From April 3, 1860 to November 21, 1861, the Pony Express carried mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California through a relay system of 190 stations. Fresh horses were used every 12-15 miles and new riders every 75-100 miles, with 75 horses needed for a one-way trip. The approximately 1900-mile route took 10-12 days in summer and 12-16 days in winter, and the service was almost perfectly reliable, failing only once when a horse and rider were killed. It ended with the completion of the transcontinental telegraph in 1861, which sent news in minutes. Riders carried equipment that included Navy Colt revolvers, a rifle, a Bowie knife, a horn, a Bible, and a mochila pouch for mail, and some carried less to avoid overload. Between 400 and 500 horses were chosen for spirit and endurance, and breeds such as Morgans and Thoroughbreds were often used on the eastern end of the route, Pintos in the middle, and Mustangs in the west. Riders swore to drink no intoxicating liquor, though bottles found along the trail showed the oath was not always kept. Stationmasters and attendants also faced lonely and dangerous conditions, with many losing their lives. Robert "Pony Bob" Haslam made a 380-mile round trip in 36 hours, billed as the longest and fastest run in Pony Express history, and at age 15 William "Buffalo Bill" Cody made the longest non-stop ride, covering 322 miles in just over 21 hours on 21 horses after his relief rider was killed.