Has anyone done endurance?

I'd love to have a go to but am a bit nervous. A very good friend of mine used to do it a lot with her arab x nf. They do Silver Gambler rides around the New Forest and I'd love to have a go, but I'm a bit worried about going on my own... Also, don't think me and horsie are fit enough by a long stretch and don't want to look like a complete numpty!

Has anyone been on the Silver Gambler rides? I was thinking of going just as a pleasure rider...
 
Farma said:
How many miles are you thinking of?
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I'm not thinking of how many miles just yet. I'd probably want to do a short one to start with. I'm just working on getting him fitter at the moment. He should be capable of quite a lot though because he's an Arab and some of his ancestors were good at it. I'm just finding out the details at the moment.
 
LauraWheeler said:
Me i've done endurance and loved it. :D :D :D :D
What do you want to know i'll try and help if i can.
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How do you 'join up' for an endurance ride? Do you have to be member of an organization to have a go or can you go anywhere where they are offering one? Where did you go? What's the minimum number of miles you can go? How long does it usually take to get a horse fit for endurance? There is probably a lot more a want to know, but that's a good start. :) Thanks.
 
Start out with a pleasure ride (they may call them training rides) many are on the same day as competitive rides, and can be from 16km. A good way to check out the territory and see what everyone is doing. Try contacting the ride organiser to see if she can suggest someone you might ride with. Lots of people do them on their own - but it's more fun with company! If you like what you see then you can work up to the longer rides as your horse gets fitter. It's great fun. Go to http://www.endurancegb.co.uk/index.asp and you will find out all you need to know to get started.
 
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I've not done the silver gambler rides but i have done the rufas stone one which is in the forest.
Pleasure ride horses don't need to be to fit. The distances are quite short (by endurance standards anyway ;)) and you can go as slow as 8kph. I did rides of upto and inclu 80km on Lucy my 13.2hh aged welshie and we used to average 12kph and we didn't go that fast we mainly trotted.
I'm hoping to do some pleasure rides with my new pony Herbie if i can get him behaving. (He can be quite nappy but is improving). I would be looking for someone to ride with. PM me if you would be intrested in meeting up at a ride one day, not shore when he would be ready though.
 
kitkatz4life said:
How do you 'join up' for an endurance ride? Do you have to be member of an organization to have a go or can you go anywhere where they are offering one? No you don't need to be a member to do training rides


Where did you go? I went to a ride in the new forest first as it was near to me but i have travelled all over since they do rides everywhere


What's the minimum number of miles you can go? Training rides can be anything upto 40km (25 miles) You need to check the schedule to see some rides do short rides of about 20km
How long does it usually take to get a horse fit for endurance? It depends how far you are going and at what speed you wish to ride. Training rides can be done at 8kph wich is prob about hacking speed
There is probably a lot more a want to know, but that's a good start. :) Thanks.
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Hope this is of some help. If you want to know anything else feel free to ask and i'll try to help. I highly recomend giving it a go i love it and i don't have an arab :p
 
I like endurance.

What area are you in? If you go on the EGB website then go to groups map, you'll find your way to the website of your area group of EGB who should have their own website. You'll probably find more information on your local group's website and any questions you have, just give the local secretary a ring and they'll be happy to help. :)
 
I did 3 years of endurance with Spooks before he had to retire and loved it.

They do pleasure rides which as someone mentioned above are normally about 16km (10 miles) and are a great place to start.

Everyone is really friendly - get in touch with your local group and they tend to be really helpful.

The first ride i did alone, I put a note attached to my entry sheet that I was going to be alone and was a bit nervous and would love someone to ride with if they knew of anyone who wanted some company. When my entry stuff came back, there was a note to say that they had found someone to keep me company and matched our start times. We got on like a house on fire and had met up time after time, even if it was just for a chat at the venue.

Do plenty of training with your horse, loads of steady trotting. If your horse can keep a steady rythmic trot, they will make the times with ease, then if you canter where the going is good, you will afford yourself time to walk for a bit of a break if needed.

It is a lovely, friendly, relaxed sport that you get a real sense of achievement from.

If I can be of any help, just let me know
 
Flame_ said:
I like endurance.

What area are you in? If you go on the EGB website then go to groups map, you'll find your way to the website of your area group of EGB who should have their own website. You'll probably find more information on your local group's website and any questions you have, just give the local secretary a ring and they'll be happy to help. :)
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Thank you. I'm in the Nottingham area. What about you?
 
It's brilliant fun :) You are probably best speaking to your local group to find out what is on locally - the list is here: http://www.endurancegb.co.uk/html/groupslist.asp

People generally start with the non competitive rides. We run local training/social rides where everything is very informal and low key and also national rides where you will need to do a simple trot up for the vet for the pleasure rides.

