When the Pony Express was formed they advertised for “Young skinny wiry fellows, not over eighteen. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.”
Because of the amazing men who answered that ad, only one mail pouch was lost during the existence of the Pony Express.
The most amazing of the riders was Bob Haslam, who was known as Pony Bob. In May of 1860 he rode horseback 380 miles in 36 hours. But that wasn’t his most amazing feat.
On March 4, 1861 Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the President of the United States. It was important that the people in California get Lincoln’s inauguration speech as soon as possible.
Pony Bob was responsible for a 120-mile stretch in Nevada. He covered the 120 miles on 12 horses in about 8 hours. To give you an idea of how fast he traveled, a racehorse runs the short distance on a racetrack at a little over 25 miles per hour.
Counting the time taken for changing horses and any other delays, Pony Bob traveled the 120 miles at approximately 20 miles per hour.
But Pony Bob had to contend with conditions no jockey has ever had to contend. Right after he left Cold Spring, Nevada he was surrounded by Indians riding stolen Pony Express horses.
Pony Bob shot three of the Indians. Then he took an arrow in the left arm. He caught another arrow in his mouth that broke his jaw and knocked out five teeth.
Outrunning the Indians, at the next relay station he stuffed a rag in his mouth and successfully delivered this valuable document to the next rider.
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