Horses, Endurance and Distance

By Susan F. Craft
Author, A Writer’s Guide to Horses

        The Long Riders' Guild is the world's first international association of equestrian explorers, and is an invitation-only organization. It was formed in 1994 to represent men and women of all nations who have ridden more than 1,000 continuous miles on a single equestrian journey. Members currently reside in 45 countries.
        Because they constantly receive all manner of questions from writers about how to depict horses in their works, the Guild asked me to collaborate with them to compile A Writer’s Guide to Horses.
       
One question that authors ask quite a lot is, “How far can a horse travel in a day?”
Here’s an excerpt from the Guide that addresses that question.

Endurance of Horses
        Endurance depends on a wide variety of issues – condition of the animals prior to their departure; the season; that day’s weather; geographic challenges they face that day; proper fit of the riding and pack saddles; how often and accurately the animals are fed, and how talented the riders are.
        Based on a loose “ideal” situation, a Long Rider can hope to average between 15 and 25 miles a day.
        You don’t ride a horse cross country like you drive a car. That means the Long Rider usually rides for five days and then takes two days off to rest himself and his horses.


Scottish Long Rider, Catherine de Bourboulon,

rode from Shanghai to Moscow in the

mid-nineteenth century.

Gait or Pace
        Walk – 3 to 5 mph (four beat movement or gait)
        Trot – 8 to 10 mph (two beat movement)
        Canter – 15 mph (three beat movement)
        Gallop – 25 to 30 mph (A two-beat stride during which all four legs are off the ground simultaneously. This is a four-beat movement)
        A team of six horses pulling a light carriage will go faster and farther than a single horse pulling a very heavy wagon.

Distance

    “Every mile traveled is a mile survived. Distance is measured in time, not miles.”        

 How far a horse can travel in a day depends on –
• size of the horse
• age of the horse
• how much the rider weighs
• how talented the rider is
• how much gear, including saddle, bridle, saddle bags, etc., is the riding horse carrying in addition to the rider
• weather and what time of year the trip is being taken • geographic conditions – flat roads winding across pastures in Maryland; snake infested switchback trails in the Rocky Mountains; swamps, canebrakes, sand hills of South Carolina, the Steppes of Central Asia, the Himalayas, the marshes of France’s Camargue
• Writers should be aware of how the weather affects equestrian travel. Horses (like people!) find it very hard and tiring to struggle through mud or deep snow, which sometimes pull their shoes off. If there is a very sharp, cold wind, all horses will try to turn their backs to it, which can be maddening for the rider if they are trying to travel into the wind! • time period/era – i.e. late 19th century with accommodations for horse and rider found along all major roads in the eastern part of America; or early 21st century when you can’t find a horse shoer or a barn if your life depends on it; mid-1700s in back country US with little chance of equestrian services being offered at outposts or settlements.


Swiss Long Rider, Otto Schwarz, rode

48,000 kilometres on five continents in

the late twentieth century.

• if there is a pack horse in the equation; how much the pack saddle weighs; if the riding and pack mule get along
        Quote from a 1917 British cavalry manual regarding the average pace for travelers: “Distances covered in one hour, walk 4 miles, trot 8 miles, canter 9 miles, slow gallop 12, gallop 15 miles. The rate of marching should average about five miles an hour, including short halts. The rate of march will vary according to the nature of the country, the gradient of the roads and the climate.”

These excerpts from the Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation’s A Writer’s Guide to Horses regarding the sex, age, physical attributes, behavior, and feeding of horses. It is copyrighted material that is provided here with the permission and courtesy of the Long Riders’ Guild. Visit the website at www.lrgaf.org for more information about horses.

Adventures in Historically Accurate Colonial Costuming

[With a nod to Laura Frantz's post "Dress, Shoes, and Stays - Oh My!"]

So ... I’ve always been a perfectionist. Painfully so, and one of the lessons I’ve had to learn as a mother of many is knowing when to let go of the Quest for the Perfect.

