Endurance pleasure rides - silly question

[chaps89]

The vet this morning told me I should get my act together and get madam in for a few pleasure rides this summer.
I did a couple of 32km GER a fair few years ago. I don't really think the horses were *that* fit but they coped with no problems at all - and I LOVED it. I remember it as doing the vast majority in trot and canter.
I feel like Madams legs might fall off if asked to trot 16km (the baby classes I'm looking at)! Are the pleasure rides a bit steadier/do they have an easier time attached to them/will I be laughed at if we don't trot all the way round?
If anyone knows the Hornshill, Birling Gap or Rufus rides and if they might be any good for a first go any feedback would be good.
A general run through of what to do on the day might be a good reminder too please - in terms of vettings and timings.
(Apologies, I know this isn't really a CR post but I thought it might disappear if I put it in tack room before some of our resident endurance bods see it)

 

[crazyandme]

Honestly, providing that you are riding her "properly" (aka not slobbing along in walk) she will be more than fit enough for 16km. You can do up to 40 on most horses in normal 3-4 times a week ridden work
but the minimum speed for even novice horses is only 8kph, and that's very easy to achieve even doing a lot of walking! But no you won't get laughed at. Most people are very welcoming
I've done rufus, quite a nice ride. My sister may have done the others. I'll add on when I've asked
Timings. You will get sent a info sheet for the specific ride as to when you need to be there. Don't need heart rates taken for PRs, trot up depends on the ride organiser! Always ask if you're unsure they'll always be happy to help 😊

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

If the rides are organised by Endurance GB I'd give the Secretary or one of the Committee members a ring and have a chat; they'd be able to best advise you and would also look for you if you are a newbie on the ride too!

 

[chaps89]

Thanks both

Yep, EGB rides. I find the people I've interacted with in egb before friendly and helpful and the rides a bit less fraught than normal sponsored rides, dare I say it.

Our trouble is our hacking doesn't allow for many stretches of trot or canter, I manage to get to off road riding once a month or so so will time us next time out.

She's in a moderate level of work doing something active 5 days a week and is pretty fit but our longest hack is about 8km unless I can get out in a lorry which is why I'm a bit cautious. Still plenty of time left for working on that at least.

 

[crazyandme]

Sister did hornshill, going is quite hard apparently. But that and rufus are reasonably flat though
EGB riders and horses are used to it all so it's not so exciting! 😅
You should have no problem at 16km at a reasonable pace! It all builds up even if you aren't doing the distance all at once!

 

[tiga71]

The speed for PRs is only 8 km/hr so is easily doable for most horses in work. No one will laugh at you if you want to take it slowly. There are plenty of riders who take it easy for various reasons; young horse, training ride, old horse, new rider.

Rufus is a lovely ride. Hornshill has quite a bit of roadwork so I don't do that one anymore. Birling Gap is a great ride - forest tracks and the Downs. Birling Gap has some hillwork.
Findon ride is also lovely, all on the Downs, think it is in June this year.
St Clere ride is just a pleasure ride and is gorgeous. Flat so easier for the horse if you are concerned about fitness. Think that is May.

There is a Facebook page for the EGB Southeast group and if you post on there, they are very helpful.

 

[chaps89]

That's really helpful thankyou.

Roadwork doesn't bother us but I will only walk on hard ground (whether that's roads or stony tracks) and she has the slowest walk in the world 😂

Hillwork is fine, that's one thing we do have plenty of.

I ruled Findon out for some reason when I looked at it earlier but I will go and revisit it. I'll also look out for St Clere too.

I'm feeling very excited about it 🙈 - considering I set out to buy an endurance horse, tried 1 which is now a YR champ and had another on LWVTB which I had to send back due to being traffic shy (fortuitous as he subsequently vetted out lame at a number of rides) and then had nightmare after nightmare with this one (who wasn't bought to do endurance and was in fact bought to sell on to give me greater capital for an endurance horse) this has been 5 years coming.
I've done a bit of crewing and we did Maggy P's treasure hunt ride but that's as close as I've got lately.
It might be the babiest of the baby classes but if we get to and make it round just 1 ride I will be so happy.
Eta - I do love this mare to bits and she's very much here to stay now. If we don't make it to a pleasure ride then it's no biggy, it would just be nice. Thought I should add this incase the rest of my post came across wrong!

 

[EstherYoung]

There is no longer an enforced minimum speed for pleasure rides, but the organiser may give a set time by which they want everyone back (just so the stewards aren't out there till midnight....). So you can take the pressure off yourself.

If your horse is fit enough to do an hour or two's hacking then you will be absolutely fine at a pleasure ride and no one will laugh at you. I promise.

 

[Morgan123]

She sounds like she'll be fine for that distance, it's only the same as a sponsored ride - and if you have lots of hills, she'll be fitter than you think. Just go and enjoy yourselves. and make sure to report back!

 

[Follysmum]

Now there is no time limit as such like before I would just go and enjoy everyone is helpful and full of advise. One of the most friendlier equine disciplines I would say.

 

[tiga71]

My friend organises the Coombes PR which is in May I think. That is just behind Lancing, West Sussex, on the Downs. But is 22km so a bit further. I route check it on one of my horses and it has some fab gallopy places. I usually help on the day as it is my normal stomping ground and have done the route check lots of times.