Taking a large cavalry force on a long journey was not something that could be done at a moment's notice. Without infantry and wagons to transport large quantities of supplies, provisioning became a real inconvenience.
Spare horses could carry the supplies instead. This increased marching speed, but severely limited how much they could take.
As a Khergit who had spent his life on horseback, Tuoju had offered Allen a suggestion when delivering horses to Wilderness Town: bring more mares, and eat dried meat, which kept for a very long time and was filling.
Most of the dried meat stored in Horse-herding Village, however, had undergone little further preparation and tasted awful. Untreated mare's milk also had a strong, rank smell, and drinking it for long enough left that same odor clinging to the whole body.
If Allen and his companions arrived in Minas Tirith reeking like that, some dim-witted Gondorian nobles might well ridicule them. Allen had no desire to stage a performance of showing off and humiliating his detractors in Minas Tirith.
He therefore rejected the suggestion, since there were better choices: the Dúnedain's emergency rations, the Cram commonly eaten by the Northern Men, and the honey cakes made by Beorn's people.
Even setting aside the foods that needed preparing, Wilderness Town's market already sold things like seasoned sausages, all excellent fare for a march.
The trouble was that this journey south required a considerable amount of provisions. Besides more than a thousand humans, there were over four hundred Dwarves with enormous appetites.
The residents of Wilderness Town would have to work hard for a few days to prepare it all.
As for drinking water, Allen would lead the force south along the Anduin River, so there would certainly be no shortage.
Before departing, however, Allen met with most