Here is one time when I just couldn’t, quite. :-)

A participant in the 2006 Parker's Ferry event

Several years ago, when I first began research on my Revolutionary War novel, Loyalty’s Cadence, I joined a Yahoo group for researchers and living historians, called 18cWoman (18^th Century Woman). That list is no longer in existence, but its replacement, 18cLife, has been fairly active. Over the years, the kindly folk there have answered my story questions on everything from regulations about British campfollowing wives to Colonial Christmas traditions. I’ve also witnessed countless discussions about proper clothing for period reenactments and living history events. These people tend to be meticulous in their research and attention to detail, so when the idea of sewing a “real” eighteenth century outfit occurred to me, I brushed it aside. Again—and again. :-)

Okay, I finally thought, IF my historical ever sells. It would be cool to wear one to booksigning events. Then came my first contract for Defending Truth, and the project lurked in the back of my mind through the months of writing and revising the novella. As a challenge to my sewing skills, it would be as much a creative endeavor as the writing, and it was just as important to me to get the research right.

So, a quick overview of 18c (eighteenth century) women’s wear from the skin outward:

• Shift: the equivalent of 18c underwear, made of pure linen for its availability and breathability. The quality of the linen was determined by one’s station and wealth. “Chemise” is the French word, more commonly in use in the nineteenth century.
  
  
  

  

  JP Ryan stays pattern

• Stays: basically the predecessor of a corset, which again is the French word and not in use until later. Often referred to as a “pair” of stays, referring to the two halves, or “bodies,” which is where the word “bodice” comes from (“a pair of body’s”). In the 18c and before, as much of a support garment as for shaping, like an 18c lumbar belt. In use as early as the 16^th century, and worn by babies and children as well as adult females. (That scene in Pirates of the Caribbean, where Elizabeth wears stays for the first time, is inaccurate in so many ways ... )

• Pockets: a bag or two, sewn to a cloth tape and tied around the waist for access through side slits in the skirts. Often highly embroidered, and NOT worn on the outside to attract marriageable men ... 

• Petticoat: essentially a skirt, at least one, more often two. These were often linen, quilted cotton, silk, or wool. Working women wouldn’t bother to match the petticoat to their jacket or gown, but dressy gowns often had a matching petticoat. 

• Gown: an open-fronted garment with sleeves, more or less embellished. Fastened down the front with straight pins (yes! it’s true!), or hooks and eyes. The open skirts are sometimes hiked “a la polonaise.” Made of linen (striped or plain), wool, silk, or a block-printed cotton (see Debra’s recent post about fabrics). In lieu of a gown, women also wore jackets, shortgowns, or bedgowns (for undress/casual wear around the house).

• Apron: also of linen, pinned and/or tied over everything to catch workaday dirt and grime.

• Cap: a very fine linen, of varying ruffled styles, but NOT the “gathered circle mobcap” style so often seen in ‘70’s historical dramas.

Summer-weight worsted wool

So, when planning this, I had to consider a few things: time, place, cost. The first event I wanted to wear my gown to was the 2013 ACFW conference, held last weekend. The main event is a Revolutionary War reenactment in early November. More historical accuracy would be appreciated at the latter than the former, so I knew I had leeway with finishing and construction to begin with. Cost was a factor because, well, 100% fiber fabrics are usually not cheap, especially for period-appropriate gown fabrics. When inquiring on 18cLife, I was told that drapery-weight cottons were the thing, not quilting cottons (and I had to be careful of the print); linen, but be careful of stripes; wool, usually a summer-weight worsted suiting, and not a twill weave; or a silk print or brocade. Just the thought of trying to choose overwhelmed me. Then, a particular wool went on sale, only to be out of stock by the time I made a decision, so I was back at square one ....

[to be continued!!!]

