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Nevada woman embarking on 550-mile horse ride

Posted at 11:40 PM, Apr 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-01 03:21:16-04

NEVADA (KOLO) — Samantha Szesciorka is about to set out on a horse ride across the state of Nevada.

“I love trail-riding and being with my horse. And I love Nevada,” exclaimed Szesciorka.

It’s a 550-mile trip, spanning 43 days.

“I try to eliminate the amount of weight he carries of course and monitor his hydration. And all of that is built into the preparations and planning in advance,” explained Szesciorka.

It’s the third time she’s done a long-distance ride like this on top of “Sage”, but this trip has a special meaning.

“To promote wild horse adoption, because I’m riding a formally wild horse, and he’s a great ambassador for that adoption program,” said Szesciorka.

It’s also in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wild Horse and Burro Act, coming up this December.

“It’s what grants wild horses federal protection from being captured or harassed or slaughtered indiscriminately,” said Szesciorka. “They have some federal protection under the law.”

She adopted Sage 10 years ago; riding him for thousands of miles across Nevada and the Sierra.

“There’s a lot of stereotypes and sort of bad reputation about wild horses sometimes,” added Szesciorka. “But for me, this is like what a great way to show off how great they can be. How easily trainable; how much endurance they have, how much stamina. They’re just great horses.”

She’s also bringing her dog Juniper with her on the trip, where they’ll camp out most nights, and stay at a couple of houses and ranches along the way.

“I have cached feed and supplies all along the route already in advance,” continued Szesciorka. “And now I have volunteers who will be filling in the gaps between those caches. So I do have people all along the route who will be doing feed and water drops.”

She sets out from Las Vegas Saturday, May 1, and is scheduled to arrive at the Equestrian Staging Area on Stephanie Way on June 12.

“There’s a lot of solitude, it’s quiet. You’re unplugged from civilization and the internet and Facebook. You’re with yourself and you’re with your animals and you are with the environment around you. It’s a pretty amazing experience.”

You can follow her progress at Nevada Discovery Ride.

This story originally appeared on the ABC station in Reno, KOLO 8.