St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-16
SOME REMARKABLE RIDES
Dick Turpin's Ride From Lon
don to York.

Dick Turpin's Ride From Lon
don to York.
Chambers Journal.
Foremost among English feats of
horsemanship we have one which for
generations has been represented in the
circus ring. Dick Turpin's famous ride
from London to York has taken its
place among nursery legends, neverthe-
less, it was actually performed. and
stands as a record of its kind. The
highwayman, riding with the very best
reason in the word-the safety of his
undiscovered the distance of over 200
miles in little under twelve hours.
The performance stands alone as the
longest and fastest journey ever made
on the same horse. Most of the long
rides OF which records exist have been
made for WagerS; such records are
therefore reliable.
Squire Osbaldestone's undertaking
to ride 200 miles in ten hours, which he
accomplished so successfully Oh Nov.
5, 1881, is one of the most remarkable
feats of endurance in the saddle, and
has the merit of freedom from cruelty.
The Squire rode his race on the New
market race-course, changing his horse
every fourth mile. Four miles is safe
limit for that purpose, as that splendid
horSeman knew. Three-mile laps could
have been covered in time relatively
little better; but sound horse in
fair training could do his four miles
without distress in such time as to make
that distance, with the consequent re-
duction in the number of changes, the
most suitable for the purpose.
Mr.. OsbaldestOne used sixteen horses
to his task, and rode standing in his
stirrup like jockey, while he kept his
mount at best speed from start to finish
of its four-mile heat, having quite a
"set-to" with his pacemaker at the end
of each. The Squire was hard man.
aud in good training, so suffered no bad
effects from his eXertions.
A most creditable performance by
Australian infantry, in April, 1889, also
deserves mention, as having been con-
ceived and carried out in most sports
man-like spirit. The members of the
olympic Mounted Infantry having been
out in camp for maneuverS at a place
| called Lytton, near Brisbane, arranged
to race home, distance of 1l6 miles.
| With discretion the German and Aus
trian executive had done we'll to copy,
overriding was provided against by the
stipulation that no horse should win a
prize if he arrived at the winning post
distressed, or in such condition that he
could not do further distance of ten
miles.
Eleven men, fully equipped in march,
ing order, started from Brisbane at
40 p. m. on Wednesday, April %. The
winner, Private Edwards, riding twelve
stone ten pounds, arrived at Gympie at
p. m. next day, thus travelling the 116
miles in twenty-three hours and twenty
minutes. The route lay over roads
heavy from continuous rains, and in
Guided the crossing of range of hills
which threw out several of the Compel
itors. The second man. Sergeant O'Neil,
actually rode a better race than the
winner, as his horse carried fourteen
stone three pounds, and came in only a
few yards behind Edwards. The third
and fourth men also arrived home
within fifty yards of the winner. The
horses ridden in this remarkable race
were all thorough-breds, and were in
perfect training. 1t is hardly necessary
to observe that long course of prepar-
alton is essential to fit an y horse for
such a journey.