Endurance Riding

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bailey2000

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Hi there! I'm looking for some advice on endurance riding and what we will need in order to be comfortable and safe when we begin. My children are now both old enough that it is time for me to be able to have a go at something I have always wanted to do with my pony. We're going to start with a 32km GER and one day maybe a competitive GER!

I'm looking at spending the autumn and winter months getting my pony fit and ready for the season from February 2016 and would really appreciate any advice on the following:
Which saddle/bridle/girth/stirrups/saddle pad?
Which breeches/riding wear? What are good brands?
What will we need on a 32km ride?

Thanks in advance for any help :)
 
Hello!

I haven't done endurance myself, but my arab is an ex-endurance horse, and my former Arab is doing very well as an endurance horse now... I have made some lovely new friends in the endurance world...

This is a lovely website, and has a fantastic fittening programme on this link:

https://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/

I'd also check out the EGB website, and also any forums on arabianlines (you don't need to have an arab, but there's lots of endurance discussions) and also there are a fair few endurance groups on Facebook. I follow EGB, and there are usually pages specific to the area you're in. Something that has really struck me is how friendly and welcoming the endurance world is, there is a real sense of support from everyone, and the welfare of the horse always seem absolutely paramount.

In terms of equipment, I think it really is a case of being as comfortable as possible. A slight rub on a boot from a 50 mins hack can be an open wound on a 3/4 hour ride! Real Sheepskin is lovely too, absorbs something like 30% of it's weight in sweat and prevents rubs on the horse.

Do you have a crew / helpers? People to meet you at various points on the long rides to give you and your horse refreshments and a wash down if needed. I notice a lot of people have waterproof map holders which attach to their saddles so they can easily follow the route - that might be a good purchase as I know I'd probably drop the map straight into a muddy puddle! :-)

Enjoy yourself, I would like to have a go one day but with work, and a young family it's going to be something on hold for some time.
 
Becks01 said:
Hello!

I haven't done endurance myself, but my arab is an ex-endurance horse, and my former Arab is doing very well as an endurance horse now... I have made some lovely new friends in the endurance world...

This is a lovely website, and has a fantastic fittening programme on this link:

https://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/

I'd also check out the EGB website, and also any forums on arabianlines (you don't need to have an arab, but there's lots of endurance discussions) and also there are a fair few endurance groups on Facebook. I follow EGB, and there are usually pages specific to the area you're in. Something that has really struck me is how friendly and welcoming the endurance world is, there is a real sense of support from everyone, and the welfare of the horse always seem absolutely paramount.

In terms of equipment, I think it really is a case of being as comfortable as possible. A slight rub on a boot from a 50 mins hack can be an open wound on a 3/4 hour ride! Real Sheepskin is lovely too, absorbs something like 30% of it's weight in sweat and prevents rubs on the horse.

Do you have a crew / helpers? People to meet you at various points on the long rides to give you and your horse refreshments and a wash down if needed. I notice a lot of people have waterproof map holders which attach to their saddles so they can easily follow the route - that might be a good purchase as I know I'd probably drop the map straight into a muddy puddle! :-)

Enjoy yourself, I would like to have a go one day but with work, and a young family it's going to be something on hold for some time.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much - I really appreciate the suggestions. The info about boots was exactly where I was going with "which clobber to buy" because I read somewhere that gel pads under saddles cause burns so I'm aware that what is appropriate for short rides/schooling is no good for long rides under more extreme conditions. I'm going to contact my local EGB area committee to get started and join up and will quiz them on what to get in terms of horse and rider clothiing. Not being made of money, I want to only be buying quality items which will work for the shorter pleasure rides as well as a more intense GER.