Sandwich, anyone? By New CQ Contributor Amber Perry

Sign for Historic Sandwich

Sandwich, anyone?
by Amber Perry

I have been obsessed with all things colonial and Revolutionary War since I was knee-high-to-a-grasshopper. I’ll never forget the day, at the ripe old age of fifteen, when my parents told me they were taking me to Boston so I could tour the historic sites. I was jumping up and down, and squealing so much you’d have thought I’d won back-stage passes to see The Backstreet Boys in concert.
But for me, this was WAY better than that. I mean, way better.

Newcomb Tavern, known in the Revolutionary era
as Tory Tavern 

While there, on a whim we decided to visit Cape Cod, since it is just about an hour or so from the city.
Little did I know, from that day on I would never be the same.
I remember sitting in the back seat of the rental car, inhaling that new-car smell and marveling at the beauty that dashed past my window when my dad said, “This little town is called Sandwich.”
Of course that got my attention. Sandwich? Who names a place after something you eat? Well, now I can look back and say, “Oh, Amber dearest, how cute and uneducated of you.”

Hoxie House, built in 1675

Once I got over the name, I was captivated by the quaint, historic homes and the magnificent setting. I promised myself that someday, I would go back. I’m sure I’ve never seen a more beautiful little town—and one with such fabulous history that is unknown to most people, unless you’ve been there. (Though I’m sure that can be said for many towns in the U.S.) I never forgot Sandwich, and if you have ever been there, I’m sure you can’t forget it either. * wink *

Inside the Hoxie House

Sandwich, Massachusetts was founded in 1637 and is the oldest town in Cape Cod. Named after a seaport town in England, the land was originally part of the Plymouth Colony. About sixty families first settled the area, and it continued growing after that, however slowly.

Shawme Pond

The Quakers of the colonial era were often persecuted in many places, but found a bit of refuge in Sandwich and the religion began to thrive. In fact, the Monthly Quaker Meetings held in Sandwich, are the oldest continual Quaker meetings in America. So says the Sandwich “historical” website . . .

View of Newcomb Tavern across Shawme Pond

During the Revolutionary War the colonists of Sandwich were very supportive of the patriot cause, but as with most places, there were a number of Tories who insisted on making their own strong feelings known. A well-beloved proponent of the patriot cause, Doctor Nathaniel Freeman, was a fearless leader among the patriots of Sandwich and after a political rally, was attacked by three Tories in front of Newcomb Tavern. If I could, I would reeeeeaaaally like to tell you all about the drama that ensued between the Whigs and the Tories in my favorite Cape Cod town, but I will have to leave that for another post.

Dexter's Grist Mill

Mainly a farming community during the colonial era, Sandwich has a large, centrally located pond (more like a small lake) that people and livestock used on a daily basis. On the pond stands a gristmill, powered by Shawme Pond, that was originally built in 1640 and still grinds corn today!

If I could, I would visit Sandwich every year. No, scratch that—if I could, I would LIVE there, but alas, I fear that will never happen. *sigh* But I do love it and hope to go back again someday.

Inside the gristmill

Have you ever been, and if so, what did you think?

Tell me about your favorite historical town!

Warner Hall

Warner Hall

Augustine Warner

Did you know that George Washington, Queen Elizabeth II, Robert E. Lee, and Meriwether Lewis all share common ancestors and a location in America? Augustine and Mary Warner began that family, and Warner Hall, in Gloucester County, VA is the place that can make this unique claim.

In 1642 Augustine Warner received a “land grant” for a six hundred-acre plantation from Britain’s King Charles I in exchange for bringing settlers to the struggling Jamestowne Settlement. Warner Hall, situated on the Severn River, was built in 1674.

Meriwether Lewis

The other family associated with Warner Hall is the Lewis family. The Lewis family entered into the plantation’s history when Elizabeth, the third daughter of Augustine Warner II, married John Lewis and inherited Warner Hall. The Warners and the Lewises, two prominent Virginia families, continued on the property well into the 19^th century.

George Washington

Augustine Warner was the great-grandfather of President George Washington and the eighth great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II through her mother's Bowes-Lyons family.

