Wrangling horses, driving herds, remudas

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Dalillama

The short answer is yes and no, respectively. I can only find references to horses being ridden distances like this, never driven, so take that as you will, but one article notes that horses can lose abound 10% of their bodyweight over the course of the race (mostly fluids), and there are detailed aftercare directions that will occupy at least another several hours of someone's time, and that's just for horses that haven't started displaying obvious problems after the race, which many will. Secondhand knowledge from people I've known who've ridden less strenuous competitions indicates that you want a day or two of light duty after even a much smaller run.

Indeed, I realise that being ridden for that distance will take a great deal out of a horse.

On the other hand, if running unencumbranced expends only 1/3rd to half the FP per hour for the horse as running with a rider at Medium encumbrance, as it does under GURPS rules for a human, that would mean that 20 miles with a rider and 60 miles without one are only equivalent to a 40-50 mile ride with a rider, in terms of fatiguing the horse.

If that's true, then it becomes possible to get to Zindalankh, for example, on the evening of the third day since the mounts are stolen, without pushing them inhumanly hard. On the first day, the horses would have to run 80 miles, but it would be possible to water and feed them well with oats at two points along that route and all of it would be covered in lush grass.

Those horses who weren't in shape to run further the next day could get at least a half-day's rest around Somraggah, only moving as far forward as would be necessary to graze out all grass around it.

From Somraggah, it's 60 miles to Wakirnayskul and 60 miles from Wakirnayskul to Zindalankh.

I'm guessing Somraggah will be the first collection point for stragglers and Wakirnayskul and Zindalankh will serve the same purpose. The animals that arrive at Zindalankh after three days of running without falling out will have some one or two days of rest there while the stragglers and the column of running hobgoblin infantry catch up with them.

As following them into the Emir's lands will pose political complications for the Bey, for all that Emir is supposed to be his loyal subordinate, the PCs are hoping for a delay in the pursuit for a few days while the politics get sorted out. The Emir will promise all the dispatch possible, sending his own men after these vile blackguards and horse thieves, all the while obstructing useful pursuit and accepting a gift of at least a thousand horses.*

*Depending on how well the PCs manage to negotiate with him.