Three great names – Three great men.
Explorers, writers and visionaries. These historical figures have undoubtedly shaped the world we live in today.
I’m sure everyone, unless you have been living in a cave or space for the last few centuries, knows a thing or two about each of these individuals. Yet what you may not know is that all three are Legendary Long Riders! Just like me, these men had a yearning desire to burn a trail into the unknown. It was on their noble steeds that they discovered the world around them and carved their names into the history books.
The eclectic writer Oscar Wilde rode through the Peloponnese mountains to reach Olympia, Greece in 1890.
“On and on I galloped, racing with the setting sun, and ere the crimson after-glow was past, I stood within Ravenna’s walls at last,” Wilde writes in his award-winning poem, Ravenna.
According to the Long Riders Guild, “Wilde detested train travel.”
“The only true way, you know, to see a country is to ride on horseback,” Wilde told reporters.
Like Wilde, Marco Polo too had a strong love for equestrian travel. The Venetian merchant introduced Central Asia and China to Europeans through his book, II Milione. In one of his journeys through Asia he travelled alongside his father and uncle for 24-years. Marco Polo’s expeditions are said to have inspired Christopher Columbus and other notable explorers.
Lastly, there is Charles Darwin. Whether you believe in his “Theory of Evolution” or not, we can all agree that the man had a tremendous impact on modern society. The scientific guru underwent Long Rides in South America, Australia and Africa.
“Having been 10 hours on horseback, I never cease to wonder at the amount of labour which these horses are capable of enduring,” Darwin wrote in April of 1939 while travelling around Brazil. Click here to read more from his diaries.
Having been on the road for more than 2 weeks now, I am beginning to comprehend why these men chose to see the world on a horse. There is no better way to understand people and their cultures than travelling horseback.
I believe the main reason, though there are many (silence, speed, hight), is the fact that you depend on locals so much. You need their help for water, food, shelter, proper roads, etc. During this exchange of knowledge and goods, a friendship is born. Around the dinner table stories are shared and worlds intertwine.
They are as curious about your story as you are about theirs. To me, this is the greatest classroom one can ask for.
Getting my masters in Humanity 🙂
For more information on Legendary Long Riders and their journeys visit The Long Riders Guild.
