ABERDEEN, Ohio — A family of filmmakers who are documenting a monumental horseback ride across much of North America stopped in Aberdeen Thursday for a break along the Ohio River.

Richard Blackburn and Louise Leroux set out from their small ranch in Morin Heights, Quebec in May and are a little more than half-way to their destination on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where Blackburn and Leroux plan to deliver 50 samples of Canadian horse DNA to a scientist renowned for work on horse genetics.

Blackburn has made the entire trip on the back of a Canadian horse named Hannah, with another Canadian filly in tow.

The Canadian horse is the oldest domesticated breed in North American, Blackburn said, and the main goal of the trip and the film covering it is to raise awareness and appreciation for the Canadian Horse. Although it was once one of North America's most popular and important breeds, the Canadian horse now numbers only 2,500 world-wide.

While Blackburn rides, Leroux takes care of practically everything else for the trip. Leroux is also a noted filmmaker and she is directing a documentary about the journey, "The Legend of the Canadian Horse," so she always has her eye out for key locations to shoot.

In a motorized camper, Leroux also scouts ahead for places to stay, and on that front the family has been fortunate.

"Everyone has been so welcoming, it is really refreshing," said Leroux.

The generosity and friendliness of Americans "has been amazing," Blackburn added. Regardless of the need, people have always been there to lend a helping hand, he said.

Leroux and Blackburn have been offered plenty of gifts to help with their travels, from loaves of bread to whole chickens.

Blackburn tries to average about 25 to 30 miles a day on horseback, though road conditions play a large role in how fast the horse can travel.

They stay at campgrounds and state parks and backyards, wherever space is available for the family and the horses, which have not been in a trailer for the entire trip, Blackburn said.

On Wednesday night, they stayed with a generous host on Island Creek Road in the Bentonville area — coincidentally where a Pony Express mail station used to be located. Bentonville is also home to the

Anti-Horse Thief Society, the nation's oldest continuing group that is dedicated to the prevention of horse thievery.

Blackburn jokingly noted that their horses are bought and paid for and pedigreed — there is little question about where they came from.

And that is sort of the point of the trip. As a rare "pure breed," Blackburn said the Canadian Horse is extremely valuable to researchers who study horse breeds and lineages.

Blackburn believes many American breeds can be traced to the Canadian horse, at least in part, and Dr. Gus Cothran will likely be able to prove that assertion once the DNA samples arrive. Cothran is the

director of the Equine Research Facility at Texas A&M.

Blackburn said Cothran is a respected authority on horses and horse genetics, but has never had the opportunity to study Canadian horse DNA. That fact should change once Blackburn and Leroux arrive in

Texas, hopefully sometime in September.

Blackburn and Leroux had made tentative plans to stay near May's Lick on Thursday night, but Leroux said the Simon Kenton Bridge was such an attractive location that they held up in Aberdeen to wait for their

cameraman to arrive. Blackburn expected to cross early this morning.

A sound operator will join the crew in Lexington this weekend as Blackburn and Hannah participate in the Kentucky Horse Park's Parade of Breeds, a first for any Canadian Horse.

The trip to Lexington should take two days, so Blackburn and Leroux will likely stop in the Blue Licks area for the evening, he said.

In addition to the film, the trip is being documented in an online blog that can be viewed at www.legendofthecanadianhorse.com.

Information on other productions involving Leroux and Blackburn is available at http://shootfilms.ca.

Contact Michael Arthur at michael.arthur@lee.net or call 606-564-9091, ext. 271.