When you’re a rider who’s not overly keen on long distances – or hacking at all – what do you do to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK? You take on the longest ride possible.
Or that’s what Ali Zuend did; she and Jo Treweek are about halfway though their journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and have already raised nearly £6,000.
Ali’s father and Jo’s mother both suffer from dementia, so both riders have seen its devastating effects, and were determined to help.
“We’ve both had first-hand experience of caring for people with it, and seen the effect it has on so many people,” Jo told H&H. “That’s why we chose to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK, because we thought research is working towards solutions, not just care.
“We’re both horsewomen; Ali’s a natural horsemanship trainer, that’s how we met, but also my mum loved horses and rode a lot as a child. Life didn’t allow her to pursue that passion any more but when she was getting dementia, horses really helped her stay calm and cheered her up. So it felt like the right thing to do.”
Jo said Ali had wanted to do the journey for some time, adding that she, Jo, likes long-distance riding.
“I don’t!” Ali said. “Hacking is something I avoid really, so why not go and do the whole country?”
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
But Ali said the journey, and the orienteering, are the elements that appeal to her. She prepared by riding for about an hour a day, five days per week, all winter, then upped the fitness from about February. Jo’s preparation including a ride across Wales and back last autumn.
“The horse I was planning to bring on this trip had a vet issue so I brought Bonny instead,” Jo said. “I’d struggled to find her a job; she was bred for eventing but didn’t really seem to enjoy schooling or training for that and doesn’t like arena work but the first practice ride we did, she seemed to understand. She’s a thoroughbred-Irish draught so not your usual trekking pony but she’s loving it.”
Jo and Ali are largely following the route taken by vet Kate McMorris, who did the same trek in 2022, planning each stage and following Ordnance Survey maps on an app. The 205-mile Pennine Bridleway was key to the route and Ali said they are likely to follow Kate McMorris’s route to the south and east to bypass Bristol, which could be a sticky area. They have booked in at least weekly stops to allow the horses to have a day off.
“For the first 10 days, we had a support person with us who did some scouting ahead and asking people,” Jo said. “We had some places pre-booked, but she also found people just by asking. We’ve had lovely people all along the way, who have just been so kind and accommodated us or the horses, or both, allowed us to camp.
“We’ve also got a kit trailer, which has horse feed and supplies in it, but no person to tow it, and people have volunteered to shuttle it down to the next stop, we’ve met so many people that way. They’ve often been people who have been touched by dementia or Alzheimer’s themselves and have wanted to contribute somehow.”
There have been some memorable moments; on one of the first days, there was wire in the road to stabilise the camber and some had come loose, and got stuck between Poppy’s foot and hoof.
“Luckily she didn’t panic, she’s been well trained and we had wire cutters so we cut her free without injury, which was amazing,” Jo said. “We’ve had some tricky bridges to cross, over motorways or rivers, and various animal incidents! Herds of cattle, pigs, emus, llamas; every livestock you can imagine.”
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
On Friday (12 June), Jo and Ali were on their first day on the Pennine Bridleway, and on course to arrive at Land’s End at the end of July.
“There have been times you wish you could get where you were going sooner and feel a bit like you don’t want to plod down any more road to get there!” Jo said. “But every morning the horses have been coming up to us ready to go, they haven’t shown any sign of being unwilling; they’ve been quite impatient to get moving. And they’ve actually held condition amazingly and almost put weight on at times so we’re pretty happy with their condition.”
Poppy is shod, and had a new set of shoes on last week; Bonny has had a trim and been in the same hoof boots since the start.
“A big motivation for me to do this is the time with your horse,” Jo said. “They’ve been learning things and you just get so much closer, and build more trust.
“And it’s been stunning; normally when you travel you don’t see things continuously but it’s so lovely seeing the landscape unfold, and how beautiful it is.”
Jo and Ali have upped their original £5,000 target to £20,000, which “might be pushing it”, Ali said. “But why not?”
Jo said the most important thing is the fundraising.
“We’ve met so many people; a high percentage of people will have to deal with dementia, or have relatives or friends with it,” she said. “Incidences of it are getting higher and there’s got to be answers as the cost to everyone – society, individuals and families – is just so huge. You know it’s not going to get better and you just have to deal with it so we’re just hoping and hoping they can find a cure.”
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
