April 18, 2026
When toddlers rode, not scrolled
Young sons of legendary U.S. marshal ride horseback from Oklahoma to New York
Two kids rode 2,000 miles to NYC—brave, bonkers, or just 1910 normal
TLDR: In 1910, two brothers aged 10 and 6 rode horseback 2,000 miles to New York to meet Theodore Roosevelt. Commenters are split between nostalgia for “free-range” kids, shock at the risks, and gleeful history nerdery—complete with a linked podcast and Pony Express reenactment—making this tale both epic and controversial.
The internet is gobsmacked—and split—over the Abernathy Boys: Bud (10) and Temple (6), who in 1910 saddled up and rode more than 2,000 miles from Oklahoma to New York to greet President Theodore Roosevelt. The article paints the facts like a Western: strict dad rules (no Sundays, no more than $5 cash), a pony swap after a breakdown, a lariat circle to keep snakes out, and even a stop with Comanche chief Quanah Parker. But the comments? That’s where the spurs really jingle.
One camp is pure nostalgia. “They don’t make ’em like they used to,” cheers one voice, while another marvels that a simple note—We’re not runaways—opened doors and dinner tables along the route. Others are laughing through the disbelief: several joked the boys’ modern setup would be Find My Pony and Uber Horse, with screen time at a heroic 0 hours.
Then the debate kicks in. “Quite the contrast from the free-range childhood discourse of today,” a top comment sighs, sparking a pile-on about helicopter parenting, safety, and whether this would now summon child services before sunrise. The history nerds rolled in with receipts: a live Dollop episode calls the trek a “misadventure,” while another links the still-active Pony Express ride and brags you can even mail a letter.
Verdict from the crowd? Equal parts awe and side-eye. It’s a folk tale with blisters: part fearless frontier grit, part “please don’t try this at home” energy, and 100% comment-section catnip.
Key Points
- •In 1910, Louis “Bud” (10) and Temple (6) Abernathy rode over 2,000 miles from Frederick, Oklahoma, to New York City.
- •Their father, U.S. marshal Jack Abernathy, approved the trip and imposed rules: daily mileage limits, cash limits, no Sunday travel, and water-crossing restrictions.
- •The ride was timed to meet Theodore Roosevelt’s return from an African expedition, with extensive media attention along the route.
- •Early challenges included severe weather, a dangerous river crossing, and replacing Temple’s foundered pony in Hominy, Oklahoma.
- •The boys visited Quanah Parker in Indian Territory and received hospitality from families; a Columbus, Ohio, paper reported on their progress.