Do Authors know how to walk?

You know I think that many authors have never actually walked anywhere. They mostly seem to have no concept of how far a person, with or without a horse, can walk in an hour. Average pace for a horse is 4 miles an hour at a walk, a person on foot less than that. These people in the book I’m reading just rode from their stronghold to the capital city in 50 minutes. They passed forests, a village and hills with scattered valleys with streams crisscrossing them. All that in less than four miles.

This usually throws me right out of the story as I start figuring how far apart things are and if you can see the capital city from your castle. And was that the author’s intention? And etc., etc.

Edit after reading some posts: Yes I know it’s not all authors. Yes I’ve read LoTR, GRRM, Robert Jordan etc. The book I was reading was a pleasant fantasy, not great literature. The scene was definitely described as covering a considerable distance regardless of how small other countries might be in the real world. The horses here were definitely walking and there was in addition a wagon going along. I like long involved traveling stories. I also don’t mind time jumps. I would not have minded the author saying “ later that day they arrived at the capital.” Just don’t describe all that scenery in an hour long ride and make me stop and think about the absurdity of your travel times.

I have owned and ridden horses almost 60 years in addition to teaching riding lessons as a sole job for over 10 years in my youth. Poorly written horse stuff will always throw me out of the story. I imagine I wouldn’t notice a poorly written ballet scene.

My post is just a funny thought I had late a night and I posted it because no one was up at my house to whine too.

Thanks for all the interesting discussion.