Many people would envy 24-year-old Cyril Bertheau of Texas. He had a secure position in technology and a six-figure income. However, Bertheau insists that he had unfinished business that compelled him to leave his work and go on a great, and to many, a foolish, trip.
As reported in the Beaumont Enterprise, Cyril Bertheau, the oldest son of the Bertheau family, explained that in his family, it is traditional for the eldest son of every generation to undertake a great, big adventure. His grandpa walked across a desert, and his father traveled the globe through backpacking.
While in the midst of what was looking like a promising career, Bertheau decided to heed the call by planning a path between Austin, Texas, and Seattle, Washington, on horseback.
Reports reveal Cyril Bertheau is excited about making the 2,300-mile trip and aims to complete it in 100 days. He told local media that he is a skilled rider and has competed in equestrian events for years, all of which are essential to the achievement of such a venture. Bertheau said he would go only on trails, eschewing roads and railroads in favor of camping.
Bertheau purchased a stunning black-and-white Tennessee Walking horse aged 13 and called Shiok. They began their journey on April 9th.
He stated his dad was supportive, but his mom was scared for him.
According to Oklahoma State University, the Tennessee Walking Horse was bred for a variety of uses, including leisure riding, transportation, and agricultural chores. Plantation owners in the South took to calling their workers Plantation Walkers, and soon the term spread across the region. They required horses with smooth movements that were capable of carrying them for miles as they traversed vast pastures.
Country physicians who spent long hours on horseback sometimes preferred the gaits of the Tennessee Walker. Preachers who rode their horses from one church to another, perfecting their sermons as they went, favored these sprightly steeds.
