# First endurance ride!



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I am not familiar with how distance riding works where you are from, so you would be best off to look for either someone local to you to act as a mentor or contact whatever organization runs the rides in your area. I know some other countries run their shorter-distance rides with acceptable time windows versus racing to be fastest, but not sure if yours is one of them.

As for conditioning, 10km should be a very attainable goal for any reasonable-brained sound horse. Does your horse have trail experience? Have you been riding him/her for long? A horse used to routine arena work several times a week is likely fit enough to ride that distance reasonably already (assuming the trail isn't straight up or some other crazy thing).


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## mazza0007 (Sep 23, 2013)

Subbing cos I'm just working on the same with my Standie. 10km is what I've got in mind for starters too, I'm just slowly building up to the distance and we've got lots of hills to trot up.
I used to do distance running myself so I'm sort of basing my ideas on that! For humans you get the distance first without worrying about speed. Once you can comfortably do the distance then put in the speed through fartlek(really!) interval training etc

I've also been taking him where scary things are.....cows, dogs, motorbikes etc 
Water crossing needs a bit more work (then again, I live in crocodile country so he might have a point!)
And working on him holding a nice pace on a loose rein (he loves to trot!)
Got some boots for his front feet cos he's barefoot.
How is your boy around other horses? I've got to work on "you don't have to run just cos the other horses are" I think keeping him calm around other horses will be my biggest challenge, at the moment I ride alone but we'll be going visiting horsie friends to practice this.

Anyhow hope someone more knowledgeable than me has ideas!


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

mazza0007 said:


> I used to do distance running myself so I'm sort of basing my ideas on that! For humans you get the distance first without worrying about speed. Once you can comfortably do the distance then put in the speed through fartlek(really!) interval training etc


I think in general a lot of the ideas that work in human distance running are applicable to endurance (though I couldn't personally run a mile unless something with large teeth was chasing me). However, your saying "get the distance first" made me wonder if human athletes training for distance actually run the entire distance in training they intend to compete? Like if I was going to enter a marathon, I would be running 26 miles in training?

I can tell you I have never ridden an _endurance_ distance I intended to compete in a single training session.. and sometimes not even over a week of training. For intro and even LD distances, I think doing them in training or over the course of a week of training is reasonable, so in the case of 10k that wouldn't worry me at all, but I don't want people thinking they need to ride 50 miles at once in training before being ready for a 50!


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## mazza0007 (Sep 23, 2013)

Sorry I didn't explain that very clearly.... Yes I was talking about when you are starting out running,so running smaller distances like 10 km then you just work up to the distance and then put in the speed. Yep, Its a whole different ball game when you get to longer distances and you don't necessarily run the whole distance in training. 
But really I don't think 10km is much to ask of any halfway fit horse? I mean, most working horses would do that and more In a days work I think.
I miss my running but its time consuming and Im trying to spend time on the horse now, Today I was thinking 'what if I just took the horse running?' Horse jogging! could be a whole new sport!


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

mazza0007 said:


> I miss my running but its time consuming and Im trying to spend time on the horse now, Today I was thinking 'what if I just took the horse running?' Horse jogging! could be a whole new sport!


A friend of mine did just that with her youngster when she couldn't find someone to ride with. The greenie wasn't quite ready to face the trail alone under saddle, so she went running with her in hand instead. Filly got to learn about placing her feet and hills and all sorts of other stuff while going in hand. Worked very well for her, so may be something that can work for you too.


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## liltuktuk (Dec 16, 2011)

mazza0007 said:


> I miss my running but its time consuming and Im trying to spend time on the horse now, Today I was thinking 'what if I just took the horse running?' Horse jogging! could be a whole new sport!


I'm actually planning on running with my colt once it warms up a bit. I figure he needs exercise and lunging in circles isn't really good for him, I need exercise, the dog needs exercise, why not just all go for a run on the trails I normally ride on! Sure I could also pony him off my mare, and I do, but this will also start getting him used to going out on his own.


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## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

I've only done LDs but my racing bucket has these items:

sponges, scrape, towels, thermometer, stethoscope, vet wrap, furazone ointment (my guy is one of THOSE horses and always gets scraped up on a branch or something silly) ice boots (actually in cooler for post race) clay, (post race) spare bits of tack, leather strings, fly spray, and normal brushes/combs/rubber mane bands. Summer time I have fly sheet and in cooler weather I have 2 or 3 fleece coolers for cooling out.

Post race I usually walk my horse with ice boots and put clay on those legs for the trailer ride home. If there is a dry spot I know to keep a closer eye on that leg, and get a bit more aggressive on making sure that spot is not a bigger problem, if just wet than I just keep a normal check on the legs. 

I know I'm leaving something out, I haven't competed for a while but this would at least get you through and anything forgotten, endurance people are fantastic on helping you out.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Idrivetrotters said:


> I've only done LDs but my racing bucket has these items:
> 
> sponges, scrape, towels, thermometer, stethoscope, vet wrap, *furazone* *ointment* (my guy is one of THOSE horses and always gets scraped up on a branch or something silly)


You may want to watch this, as I think that is not allowed during the competition itself. As far as I understood the rulebook, it counts as a medication even though its only topical. Only things like desitin are allowed for boo-boos during the ride itself.


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## amigoboy (Feb 14, 2014)

BudAndRocky said:


> Hi um doing my first endurance ride soon and I was wondering what I need to know and also how to get my horse in shape for it  we are just doing 10 k


Have not rode endurance for a long time but can give you some tips:
If your horse has low condition walking is the best to start off with, building up muscles, tendens and joints. 2-3 weeks of brisk walking with a few hill climbs thrown in will toughen up your horse for Tempo Training where by you lay out a plan of trott - walk - trott - gallop - trott - walk - trott.

As you get more into the Endurance Crowd you will find various ways of training from those who are competeing in the longer distances.


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## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

The ointment is for afterwards for our ride home, while I really love how endurance is anti medication, I think some things could be allowed but it's also the you let one in the rest come through eventually.

I train my LD horses same as I trained on the track, lots of jogging and interval training.

My STB thinks 7 miles is a warm up !


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## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

About running with the horses, I do it regularly with mine. When I don't have time to saddle at the end of the day, I just put the halter and off we go on the trails. They absolutely love it and it's a great confidence builder for a horse that isn't used to ride alone. Good exercise for the rider and training for the horse (following clues, respecting speed etc.)
And it's fun!


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## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

Haha the endurance ride was great fun when I went on it haha. I hadn't done anything like it before so he was really excited haha they worse thing that happened was when a tiny miniature came galloping along a fence at us then he spooked and ran across the road haha ( he lives with 2 of them)


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## amigoboy (Feb 14, 2014)

Happy you had a good time.
When is the next ride?


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## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

amigoboy said:


> Happy you had a good time.
> When is the next ride?


Not to sure because the next one they are doing is to far away


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## aureliusandoinky (Nov 28, 2013)

Glad to know other people run with their horses!  It's great exercise and they are the perfect running partner. It's also great for when your horse gets a little wound up on the trail and you need to get off...just keep going on foot!


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