Horses have great stamina and have the ability to travel for many miles in a day, but how far can they travel? When people traveled by horses in the past how far could they travel daily? I did some research on the history of horses and people and how they traveled.
How Far Can A Horse Travel In One Day?
Horses can travel many miles in the span of twenty-four hours. There is actually a competition that judges the horse on this called endurance riding. Endurance is a sport that judges the horse’s stamina and ability to go up to 100 miles in the course of one day. The record time for a horse to do 100 miles in one sitting is 5 hours and 45 minutes. Average horses can go around 35 miles in one day. The young and healthy horse, however, can travel between 50 and 75 miles in one day.
How Many Miles Can A Horse Go When Pulling A Carriage?
Traveling On The Oregon Trail
Horses pulling covered wagons and carts along the Oregon trail were a common sight to see in the wilderness during the 1840s all the way through the 1860s.
These horses and people needed to travel through many different terrains from mountains to prairies, and even Native American territories.
On average, this long line of covered wagons only covered about 15 miles a day on average. This is probably why it took so long to journey from their original settlement all the way to Oregon.
Stagecoaches of the Wild West
Stagecoaches were a form of transportation from town to town as well as a means of delivery and money transfer that started being used in the late 1850s. Stage coaches are large carriages typically pulled by a team of four to eight horses.
Stage coaches were pulled through several types of terrain and Native American territories. There are many stories of Native Americans attacking and raiding stage coaches. It was not entirely uncommon to have a stagecoach raided and robbed.
On average, horses that pulled stagecoaches could travel around 30 miles per day for each team. When coaches would get to a new town they would get a fresh team of horses and continue their journey so they weren’t wearing their first team out too much.
Traveling With An Average Carriage Horse
The carriage horse, or horse and buggy, were used for a very long time and only stopped being used around the 1920s. These horses were used to transport people and families to any destination they wanted to go.
These horses were only really used to travel up to 25 miles per day and rarely more than that. The horses that pulled these buggy’s and carriages were often owned and cared for by the family that used them, so the horses weren’t often overworked so they could serve the family longer.
How Far Can A Horse Travel With A Rider?
Usually, horses carrying a rider can travel around 50 miles in one day, but endurance horses, if moving for an entire day, can travel well over 100 miles.
Horses who carry a rider over many miles will tire faster than a horse who has no rider at all.
What Types Of Horses Can Travel The Furthest In A Day?
Hotblooded Horses
Hotblooded horses are horses that can travel the furthest in one day. Arabians are one hotblooded breed that can travel the greatest distance and are of the top choices for endurance horses.
It was actually an Arabian that traveled 100 miles in 5 hours and 45 minutes and achieved the record for the fastest 100 miles.
Another great option for a horse that can cover ground quickly and can keep moving for long periods of time is a Thoroughbred. These horses are used in racing for their incredible stamina making them an ideal choice for a riding horse that is needed to cover a great stretch of ground. Their tremendous speed makes them cover ground faster than most horses, as well as give them a great advantage over warmbloods regarding speed, energy, and stamina. The average horse of this breed can travel, with a rider astride them, up to 45 miles in one day. If the horse is very well taken care of and used for a stamina-required sport, they could travel well over 50 miles in a day.
Warmblooded Horses
Warmblooded horses are the next choice of horse for riding distances. Warm-bloods are often chosen as 3-day eventing horses because of their great stamina and jumping ability. These horses are heavier and often slower than their hotblooded cousins, but that doesn’t mean they can’t cover great distances.
Appaloosa horses are a breed that was bred and developed by the Nez Perce Native Americans. This warm blood is known for its stamina and durability as it was bred to be used and ridden in the wilderness of North America. This breed can easily cover up to 50 miles per day.
The Mustang is another breed that makes a great horse for traveling long distances. These hardy horses are actually the wild horses that roam all over America. This breed, because of its history in the wild, is used to constantly moving and can most likely cover around 50 or more miles in one day.
FAQs On The Distance A Horse Can Travel In A Day
What Breed Can Travel The Greatest Distance In A Day?
The Arabian.
Arabians have the best stamina and agility of any breed of horse. They are the best endurance horse that you could ever get. The Arabian is a breed that is full of energy making them able to keep going and going and going.
It is this breed that I can confidently say can travel the furthest of any other horse in one day.
Do Horses Need Breaks When They Are Traveling All Day?
Yes it is important that your horse has breaks.
Horses will need to re-hydrate during a long ride because if you are riding all day they are most likely going to be sweating. It is good to get off and let your horse rest from carrying you for so long. You can dismount and walk your horse for a mile or two before getting back on so the horse can relax and recover from the weight of you, the rider, on their back.
Can Horses Travel Further With A Rider Than When Pulling A Carriage?
Yes, horses can travel faster and further if they are just being ridden rather than pulling a cart or carriage. This is because pulling a heavy buggy, cart, or carriage is much more physically taxing than if the horse just needs to carry a person.