I hope you get to do this too one day - my children are getting much older now and I can now focus a little on myself and my pony :)
thanks again
 
Hello, good for you endurance is the best sport :-).
Basically: tack - wear whatever is most comfortable/whatever you would for a long hack. If you can go without boots, do (so as not to heat legs up/to avoid rubbing) but if you need them, use good quality ones. You DEFINITELY don't need to buy any special tack to start off though. If you carry on doing it for a while you may find it useful to get a biothane (hose clean) bridle but that's about it. Start off just in your normal, most comfortable stuff, as if you're going for a long hack at home.
Where is your planned 32km ride and who's your local group?
Good ways to get to know more about endurnace include helping at rides, offering yourself as crew, or buddying up with someone for your first rides are good ways to learn lots. Endurance is notoriously incredibly friendly and it's not unusual at all to buddy up with a more experienced rider; you can just request this on your entry form. If not, you may well find you make a friend en route and end up riding with them, this is very common :-).
You don't really need crew till you get to longer distances, though it can be nice to have a friendly face round the course. If you end up buddying up for your first rides, you may find the other rider has crew already of course.
a good way to start thinking about it is to use a tracker app like mapmyrun on your hacks, and you'll begin to see what your usual average speeds are and so on - just useful for when you do your actual ride. You don't need to be riding 32km at speed at home to do it at a comp though.
 
Whereabouts are you based?

Really you don’t need any special equipment to start out, and if you can get your horse fit enough to do a couple of hours’ hacking at home, a 32km at novice speed should be easily achievable.

Although the routes are marked, it helps to have an idea of how to map read, so that you know how far along the route you’ve got and also if there is an incident on course you can tell people where you are.

A good way to learn a bit more is to volunteer to help at a ride, so that you get to see it all from the ground first and meet a few people. That way it’s not as daunting when you turn up with a horse.

Some good things it may be helpful to teach your horse:

-****** How to do gates. Depending on where you are in the country, there may be gates on the ride. Ride organisers try and get enough helpers to have them opened for you but you may still have to do some. There is a time allowance if the ride has more than five gates, but if you are confident at opening and shutting them mounted then you will save yourself quite a bit of time.

-****** Drinking. Endurance riders obsess about their horse drinking. It would be useful to teach your horse to drink at home, so, every time you get back from a ride, offer them a drink. Make it more tempting by using sugar beet water or suchlike, but make it routine – every time you ride. I did this with my youngster and now he drinks like a fish whenever you stick a bucket under his nose, no matter where he is, which is marvellous.

-****** Pacing yourself. You don’t want to be hammering round hell for leather, but you don’t want to be wasting time either. Measure some of your normal hacking routes and time yourself so you get an idea of what different speeds feel like and at what paces your horse is most comfortable and relaxed.

Good luck, you will really enjoy it – it is very addictive and the people and horses you meet are wonderful.
 
I haven't done any endurance, although I have friends who do. There are a few books around written for new competitors.

The subject that causes most angst is saddles. I suppose it is like Grand Prix racing cars, they are running at maximum and the slightest little thing can cause a problem. Same with saddles. A saddle might be perfectly OK for a 2 hour hack, but when the horse and rider are out all day, that is when you find out if the saddle is really a good fit! Or not.

Is a couple of hours hacking enough to do a 32km ride? Depends on how fast you go out hacking, and how often! I think you would need you pony to be fit enough to do some cantering and the odd gallop as part of his fitness programme and also, of course, what the terrain is like where you ride and where the competition will be. If your riding is on the flat it might be a good idea to box to somewhere there are hills for training sessions.

The people do seem really nice and helpful to newcomers, and you get to see the countryside!
 
A 32km ride at novice or pleasure ride speed, assuming fairly easy terrain and assuming you don't get lost, will take you just over three hours at a fairly consistent 'scouts pace' (trot a bit, walk a bit, depending on the horse's stride probably around two thirds trot and one third walk over the course of the ride). That should easily be within the capabilities of a horse who can do a couple of hours' hacking at a similar speed at home.

I would recommend getting in touch with your local group as they'll be able to advise you on which rides in your area are most suitable for beginners, and they may even be able to find you an experienced buddy to ride with.

If you're at all worried, try a shorter pleasure ride first. The groups run informal pleasure rides, and pleasure rides running alongside competitive rides. If there is a competitive ride running alongside, the day will be a bit more structured and you'll have a vetting (just a trot up for pleasure riders) before and after, but if the pleasure ride is being held on its own it will be a very relaxed affair.
 
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