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HEBER CITY — It's not uncommon to see people riding horses along the side of the road in Utah. There is a good chance other riders won't have the story Jake Harvath now has, though.
With a police escort down Main Street, Harvath returned to Heber City Thursday afternoon after finishing a 6,000-mile, yearlong journey across the country, through 25 states — on horseback.
Harvath called his trip "The Year of the Mustang," with a goal to raise awareness that mustangs and wild horses still matter in modern America.
With his horses Bella, Eddy, and Denver, he went through snow, the great plains of Middle America, and even New York City, which is known more for its car traffic than horse riding.
He documented the trip on his YouTube channel and other social media pages, hoping to inspire others to do tough things.
"I have not only been kind of people's first experience with mustangs all over the country, but I have also been able to be people's first experiences with horses all over the country," Harvath said.
His mother wasn't so sure it was possible at first, but she knew her son was dedicated to doing and completing the trip. Before long, she was in Heber City taking pictures of his return, tears in her eyes.
Now that her son is home and ready for a nice break, he feels the real work is just beginning.
"I am going to keep on making videos to keep on spreading the word about wild horses and the West and everything I can to keep it going," he said.
