The Association of Friends of the Camino del Norte ensures that there's no previous cases known to Benjamin and Jennifer Rodriguez
To the centuries-old tradition of making the journey on foot, often joins the fashion of doing it by bycicle, something that we are seeing more on the pilgrimage route; however it is not so common to walk it on horseback, a challenge that only face some brave pilgrims. The Camino is not ready for it and requires a much more planning for the maintenance of horses.
Benjamin Rodriguez and her daughter Jennifer are two of those brave pioneers and also, because they have to start this Saturday the Northern Way, a journey of over 900 km that will take them from Irun to Santiago de Compostela. Friday these two pilgrims from Las Caldas (Asturias) face the journey that will take them to the starting point to begin the Camino on Saturday, with 20 days to go before reaching Santiago.
There is no evidence that anyone has dared to complete the Northern Way riding, according to the Association of Friends of the Camino del Norte, so the challenge of this father and daughter takes a special look. Both have previous experience, as they have already completed the Primitive Way before, while the two animals that accompany them are owned (the family has a business where they work with children and animals in Las Caldas).
However completing the Camino horseback involves many logistical difficulties, for the maintenance and the rest of the pilgrims joins the animal and the Camino is not that we find too many sadderlies to leave the horse. Some pilgrims who rush to the Camino on horseback have a car logistical support, which is common in the case of organized trips, yet these two pilgrims arrange their animals on their own, which makes the pilgrimage a real challenge.