If you then want to have a go at competitive rides, the shorter distances are graded rides where you have to ride to a set speed and then you get a grading award depending on how well your horse recovers after the ride, and then the more advanced longer rides have a massed start and placings given on a 'first past the post' basis a bit like a race (as long as they pass the vet at the end too).

We've put some videos up if you want to see what it's like: http://www.youtube.com/user/WestridingEGB
And some pics here:
http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/EstherYoung/Nostell Priory Ride 2010/

I don't know where you're based but I'm on the West Riding group committee so if you want any info about West or South Yorkshire rides then I can help.

By the way, you most certainly don't need an arab. Flurry from our group was British National Points Champion two years ago and he's an unregistered connemara, and another of our group members had two of the highest lifetime mileage horses in the country - two purebred welsh cobs (now sadly deceased). We've got all sorts and types and breeds of horses in our group. In fact at out group's first ride of this season I think the coloured cobs outnumbered everything else.
 
bexandspooky said:
I did 3 years of endurance with Spooks before he had to retire and loved it.

They do pleasure rides which as someone mentioned above are normally about 16km (10 miles) and are a great place to start.

Everyone is really friendly - get in touch with your local group and they tend to be really helpful.

The first ride i did alone, I put a note attached to my entry sheet that I was going to be alone and was a bit nervous and would love someone to ride with if they knew of anyone who wanted some company. When my entry stuff came back, there was a note to say that they had found someone to keep me company and matched our start times. We got on like a house on fire and had met up time after time, even if it was just for a chat at the venue.

Do plenty of training with your horse, loads of steady trotting. If your horse can keep a steady rythmic trot, they will make the times with ease, then if you canter where the going is good, you will afford yourself time to walk for a bit of a break if needed.

It is a lovely, friendly, relaxed sport that you get a real sense of achievement from.

If I can be of any help, just let me know
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Thank you (I seem to be saying that a lot but everyone's being so helpful!) Rene's quite good at trotting. Today I trotted twice around a quite large field non-stop and am planning on working it up. He doesn't usually like to trot in the manege but was quite forward going in the hack.
 
EstherYoung said:
It's brilliant fun :) You are probably best speaking to your local group to find out what is on locally - the list is here: http://www.endurancegb.co.uk/html/groupslist.asp

People generally start with the non competitive rides. We run local training/social rides where everything is very informal and low key and also national rides where you will need to do a simple trot up for the vet for the pleasure rides.

If you then want to have a go at competitive rides, the shorter distances are graded rides where you have to ride to a set speed and then you get a grading award depending on how well your horse recovers after the ride, and then the more advanced longer rides have a massed start and placings given on a 'first past the post' basis a bit like a race (as long as they pass the vet at the end too).

We've put some videos up if you want to see what it's like: http://www.youtube.com/user/WestridingEGB
And some pics here:
http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/EstherYoung/Nostell Priory Ride 2010/

I don't know where you're based but I'm on the West Riding group committee so if you want any info about West or South Yorkshire rides then I can help.

By the way, you most certainly don't need an arab. Flurry from our group was British National Points Champion two years ago and he's an unregistered connemara, and another of our group members had two of the highest lifetime mileage horses in the country - two purebred welsh cobs (now sadly deceased). We've got all sorts and types and breeds of horses in our group. In fact at out group's first ride of this season I think the coloured cobs outnumbered everything else.
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Yet again I seem to be saying thanks. I'll have a good look at the links when I have a bit more time, but from the little I've seen of them they look very interesting. Even though you don't need an Arab I still feel rather privileged to have one (although I am a little biased ;)) and can hardly wait to start a pleasure ride with him.
 
You're not that far from us at all then kitkatz :)

There are some nice rides in Notts - the next one is Haywood Oaks on the 10-11 April at Thoresby Hall if you want to drop in and see what happens. The FEI classes are on the Saturday and the 'ordinary' classes are on the Sunday.

Also Derbyshire group do some really nice friendly informal social rides through the year to get you started and depending on where you are in Notts they may not be too far from you: http://www.derbyshire-egb.org.uk/whats_on.html
 
Endurance is a fantastic sport and, I think, the best value for money. You get a good few hours riding in fantastic countryside for your entry fee - beats 5 mins in a dressage/show jumping ring.

Thorseby Hall is a fantastic venue and it is worth popping along to see what happens - there is a nice courtyard cafe on site, so you could make a day of it.

Everyone starts with pleasure/training rides, but beware, it is highly addictive. I took my new little pony to a pleasure ride as her first outing in 2003 and last year did 160k (100miles) in one day from Thoresby Park. Overt the years we have travelled to some beautiful and 'off the beaten track' parts of Britain (and Ireland!) and enjoyed hours of fabulous riding.
Good luck - and have fun.
 
Thanks for all the information, I've also been wondering about this. My little andalusian x welsh is a wee bit small to ever be over to lift me over big fences, but I think once he's rebacked, strong enough and going well we would both really enjoy endurance. I may even pop along to that Notts ride to take a look too!
 
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