Tschiffely's Ride: Southern Cross to Pole Star (Library of travel classics)

The true story of the most famous equestrian journey of the 20th Century, this is the thrilling account of thirty months spent in the saddle where danger and excitement were a daily occurrence.

In 1925, Aimé Tschiffely, a Swiss teacher living in Argentina, set out on his epic ride with two Criollo horses, and traveled 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires to Washington DC.

Aimé Tschiffely had been teaching in an English–American school in Argentina for almost a decade when he conceived his astounding plan: to travel from Buenos Aires to New York—10,000 miles—on horseback. In April 1925, Tschiffely set out with two native Argentine horses, Mancha and Gato, and with rugged determination, the trio traversed the Pampas, scaled the Bolivian Andes, struggled through Peruvian sands, swam the crocodile–infested rivers of Columbia, and fought their way through the jungles of Panama. They crossed Central America through countries devastated by years of war to finally reach Washington D.C., followed by a reception in New York. The three had been together, exclusively, for more than two years; during that time, Tschiffely developed a remarkable relationship with his horses—an affinity that has seldom been equaled. This colorful account is a true classic of travel literature and perhaps one of the greatest animal stories ever written.