A. F. Tschiffely (1895–1954)

In 1925, A. F. Tschiffely decided to follow his dream. He planned his route, purchased supplies, and readied his two Criollo horses, Mancha and Gato, and set off to ride from Buenos Aires, Argentina to New York City-- a journey of over ten thousand miles. Most thought he was crazy. Scarcely anyone thought he would make it. The memoir he wrote about his experiences is a fascinating read.

The care Tschiffely took of his horses-- often having fodder sent ahead so the horses would be able to eat and keep up their strength-- warms the heart. Mancha and Gato weren't just his modes of transportation, they were his friends on what was often a very lonely journey. Not only that, but they also saved his life more than once.

His story of dealing with tremendous obstacles, both natural and manmade, and his travel through areas torn apart by war are mesmerizing, but what impressed me the most about this memoir is the man Tschiffely himself. His personality came shining through in his writing.

He didn't hold back when he felt strongly about something, whether it be watching his first bullfight or government officials who were more concerned with obtaining bribes than doing their jobs. He took advantage of his travels to see many archaeological sites and other places of interest, and he made friends all along his route.

Although he encountered danger countless times during his two-and-a-half-year trek, there are also humorous anecdotes that made me smile: his reaction to getting asked the same questions over and over and how much sleep he lost due to all the celebrations being held in his (exhausted) honor that he had to attend being two.

Tschiffely's observations of nature and the landscapes through which he traveled were vivid. Many times I felt as though I'd saddled up my own horse and was accompanying him. If there was any single disappointment in reading his memoir, it was the fact that he glossed over the last few months traveling through the United States. I completely agreed with the reasons why he did, but as a resident, I always like to learn visitors' reactions to my country.

Read it as the memoir of an incredible feat. Read it as a historical document of its day and age. Read it as an animal lover or as an adventure story aficionado. Tschiffely's Ride is the best sort of armchair travel, and I highly recommend it.… (més)

In Bridle Paths, my childhood hero, A.F. Tschiffely, set off in the early 1930s to ride round the rural byways of England and Wales. He made the journey with a bay mare Violet, "of no particular breed" who, coincidentally, since he borrowed her for the occasion, shared her name with his wife.
Full review: http://geraniumcat.blogspot.com/2008/07/bridle-paths-by-af-tschiffely.html… (més)

In 1925 A. F. Tschiffely, a young Swiss instructor of English, set out to do what no one had ever done - and the majority of sane people thought to be impossible: ride from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina to New York City. He would take only what supplies could be carried by his two horses, Mancha and Gato, and his dog. (The dog's company lasted only hours into the first day.)

In all, Tschiffely rode over 10,000 miles in 2 1/2 years, all of it on either Mancha or Gato, two teenage Argentine Criollo horses he'd acquired from a supporter only a few weeks before the start of his ride. What's truly amazing about Tschiffely's account is as much what isn't written as what is. In spite of the hardships and dangerous situations in which he found himself, he writes mainly of the people and places he encounters, glossing over many incidents which must have threatened to derail his trip entirely, if they didn't result in his death or crippling injury.

An amazing story, even if you're neither a horse person nor a fan of travel literature.… (més)