraordinary horses are the stuff of legends.
I prepared for 3 years before setting off. I bought 2 horses specifically for the trip but I sold one of them 3 months before take off as I realized she wasn’t going to make it.
Rather than taking the time to find a replacement at my remaining horse’s level, I decided to go with just the one.
Roxy is a purebred, registered Morgan mare. She was born in Alberta, Canada, in June 2008.
What Roxy did over the course of 1 year and 1 week, was truly remarkable.
Carrying a load up to 30% of her weight, and never lower than 25%, is well over the recommended limits. But she did it. I rarely rode her up or down steep hills, instead, I spend my time walking beside her.
We rode 6693 kms (4183 miles) and got truck rides for another 1100 km. A total of 7700 km or 4813 miles.
We ended up averaging 349 miles or 558 km a month for 12 months. Our top average was 435 miles or 696 km in 1 month.
These are high numbers for long distance travel for 1 OR 2 horses.
Our trip average including days off was 11.46 miles or 18.33 km/ day We were at over 12 until taking 3 weeks off in Chiapas.
Over 250 days of riding we managed 16.73 miles or 26.77 km per day. The most we traveled in one day was 55 km. The least 3.5 km.
We travelled for 3 weeks in Canada, 6 months and 3 weeks in America, 4 months and 3 weeks in Mexico and 3 weeks in Guatemala. We passed thru Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Solola, and Chimaltenango.
We travelled thru fields, forests, farmland, mountains, towns, cities and even rivers.
We stayed with INCREDIBLE people all along the way. People opened up their homes and hearts in unbelievable ways. Undoubtedly without the support of strangers throughout our travels, we wouldn’t have made it.
I learned a massive amount about horses and the different ways people enjoy them.
English, western, barrel racing, cart and buggy, field work, dressage, cross country, field trials, gaited, endurance racing, track racing, retired, rehab, starting, dancing, parades, cow horses, charros, and cargo horses. I saw them all…we stayed with them all.
I used 2 saddles (Big Horn Endurance and Orthoflex Traditional). I used Snugpax and Trailmaster saddle bags.
I went thru 8 sets of Easycare hoof boots, using the glove, back country, epics, grips, originals and edge models. My favorite model for my long ride: the Original.
We went thru many bags of Mad Barn custom horse supplement. This was an amazing life saver for us. We used Hoof Armor on Roxy’s bare hooves.
My phone was a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S5. I bought it a month before leaving on the trip. I had been living off grid in a cabin with no cell or Internet service for 2 years. So I didn’t have a current phone. I did the first 1350 miles or 4 months without a phone plan, just wifi. I finally bought a plan in Bowling Green.
Thru that phone, I got certified as a TEFL English Teacher!
My website was designed and managed by Julie Dulong / Easy Artisan Websites. Julie did a fantastic job before, during and after the trip. Check out her website link at the bottom of the post.
I threw out 3 pairs of totally used underwear, and 3 pairs of socks. To reduce weight, I left many things behind all along the way. I was given many, many gifts, including at least a half dozen horse club shirts in Mexico.
I stayed in my super comfortable Hennessey Hammock countless times, and used my 4 Dog Bushcooker stove to cook. My MSR pocket trail water purifier saved me a couple of times, as well as my Silva Ranger Compass. My first set of boots were Keen insulated hikers, my second set a pair of Chippewa buffalo hide bird boots, that are still going strong. My headlamp was a Fenix HL60r. My backpack and rain gear was Marmot. I had custom saddle pads and ponchos made by Lynn Cheffins.
My memories are countless and with me forever; I will bring them back to life in my upcoming book. I took over 9000 photos, I’m sure about 500 are good enough to use as highlights.
Please be sure to check back on this site in the next few months. You’ll notice videos on our YouTube page as well as exclusive content blog posts and reposted old entries with much more explicit detail.
Enjoy these pics of our 375 days in the saddle – in reverse chronological order…
This last pic is of Julie Dulong. She manages my site and set it up.
Check out her work
https://easyartisanwebsites.com/
Chris MacLuckies’ professional career began with a decade-long stint as an organic vegetable grower in Ontario Canada. His career is prolific in breadth and scope. He has farmed organics commercially, volunteered in Guatemala, ran a gardening business, raised and raced sled dogs, tended his livestock, and ridden his horse on a multi-country expedition.
Chris is a certified TEFL ESL English Teacher, author of seven books, freelance content creator, and outdoor travel gear designer.
What an incredible journey. It helped to have the most incredible horse. I doubt anyone will ever make that kind of trip and for a good cause. I will definitely want to buy your book when it comes out. You and Roxy stay safe and healthy and enjoy many more adventures.
Thanks Marilyn for the kind words. Without Roxy, I’d still be only halfway done, I’m sure…
Congratulations on your successful journey. Your pictures are awesome, and I am sure your memories will last a lifetime. I can’t wait for the book. Please put my e-mail address on your list to get notified when the book comes out.
Thanks do much for your positive comments!
I’m glad you like the photos, I have so many…!
The skeleton of the book is laid oit, I just have to start writing.
In the meantime I will start writing exclusive content blog posts about the trip, as well as revisiting old posts and filling in all the juicy details…