A charitable equestrian adventurer will be joined by walkers, runners, cyclists and four-legged friends, for a Scottish trek raising funds for a mental health charity.
Louis Hall of The Big Hoof is currently undertaking a 12-day ride from St Andrews to the island of Iona, along the Columba’s Way in aid of Venture Trust’s Outdoor Therapy Project. Beginning on 3 July, he aims to complete the ride on Saturday (15 July), accompanied by his horses, Sasha and Istia. The mares recently completed a 2,800km ride across Europe with Louis, from Siena, Italy, to Cape Finisterre, Spain, so are no strangers to a long-distance challenge.
Louis is joined by walkers, cyclists, runners, dogs and a Highland packhorse, and the group are camping and staying in bothies, retreats and guesthouses along the way.
All funds raised through the ride will go to Venture Trust, a Scottish mental health charity that focuses on homelessness, isolation, crime, addiction and trauma. The charity’s Outdoor Therapy Project supplies professional support to 16 to 25 year olds and ex-service personnel.
“After our ride across Europe we felt that it was time to make a difference at home,” Louis told Your Horse before in the days leading up to the challenge. “Starting with the ride across Scotland, we hope to show a way of travelling that is slow and connected; appreciative of the beauty and the mystery of the land underneath us – our heritage and history – while inspiring a slow and sustainable way to travel through the power of the horse, our oldest friend. We want to provide a unified, connected journey that is for everyone: walkers, cyclists, runners, riders, dogs, horses and everything in between.”
For information on the ride’s route and how to join, plus to donate, visit www.thebighoof.com/fareways
Image supplied by The Big Hoof of previous rides
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