It’s historic in itself that a man on horseback who has set out to make history for the second time finds himself staying in Gadsden County for a week to give his horses’ feet a rest.

But that is where Gene Glasscock could be found over the past seven days: resting at the Lane Farm located along Kittrell Road, just south of Quincy. Glasscock, 69, made history during the 1980’s when, during a two-year period, he rode on horseback from the Arctic Circle to the Equator. That trip was 12,000 miles.

His current adventure, which started in September, 2002 from Denver, CO will take him 20,000 miles after he completes his ride taking him to all 48 state capitals in the continental United States.

"I know I'm older now. But I can still swing into that saddle. So even if I have to ride a little slower, I want older people to look at me and realize they don't have to just sit on the porch and do nothing. I'm proof positive that they can mount up, ride out, and still live life!", Gene told The Long Riders' Guild before departing on this latest adventure.

"Florida is my 25th state," the soft-spoken Glasscock said while relaxed on the front porch of the Lane Farm, horses quietly grazing on the Gadsden hillside behind him, a man doing not much of anything, that is until today when his mission continues. "I should finish up in Ohio in about two years," he said.

On his first adventure during the ‘80s, Glasscock rode quarter-horses. On this trip he is riding two high-stepping, smoother-riding Tennessee Walkers: George, a 6-year-old and Frank, 7 years old. "I named them after George Beck and Frank Heath," Glasscock said. Beck and Heath were famous "long riders."

After spending months of searching for the right horses he could use to ride into the history books again, Glasscock purchased George and Frank in Paducah, Kentucky from Adams Horse Sales. Owner Jerry Adams also hosted Glasscock for several days as he tried out the horses in nearby Shawnee National Forest. A third horse, a mustang, will be joining Glasscock in a couple of months.

"I’m bringing him in because his feet can take the wear better," he said.

Gene on the front porch at the Lane Farm, 15 miles west of Tallahassee.

"You can’t tell someone you love them unless you try to make their life better."

That quote from Glasscock sums up the reason for this second long ride.

Glasscock, a missionary, was born in Texas, but now calls Paraguay, South America his home.

To help the young people of that country is his new mission.

This 20,000 mile trek is to raise money for the Philip Scholarship Fund at Pensacola Christian College.

Money from that fund is used to bring students who have finished their schooling in Paraguay to Pensacola Christian College where they receive a college education. After that, they return to Paraguay "...to make their country a better place," Glasscock said.

"This country goes about its foreign aid the wrong way," Glasscock said as he put on his felt hat. "I see it in a lot of countries where I have traveled. Their friendship is bought and paid for. It’s not a true friendship. But, if you are kind to their children, that’s where the true friendship begins."

Why Gadsden County?

How does a history maker on horseback who tries to cover 15-20 miles a day find his way to Gadsden County?

Through mutual contacts that are linked by one great bond: horses.

Suzanne Lane-Zdanovskiy is a local horse lover. She said the Southern Trail Riders Association, where she is a director, was contacted and that’s how she got involved. She said that Glasscock’s next stop, as he heads toward his next capital, Montgomery, will be just east of Chattahoochee, where he will be staying with another horse lover. From there possible stops in Jackson County are currently being investigated.

"You have a very active and loving horse community here," Glasscock said about Gadsden County. But, he said that love is not limited to just Gadsden County. "The horse culture in America is the kindest of all."

Glasscock said when he first started this trip, he was excited about the prospect of seeing all the scenery along the way. But he said he found out quickly that the biggest asset to the trip is all the people he meets.

So far he has slept in barns three times and in hotels nine times. His eyes lit up as he spoke of being stranded during Christmas in Missouri because of snow. "The people opened up a closed motel for me to stay in. The scenery from that motel was fabulous."

The rest of the time he has stayed with people who open up their homes to him. "The people are what’s important," he said. "Not the scenery."

Gene feeding peppermint candy to Frank and George

Though this trip is just an extension of his mission work, Glasscock has a problem with the word "missionary" when describing what he is. "When my daughter was five (he has six grown children), she came up to me one day and said ‘Daddy, isn’t everyone suppose to be a missionary?’ I’m simply just a Christian trying to make the world a better place."

So, in your travels, if you happen to see two high-stepping Walkers and a man headed north toward Montgomery and into the history books, take note of the man, his grey felt hat pulled over his eyes, riding a little slower than he once did, a man who had mounted up, is riding out and living life, a man on a mission to make our world a better place.

"I will gladly face the joy, the hardships, and sometimes the pain that comes with the trail I have chosen to follow."

—Gene Glasscock

The Long Riders’ Guild

Donations may be made to Gene Glasscock's scholarship fund for Paraguayan students by writing to: Philip Scholarship Fund, Pensacola Christian College, 250 Brent Lane, P.O. Box 18000, Pensacola, FL 32523-9160.