Roger Sewill MRICS

The idea of walking a 200-mile, multi-day, cross-country trek from my childhood home in Surrey to my current home in Dorset was a long-held ambition. However, it was not until Scarlet, a Dales Pony, entered my life that I combined my interest in long-distance walking with my passion for horses, which I believe is referred to as horse hiking. In doing so, I created ‘A Country Journey,’ and we left my childhood home in mid-October 2024 to walk alongside each other and find our way back to where I live in Dorset.

Before leaving, I had found stop-off points for Scarlet along the way, but never knew if I would be camping, sleeping in a barn, or provided a bed for the night at each location. B&Bs and pub venues were not on the agenda, although, at times, I wished they were! However, the uncertainty of sleeping arrangements created a daily mystery. In the end, Scarlet was always provided with a field or stable, while I slept in some most unexpected places - ranging from horse tack rooms to a five-star glamping tent. My most unusual overnight accommodation was a cowshed full of noisy calves.

The first part of the journey was challenging for both of us. I had that initial mind battle where expectations meet reality. I was alone and far from home.  I felt the burden of responsibility for managing Scarlet’s needs, along with my self-doubt about whether I could walk this distance. We had never done anything like this before, and despite all my pre-planning, I had never properly tested whether I could get all my kit onto Scarlet’s back and how far we could walk each day on a multi-day trip. I had also mistakenly assumed that all bridleways would be passable!

There is no way off the trail with horse trekking (walking beside the horse, not riding). If delayed or lost, there is no free lift to the next venue. You can’t walk up to someone's front door or into a shop to ask for help. Not with a horse at the end of a lead rope. You are stuck tied to your horse, walking at around 2.5 mph, and as the late October days were short (and very wet!), there was an added necessity to ensure that we completed our daily journey before dark.

Initially, Scarlet did not settle, and I was concerned she was not eating or drinking enough. During this early stretch, we also encountered the trip’s worst blocked paths, bogs, and thigh-high floods. 

My appreciation for the Dales Pony breed and Scarlet’s ability to adapt skyrocketed on the second day, after we found ourselves at a blocked bridleway gate, unable to exit a field. Without hesitation, she jumped a broken fence and ploughed through a thick laurel bush to reach the roadside verge. Unfortunately, in doing so, my glasses got flipped off. I found myself unable to see, holding onto Scarlet, standing on the verge of the busy A24, the London to Brighton road, with cars speeding past a few feet away at over 70 mph. The moment still fills me with horror, but Scarlet, as always, was amazing when needed. She followed me back through the laurel bush, cars flashing past behind us, as I crawled on my hands and knees, sweeping the ground until I found my glasses. 

We walked between 13 and 18 miles each day. We became more settled as we progressed, and our trust in each other grew. She would often walk beside me at liberty. Once, I fell asleep after stopping for a lunchtime snack to find Scarlet at liberty standing over me! We hit bad weather along the South Downs but were thankfully rescued by a kind livery owner. Scarlet was adopted for two days, while I had my first experience sleeping in a tack room, until the storm blew over.

As we left the Surrey and Sussex mud behind us, we crossed Hampshire, Wiltshire, and finally into Dorset. It became a powerful feeling to leave our overnight shelter early each morning, climb up onto a chalk hill ridge, and stare at the horizon, knowing with confidence that Scarlet and I were strong enough to reach as far as we could see and beyond. 

Crossing through the centre of Winchester could only be described as exciting. We had had days of open countryside and space, and then suddenly, Scarlet and I found ourselves in the middle of a busy city. There is a stone trough at the top of the high street, left in memory of all the horses lost in the Boer War. One of my goals was to take Scarlet there and pay my respects to the Dales Ponies'  wartime role.

Scarlet steamed through the city like a real warhorse, much to the surprise of the busy pedestrians. At one point, I was secretly delighted at Scarlet's ability to stop a white van from cutting us up as we left the city on the one-way system – don’t mess with a Dales Pony!

The trip took 18 days, and it was rewarding to have the BBC follow our progress—I am convinced they thought we would come unstuck somewhere along the way! However, we were fortunate to meet so many people who helped us. The kindness of strangers to Scarlet and me was extraordinary, and this, along with the bond that grew between us, left me with a powerful sense of tranquillity and happiness. 

The Dales Pony is a native breed and is on the UK critical list. They are known for intelligence, strength and sure-footedness. 

Throughout this adventure, Scarlet demonstrated all these attributes and more. Her strength and trust are extraordinary. Spending this much time in harmony with an animal whose ancestors have roamed the planet far longer than we have is a privilege.