 

Aerial View of Warner Hall

Warner Hall was rebuilt several times when the home was damaged or destroyed by fire. The current home, a Colonial Revival manor house, was built on the earlier foundation in the early 1900s. It and its dependency structures have been meticulously restored.

The walled Warner Hall Graveyard, site of the tombs of Augustine Warner and other members of the Warner and Lewis families is discretely located behind the manor house. It is owned and maintained by the Association for Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.

Warner Hall Graveyard

The Inn at Warner Hall

Theresa and Troy Stavens, purchased and restored Warner Hall in the 90’s utilizing their financial management and marketing skills and passion for hospitality and historic preservation, to create the Inn at Warner Hall. I first learned about Warner Hall from good friends who regularly dine and stay at this charming 38 acre country inn with eleven

The Inn at Warner Hall

guestrooms.

Center Hall Stairway

I was curious to find out more about the inn I’d heard so much about, so on Labor Day my husband and I visited Warner Hall. It was a delight to wander around this beautiful property and restored 19th century mansion, so filled with history, which continues to be enjoyed and appreciated by many.

Solarium

For more information about The Inn at Warner Hall: http://warnerhall.com/

The Blue Tattoo

Title: The Blue Tattoo

Author: Margot Mifflin

Publisher: Bison Books (non-fiction biography)

As Royce Oatman sat in his kitchen one sunny morning in the summer of 1850, he made the decision to give up farming in Illinois to join a wagon train of Brewsterites, a break-away sect of Mormons (Church of Latter Day Saints).   

On August 9, 1850, Oatman and his family, with other settlers left Independence, Missouri to follow James C. Brewster, who was bound for California where he believed Mormons would find their true gathering place, rather than Utah.

Eventually disagreements caused the group to split, and Oatman took his family to forge on alone. Royce and his wife had seven children at the time, ranging in age from 17 to one year. On their fourth day out, they were approached by a group of Indians, asking for tobacco, food and rifles. At some point during the encounter, the Oatman family was attacked by the group, and all were killed except Lorenzo, age 15, Olive, age 14, and Mary Ann, age 7. Lorenzo had suffered a severe head wound, and eventually awakened to find his family massacred with no sign of his two sisters.

Western Yavapais had taken the Oatman girls to a village about a hundred miles away from the scene of the attack, where the girls were used as slaves, frequently beaten and mistreated. After a year, a group of Mohave Indians visited the village and traded two horses, vegetables and blankets for the captive girls. They walked for days to a Mohave village at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers (present-day Needles, California). The sisters were immediately adopted by the family of a tribal leader—Kohot. The Mohave tribe was more prosperous than the Yavapais, and both Kohot’s wife Aespaneo, and daughter Topeka, formed a bond with Oatman girls. Olive expressed her deep affection for these two women numerous times over the years well after her captivity had ended.

In keeping with the tribal custom, both Oatman girls were tattooed on their chins and arms, a sign for those who were tribal members. Mohave tradition held such marks were given only to their own people to ensure that they would have a good afterlife.

After her return to white society at the age of nineteen, Olive was encouraged to give lectures around the country displaying her tattoos and sharing her experiences as a white captive among the Mohaves. Author Margot Mifflin does a good job discussing  the times Olive was torn between two cultures and hid from the public when she suffered severe bouts of depression over her internal struggles.

There are numerous other stories of white captives taken by Indians during the 18^th and 19^th centuries; most notably the story of Mary Jemison, the “White Woman of the Genesee”. If traded or sent back to live in white society, many of these captives had a difficult time re-adjusting, especially if they’d been assimilated into Indian culture as children or young teens.

In The Blue Tattoo, author Margot Mifflin has written a well-researched book, considering the many conflicting tales told about Oatman and the Mohave culture. Well-illustrated with photographs from the period, you can purchase it from several on-line book-sellers or found in your local libraries. My rating for this non-fiction biography: 4 ½ stars.