Distant Skies by Melissa Priblo Chapman Book Review

If you’re a fan of horse books and you love true stories of grit and horse-and rider-connection, I believe you will love Distant Skies, the equestrian memoir by Melissa Priblo Chapman. I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at Kentucky Horse Park with Melissa about a year and a half ago. I had not read her debut book at that point, but I enjoyed her company and could tell Melissa was a remarkable (and gutsy) horsewoman. When Melissa was in her early 20s, she set out on an epic trail ride: from New York (her home state) to California! Her trusty steed was a young gelding named Rainy and her only other companion, a puppy named Gypsy.

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The book is a refinement of journals Melissa kept as she, her horse and dog (and eventually a pack mule named Amanda) walked across the United States. I had read Elizabeth Letts’ The Ride of Her Life, and was completely immersed in the story of a middle-aged woman riding solo across American in the 1950s. You can read my review here. But what I really liked about Melissa’s story is it was set in a more recent era and she was very young.

Instead of providing a full summary of Distant Skies, I thought it would be nice to let you enjoy it on your own by reading it, and chat with Melissa to get a little behind-the-scenes takeaways from her journey.

Q & A with Distant Skies author, Melissa Priblo Chapman

What surprised you about your cross-country riding trip?

To this day it surprises me how genuinely kind and helpful people want to be. We hear bad things more nowadays because of constant contact with social media and 24-hour news. For example, my local news guy [in New York] went on a long motorcycle trip when he was 22, and he crashed in Colorado. The first guy who came on the scene stopped and helped him. It gave me my belief that most people would help someone in need. [Throughout the course of Melissa’s trail ride across America, whenever she had a need, somehow a person showed up on her path and provided for her. The most notable example was when she lost her canteen in the middle of nowhere.]

What did you learn about the horse community from your Distant Skies journey? 

I have nothing but good to say and it’s funny because I briefly dabbled in showing but that was never my thing for reasons of both desire and budget. You know how at a horse show if a horse won’t load, everyone will help out. I had a belief that horse people would help out.

There were so many parts of the horse community I got to see. One place was racing horses and they had an indoor practice track for Standardbreds. Out West I got to see people doing reining and roping. People would always be open to us.

One astounding thing to me, I was trying to be a good planner when I left, I wanted them [her travel companions] to have vaccinations. All those horse people across the country who let my horse and mule stay at their place, and I was never once asked to show health papers and vaccination records. I never showed Coggins papers, and I was never asked for any health certificate. 

Are you still in contact with any of the many friends you met across the country?

I am. You’d be surprised. It’s only now that I’m older and wiser do I realize what a touching thing it is, the power of friends. Last May I stopped and stayed with Butch and Nancy in Ohio. They’re the same as my parents would be, and Naomi my Amish friend is old-school Amish and we write letters. I usually see her once a year. Dan from Arizona, the reporter, we talk occasionally.

It’s been a great thing in my life. My Kansas people, Ohio people and a family from MIssouri were all here for my wedding when I got married in the later 80s….People say, ‘You were so brave.’ I’m truly not a brave person. I just wanted to do what I wanted to do. I was normal, but just had this dream. It enabled me to build these lasting friendships. It’s a blessing in my life and an ongoing gift.

What is a typical ride like for you today?

During my long ride we averaged 20-25 miles a day and there were days I unwittingly went farther. I was going totally by paper maps. There were also days when I got 12 miles in. I still try to ride almost every day. I still ride outdoors. I don’t own a pen, a corral or a ring. I go out and trail ride.

What were a couple stories that didn’t make it into the book that you’d like to share?

One thing that always intrigued me was there was a time we had another dog with us and I named him Garcia when we were on a Navajo reservation. He started following us and I didn’t realize it. They have open grazing laws. We saw loose dogs all the time, and didn’t realize this guy started following us. He was very sweet and he just stayed with us for several days and I got attached to him. He was nice to Gypsy and he was great with my horse and mule. I stayed at a one place and a man came over and started feeding this dog and when I was getting ready to leave he said, “I’d like to keep the dog.” So I said yes.

Was there one particular spot your mind drifts back to?

My mind went away to a day in Kansas, Amanda had just started a girth sore. The people I had stayed with said I could leave her for a couple days and they would take my packs. Suddenly it was just me and Rainy and Gypsy. I like Kansas, although I’m northeastern born and bred. That feeling of the wide open space and I was able to let Rainy canter just a slow easy canter. I stopped for lunch in the middle of a big huge field. A farmer friend told me they would always leave one tree so a farmer could stop and rest. I remember dozing off under a tree. And I woke up and thought that this is pure freedom–the horse was rustling in the grass and the sky was blue. It wasn’t spectacular scenery, but it was a moment of being part of the earth and untethered from normal human concerns. 

Thank you for reading this interview and blog post, my review of Distant Skies. You can snag your copy of Distant Skies here. Follow Melissa on Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch with her riding and writing adventures.

Thanks for reading and tally ho! And in case you can’t get enough horse books, I just released a Marguerite Henry biography: Marguerite, Misty and Me: A Horse Lover’s Hunt for the Hidden History of Marguerite Henry and Her Chincoteague Pony! I would love to personalize and sign a copy for you so you can relieve the nostalgia of your horse crazy youth. 🙂 CLICK HERE to peep Marguerite, Misty and Me.

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