I don’t know about you, but just hearing about someone going on a 600-mile adventure by horseback is overwhelming. But what if I told you that Jane Dochin not only does an annual expedition from England to Scotland with her beloved Jack Russel by her side, but she is 80 years young!
Although she may have trouble reading the map, it doesn’t matter because she knows the entire route by heart.
When many people picture a person in their eighties, nursing homes, wheelchairs and walkers often rack their brains, don’t ride horses and set up a tent with one hand. But Jane has been on a similar trip since 1971 and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
She begins her annual adventure in her hometown of Hexam, Northumberland (northern England), and goes on horseback to Inverness (in the Scottish Highlands). The entire trip took about seven weeks and lasted 600 miles.
While she will be the only one setting up her tent, she doesn’t make her trip all of alone. Jane will ride her beloved Pony “Diamond” throughout the journey. Diamond is her 13-year-old pony and this is her fourth time taking this trip with her mother. She is also the 4th generation of ponies raised on Jane’s farm.
Dinky, her Jack Russel, will also join Jane on her multi-mile journey. Dinky is a decade, Jack Russell has a disability who enjoys the sights and sounds of her special saddlebag. Dinky’s front feet are deformed, making walking difficult. But that doesn’t mean she’s not excellent company. Jane simply lifted her dog companion onto horseback and slid it right into one of the saddlebags strapped to Diamond. Dinky is calm and content while she enjoys her wonderful view of the passing scenery.
Although Jane wears an eye patch and can’t see the map as well as she used to, she doesn’t worry about getting lost. She has done this trip so many times that she has memorized the route. But what interests her are the passing cars.
She used to encounter fewer motorized vehicles when she started her travels in the ’70s. Today, too many drivers are rude to riders and won’t even slow down when they approach. . When a horse is panicked, it can be extremely dangerous for both the rider and the horse itself.
As someone who loves camping and the countryside, it makes perfect sense for Jane to want to do this trip for as many years as possible.
Featured pictures: Youtube
