# Is this a good breed for endurance?



## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

While I am sure you will get some people that will chime in on how cowboy bill did all kinds of super duper things and won stuff on QH's the thing to remember is the rules have changed drastically sense alot of QH's were run successfully in endurance , for one there simply wernt many arabians in the US during the cold war. Not to mention "fit to continue" meant horse crossed finish line not dead,
while not ideal, the horse you have on hand is way better than one you dont. Biggest issue with TB and QH is getting them to pulse down in a timely manner. Lots more work and you will have to manage the ride differently. You will also need to pick your rides and avoid the hotter more humid ones. Elyte management will also need to be more critical. If you can rate him on the trail especially at the start get him in shape and go for it. Find out what it takes to get him to pulse down to 60bpm, and manage the rides accordingly.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

It really depends on how competitive you want to be. If you're trying to place every run you might be better off with a horse already conditioned for or bred for endurance. There's sometimes non Arabian winners but Arabians are like the go-to for the sport, just like QHs are the go-to for barrels.

In short, if conditioned properly your horse may be able to do it. However how well be will do it is something else.
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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

I'm just wanting to do mainly 25 and 35 maybe a 50 one day. I have a friend with a little paso fino that's awesome at it. I just wanna be able to do rides with her. Since he's still underweight, it will be a little while before I can even start conditioning. But he doesn't have a top line right now of course but does a fully fit top line and neck muscle matter a lot in endurance? Does a ewe neck affect them at all?
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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

It's hard to tell if he's ewe necked or just extremely under muscled at this point. Also do treeless saddles work well with high withers?
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I don't know all too much about endurance just yet (just started looking into it), but I plan to take my OTTB to a few rides after we get back to riding consistently. I feel as though she cools down relatively quickely, but I couldn't tell you what her pulse is right now..lol.
I was told she'll get too hot being as she's a dark bay/brown, but I honestly don't think her coat is going to make her any hotter than a lighter coat. And she knows how to take care of her own feet and legs, which is my biggest reason for looking into it.
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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

I haven't taken him on the trails yet. I don't wanna work him hard right now. So i don't know how he is with placing his feet or cooling down
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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

It sounds like he's far off from this being something to even consider right now. Get him muscled and fit, and see how things go.

High withers can cause a problem for treeless saddles, just like they can cause a problem for treed saddles.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

assuming you are talking AERC, endurance starts at 50 miles, and in actuality a 35 mile LD is much harder than a 50 endurance. Especially for heavier breeds with pulse down issues. Non show lines Pasos have alot of old world spanish arabian in them and can be pretty sturdy horses,


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Why is a 35 harder than a 50
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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

different rules concerning completions, ride time and pulse downs, also a 35 will most likely have the same holds as the 50, so higher percentage of non riding time counting against you. Compared to an endurance 50 a 35 mile LD is a very tough ride.
Basically you and a buddy, him riding the 50, you could come in 30 minutes over time on pulse down, but buddy would still have 3 hours to cover the last 15 miles, and then get an additional hour to cool off and pulse down.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Do you have trail enough to try 15 or so miles at a trot? That is the best way to see if you and the horses are ready for endurance. I have never used a heart monitor, but I have always ridden horses that I have raised, so I know them well. If the horse is dragging, you know they are not ready. Perky (or in my usual case, still spooking), ready to go!

Good Luck!

Nancy


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

I have some but there's not good mile markers. I have an app though that counts miles and measures speed.
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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

hisangelonly said:


> he doesn't have a top line right now of course but does a fully fit top line and neck muscle matter a lot in endurance? Does a ewe neck affect them at all?


While having a horse that uses his back appropriately normally leads to a nice topline and neck, not having one is not necessarily a deal breaker.

My mare has a ewe neck, but she goes down trail using her back with no issues, and I am lazy and would rather be out on trail than schooling.. so ewe neck it is.


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Lol that's a relief to hear. This would be my everything horse. My endurance, barrels (play day) and maybe eventer. He's only 10
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## LeynaProof (Jan 3, 2013)

I know i am kinda late on this thread and i did not read all the comments, so not sure if what i am about to say has been said before. LOL. 

Just about any healthy, sound horse can do LD's. It takes a little more for a 50, but i have seen several different breeds do 50's too. If saying he is built like a TB means he is on the leaner muscled side then that is a good thing. That means his heart rates will be better since he won't have so much muscle to cool off. And my guy had a ewe neck when i first got him. He was under weight also, but as he has been gaining weight and muscle it has slowly been going away. He might always have a little bit of one, but i don't care.  And you could maybe be competitive on him, it just depends on how he handles the distance riding. I have noticed that the different breeds seem to be in the Top Ten more in the 50's and up than the LD's because of the finish on LD's being when your horse's heart rate drops. And though i have seen other breeds drop as fast as Arabians, it is very rare. It's in the Arabs genes to do this, they accel at this sport, so it is hard to compete with them. But like i said i have seen some other breeds do it.  I wish you and your horse the best of luck and hope you have tons of fun!!!


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