A marathon might well be won by a trained athlete over a bareback horse, and definitely by the athlete over a horse carrying a 200 lb man, saddle, and bit of gear. An endurance racing horse typically averages about 7MPH, while the better marathon runner often exceeds 9MPH.
Makes it easier to understand how Apache men, women and children on foot could cover ground faster than mounted cavalry over the long haul, especially over difficult terrain.
