horse travel 1800-1809?

Question

How long would it take a man to ride a horse from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. around 1809?

Answer 1

This is a good question!
Map Quest lists the distance as ~140 miles by the roads today. Dirt roads then should have followed a similar route.
I would estimate a horse at a walk to cover perhaps 5 miles an hour - though some experienced horse riders should be able to give you better answers on this. (Hopefully some will answer)
Thirty five miles in a day is perhaps 7-8 hours in the saddle.
My guess would be four days in 1809.
It could be done faster of course with fresh remounts and every daylight hour in the saddle. It depends on your resources in horses and how much of a hurry you were in.

Answer 2

most likely only only-2-3 days in good weather