# opinions?



## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

My friend and I are going to bring our horses to a 30 mile endurance race for fun! It'll be our horses first actual shoe, though we have brought them to a few shows. Is it to late to start training if its at the end of June? I've ridden my horse ten miles and he's barely sweating.
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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

Not an expert by any means seeing as I just started looking into this a couple of days ago. But since no one has replied yet and I've been doing a lot of reading I'll offer what I've come up with.

endurance.net say to go from pasture fat to LD ready you need at least 2 months of good training 3-4 days a week. Go to the Learn section of endurance.net to see exactly what they say a good training schedule would be. It doesn't matter how much your horse is or is not sweating. It all comes down to heart rate. Your horse has to be able to "pulse down" to the required heart rate at the vet stops during the race. If he can not you will not be allowed to continue.

The most common thing I've found on endurance related sites is making sure that you know the rules, your horse is in shape, and that you and the horse have the proper manners and etiquette before attending your first race.

Like I said, this is just what I've gleaned from the last two days of reading on the subject. It seems like endurance is fun but not to be jumped into lightly. I plan on attending a race with out my horse this spring just to chat with people the day before the race and see how things are run. That way I'm not totally lost and standing around with a horse wondering what to do next. I'm just a little more comfortable doing it this way. But to each his (or her) own.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

yeah, thanks! I've been to the shows before , just ever actually showed my own horse!
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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

By show are you meaning and endurance race? I guess I'm a little confused by your use of "show". I didn't understand that you had been to an endurance event. I thought you had taken your horse to a few horse shows, not necessarily endurance. Guess you know the ropes then. Have fun.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

A 30 mile endurance race is not a show. And it certainly is not something to enter just for fun without a lot of preplanning and conditioning. 
You need to educate yourself on endurance as a sport. It is a test of both horse and rider and can be harmful to the horse if not properly conditioned for such an event even at the limited distance. It is not just a nice trail ride.
I hope you will research this a lot more before entering. It is exciting and rewarding but it is a serious event.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

yeah I know, I have been. And I do condition him, we do other things to.
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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

no idea on the condition of your horse or the conditions of the ride you are attending. You can judge based on heartrate, you need to get out and ride 15 miles at a 7-9mph pace minimum. when he can do that and pulse down to 60 in 15 minutes or less he's probably ready for a LD ( limited distance) actual endurance is 50 + miles . Ride under those trail and weather conditions. Keep in mind warmer temps and tougher terrain can change that. This is pretty much where I am after 9 months of training a TWH,,, obviously not an ideal breed so needs more work. And I still have to pick my rides and wont be doing any over 80 degrees. Hoping as condition improves we can move up in distance and speed.
The thing you also need to realize is Cardio gets in shape first, but bones, ligaments and tendons last. So rushing into it can get you a horse that pulses down, but comes up lame . Takes time to build up connecting tissues to the rigors of all day trotting, loping,, or run/walk and rack. 
So to answer your question, it really depends on what kinda shape the horse is in now, what breed and build, and what the terrain and weather will be like on your chosen ride.
I strongly sugest geting the book endurance 101 you can download a kindle version. really good lighthearted easy to read book. Welcome to the sport, now yippy kai ay, Let's ride !


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

he's a quarter horse and I still have to look into the race more. He's in food shape yet, he'd run all day if id let him lol.
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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Is this the horse in his 20's that you've just started conditioning?


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

I haven't just started conditioning, that'd be crazy. He's condition all year around
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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

I guess I missunderstood.

http://www.horseforum.com/barrel-racing/excercises-get-my-horse-shape-180393/


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

Okay.
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You don't sound ready for an endurance run. Endurance is serious business, and if you're not properly prepared you can injure your horse as well as yourself.

If you haven't started by conditioning him and building up the mileage SLOWLY, you're asking for a laminitic episode. You shouldn't even be thinking about a 30 miler yet. Start with 5, work up to 10, then 20, and _then_ you can try a 30.

Just because he has a lot of energy doesn't mean he's in any kind of condition for a 30 mile endurance run.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

okay, I'm aware of all of this. I know that he can become lame, I've already taken him riding for up to at least 25 miles. He was fine, perfectly fine. Still wanted to go actually, so he's fine.
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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

I'm going to stick my neck out here and say it's hard to get a handle on just what is going on with you and your horse. You ask for advice then say you "already know that" or are "already doing that". Why, then, do you need the advice in the first place?

When people reply on here and it's not what you want to hear it usually means you should listen. Did I want to hear I should not ride my horse with a cracked hoof? No. Was it true though? Yes. Please, please, please, be honest with yourself about the condition of your horse. It's to easy to ruin a horse. My OTTB has more heart than brains and would run himself to death if I let him. Your horse will want to please you weather it's in his best interest or not.

All that being said. You will do what you want to do. Just be careful and remember to listen to those whom you ask advice from.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

I know. I just wanted more information, or other things I could do to better him.
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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

You might go to the Endurance Forum and read back through the threads and posts. There will be a lot of info there and you may come across other people's experiences and questions that will help you.
It is hard to know just what information you are looking for. With no idea as to your experience or your horse's it's hard to give advice.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Dustbunny said:


> You might go to the Endurance Forum and read back through the threads and posts. There will be a lot of info there and you may come across other people's experiences and questions that will help you.
> It is hard to know just what information you are looking for. With no idea as to your experience or your horse's it's hard to give advice.


Well, am I an idiot or what? This is in the endurance forum. Guess I got lost. If anybody finds me please point me back to NW Oregon. I'll get there sooner or later. Sheesh!!!!! How embarrassing...


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## LeynaProof (Jan 3, 2013)

If you and your horse can do ten miles 2 days in a row at a decent pace ( 6 to 8 mph) then you can get him through a 30 mile ride. I know from experience. As long as he has been being ridden, he will be fine. By no means will you be able to run up front, but to finish just about any horse being ridden regularly can finish an LD. If a horse will take care of themselves during the ride ( eating and drinking) they will do just fine. Good luck! Endurance is an awesome sport and i wish more people would join in on it. Depending on where you live you coukd find a mentor that does endurance.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

thanks so much!  and yeah I won't push him, I know his limits! So I think hell be fine  thanks again!
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## acorn (Nov 27, 2012)

A lot of what miles a horse can do is the terrain.
A horse that can do thirty miles on a mostly flat trail could end up in big trouble on a mountainous thirty mile trail.

Just something to keep in mind.


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## xxDreamxBigxx (Aug 18, 2012)

I'm aware, thanks though
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