How long could a horse run in the desert?

Beck: How long could a horse run in the desert?
“Fit” horse, “average” desert (hot, flat, sandy). Writing a scene in a novel that I hope won’t make horse-lovers go “That could never happen!” Any other thoughts/tips/reality-checks about riding in the desert would be helpful! Thanks!

Answers and Views:

Answer by SingSong
Well, when I imagine a horse running in the desert, I immediately think of an Arabian horse with large flaring nostrils and a long flowing tail held up proudly. Arabians are known for their endurance, but on average I wouldn’t expect any normally fit horse to flat out gallop for more than 15 – 20 minutes. If they were cantering (which is slower than a gallop) then I suppose about 30 – 40 minutes would be acceptable. Generally, the faster the horse goes, the shorter the time period that they are able to maintain that speed. For example, if a horse was walking in the desert, it could basically go all day. However, as you have mentioned that the terrain is sandy, and not solid – like a dirt ground – then the horse would have to work harder to gallop, which means he might only be able to run for about 15 minutes or so.