On Substack.

"As encountered in seventeenth and eighteenth century documents and writings, a road is defined as a riding. Seaward, the journey of a boat riding the waves and landward a journey of a rider on horseback traveling cross-country. This country riding can be seen in OE rād-hors, a riding horse. In Colonial New England such a riding would have most likely been on a trotter or pacer. One of the breeds of sure gaited ponies used for cross-country travel such as a Fell Pony, Palfrey or the Welsh Pony or Cob."

mapalmer.substack.com/p/roads-common-ways-and-high-ways-part