The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-05-20

NANNY because ne is eIghTy-CWO
years old and is said TO have once been pony
express uder-it was by no means unique, for
feats Of long distance and endurance riding
have become fairly common in recent years
(as witness the stories told by some of the
pictures shown above). But the principal inter
est in such feats lies in the fact that they re-
mind US Americans that even in this airplane
and automobile age horseback riding over long
distances is not yet lost art
They also raise the question OF records made
in such feats of endurance and an outstanding
authority the subject, Wayne Dinsmore, sec
rotary Of the Horse Association Of America,
has supplied the following information on that
subject:
The longest distance travelled by horse and
rider in "a hours seems TO be that covered by
the couriers OF Gen. Wesley Merritt, who in
1879 covered 10 miles in a little less than 81
hours This would be at the rate of miles an
hour for the full time. 1t is not certain whether
or not they changed horses on the trip.
In the endurance tests or long-dstance rides
the most important requirement is generally
recognized to be the condition OF the horse
This form of sport commenced in Europe after
the close OF the Franco-Prussian war and be-
came an international sport beginning in 1892
when there race between Austro-Hungar-
ian and German officers These were under the
auspices of the emperors Of these countries and
were in the shape of races between Berlin and
Vienna. The Acknowledgements were victorious
but it cost the lives of many horses.
In 1904 in a ride between Lyons and Vichy 80
horses took part; six of these had to give up. In
the Yienna-Beriin ride out OF 1919 horses taking
part q horses died. In another one from Ores
den TO Leipsic, out OF SO taking part, not less
than ten horses succumbed. In the Brussels-Os-
tend ride out of 80 taking part two died on the
road and two more after arrival. In the Upsala-
Stockholm ride only one rider out of q gave
up. This shows that care and attention to the
condition OF the horse the long distance
rides is steadily increasing.
On October 80, 1912, Capt. Frank Tompkins
rode the pure-bred Arab stallion Razzia from
Mortified Vt, TO Fort Ethan Allen, a distance
of 81 miles. and back the same day. This horse
which stood 14-2 hands high and weighed $50
pounds. carried It's pounds on his back. The
most important feature in the performance, how
ever, that after the journey of 1O2 miles
in single day he showed no WEAKNESS and
was in condition the next morning TO have
peated the feat. Time on the road. Is hours and
80 minutes.
On September g. 1912. this same horse ridden
by Parker Tompkins, went from Mortified to
Winsor, Vt, 20 miles. In Is hours. including all
stops; and two day later he returned on a very
hot day, covering the distance including all
stops in Is hours
Captain Reid rode 154 miles over billy coun-
try, carrying 80 pounds in so hours and AZ
minutes winning first prize in an endurance
test. The horse was a threequarters Arabian
called Halcyon.
pure-bred Arabian, Yaquis, covered the
same course with 160 pounds in 80 hours and
81 minutes with Lieut.. R. II. Parker up
The United States Cavalry Journal OF July,
1915, contains account Of officers endur-
ance race run after three o'clock in the after