Anita, I am on the far side of 50, weigh over 285 lbs. Twice last year I rode from my farm in southeast Howard County, MO into Fayette. The route I take is over the back roads and through the country, I only have to be on the blacktop for about a mile and a half for the round trip. The distance is almost exactly 7.5 miles each way or 15 miles total. It is an easy trip there and back for both me and my horse and we are gone less than five hours. It would not bother me to do that tomorrow, (and borrowing from Wedemeyer), if only my horses were shod.