Cuchullaine O’Reilly, founder of The Long Riders Guild, joins Horse & Rider Living as the newest contributor…with no shortage of stories to tell!
Riding horses thousands of miles, encountering obstacles and episodes of blood-chilling events, long riders are equestrians whose time in the saddle lasts years, not hours. If it sounds familiar, it should – HRL has extensively profiled The Long Riders Guild – and we’re delighted to welcome its founder, CuChullaine O’Reilly, as our newest contributor!
The Long Riders Guild, an organization whose membership is truly global, was founded and is led by CuChullaine O’Reilly – who is as adventurous a writer as he is as a rider, and we at HRL are privileged to have his contributions to our site!
The Guild, a truly global organization, was founded in 1994 for men and women who have ridden more than 1,000 consecutive miles. Some have ridden 6,000, even 10,000 miles consecutively – and many are currently attempting similar journeys all over the world.
O’Reilly is giving our readers a glimpse into the reality of long riding and all it encompasses. Adventure, beauty, majesty, yes…but these long rides are also dangerous. Lives have been lost in these pursuits.
One of the most dramatic rides to ever be undertaken, Nikita Gretsi is currently riding coast to coast across Siberia. Starting October 2, 2021, Gretsi began a journey on horseback that would make most of us shudder both physically and mentally. Climate, both political and temperature, can be brutal; Gretsi is experiencing below zero temps right now.
Our thanks to CuChullaine O’Reilly and Nikita Gretsi for sharing this dramatic equestrian event. Check out the first installment of Nikita’s story here (with an update as of November 12!), and we look forward to future updates!
