May 25 2018
After years of uninterrupted labour the Long Riders’ Guild has helped usher in a new age of equestrian exploration. With Members in 46 countries, the Guild has mentored equestrian expeditions on every continent except Antarctica.
Subsequently, to mark the 400 year anniversary of the birth of equestrian travel literature, the Long Riders’ Guild Press is writing to announce the publication of the three-volume Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration, the most extensive study of equestrian travel ever created.
Robin Hanbury-Tenison is a Founding Member of the Guild and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society who was awarded the Patron’s Gold medal. In the Preface, Robin declared, “CuChullaine O'Reilly is a phenomenon. In these magnificent volumes all the great equestrian experiences throughout history are recorded and, above all, the love that can exist between humans and horses is revealed.”
Noted equestrian author and Founding Member of the Guild Jeremy James stated in the Foreword, “If the Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration isn’t a Magnum Opus, then nothing counts. I believe CuChullaine O’Reilly has written the most astounding book in equestrian historical literature. CuChullaine, you’ve joined the Immortals.”
The first and second sets of the Encyclopaedia were presented to Great Britain’s reigning monarch, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and to the future king, His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, both of whom exerted a profound influence on the creation of the books.
The famous British explorer, John Hare, reviewed the Encyclopaedia for England’s most prestigious magazine, Country Life. He described “the masterly volumes as a comprehensive work that will be treasured by future long riders and seen as a unique treasury of horse and human wisdom.”
The Encyclopaedia is not the limited personal view of the author. It is not the recollections of a single traveller. It does not promote the superiority of one race or culture. It contains the collective wisdom of more than 400 Long Riders. The pages document their neglected role in equestrian history and reveals their gallant struggles against inconceivable odds
For the first time in history the books written by Long Rider authors are honoured in an extensive Bibliography which includes more than 200 titles dating back hundreds of years. The 1,800 pages are enriched by nearly a thousand images, drawings and photographs.
Volume 1 consists of The Preparation, The Horses and The Equipment, Volume 2 consists of The Challenges and Volume 3 consists of The Journey, The Aftermath and The Epilogue. Thus the Encyclopaedia’s three volumes contain hundreds of pages of practical wisdom gained from the travels of the greatest equestrian explorers.
It is also a guidebook that explains that state of mental tranquillity described as The Long Quiet. A few books have addressed the practical aspects of horse travel. But no one has examined the philosophical side. The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration doesn’t just tell you how. It reveals why. HRH Prince Charles provided the spiritual inspiration for the Encyclopaedia. His profound influence can be seen throughout the book, and he is specifically quoted and thanked in the Epilogue, which addresses issues that confront us all as human beings.
To augment the study of equestrian exploration, the Long Riders’ Guild previously released The Horse Travel Handbook. This smaller cavalry style manual has already accompanied a number of Long Riders during their journeys in the Americas, Asia and Australia.
Taken together, the Encyclopaedia and the Handbook represent an equestrian Rosetta Stone that chronicles the ancestral story of the Long Riders and ensures that humanity’s collective equestrian travel heritage is preserved for posterity.
Kind regards,
CuChullaine O’Reilly FRGS
Founder, The Long Riders’ Guild
Advance Reviews
“CuChullaine O’Reilly is unquestionably the most gifted equestrian writer of the 21st century. Except for his abbreviated version – The Horse Travel Handbook, there has never been a guide written that is in any way comparable to this unusual tour de force.
Canadian Long Rider Bonnie Folkins
“The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration was authored by CuChullaine O’Reilly, the foremost expert, scholar and gentleman of horse back travel and exploration. It represents a vast collection of wisdom brought together for the first time.”
New Zealand Long Rider Ian Robinson
“CuChullaine O’Reilly is the lore-master of the Long Riders’ tribe. After decades of amazing research, his wonderfully written Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration represents a literary landmark in the study of horse travel.”
Russian Long Rider Vladimir Fissenko
“The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration is not about one nation. It represents the collective wisdom of humanity’s travel on horseback. This is a book of marvels that includes precious stories, valuable ideas, forgotten history and endangered practical knowledge.”
Lithuanian Long Rider Gintaras Kaltenis
“No one has written about equestrian travel as CuChullaine O’Reilly has. The author misses nothing. His breadth of knowledge is astonishing. I was amazed at the skill of the writing. This book is not only vital to equestrian travelers, it is essential to our human history.”
American Long Rider Lucy Leaf
“The Encyclopaedia of Equestrian Exploration is the Bible for Long Riders. These books will guide you, inspire you, and show you right from wrong.”
Argentine Long Rider Benjamin Reynal
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