# Endurance Riding Breed Conformation



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I didn't go all through the characteristics you listed (sorry) but a friend of mine, who was in to Missouri Fox Trotters and other similar breeds, said they were great at competitive trail but generally not competitive in endurance because they didn't "pulse down" or recover as quickly as Arabians. So they took longer to be released from all the vet checks and that made it harder for them to be competitive in endurance. You could certainly ride them in endurance, but not really expect to win or do super well.

I would imagine Icelandics might have similar problems, but I don't know that for a fact.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Wouldn't they maybe struggle in the heat?


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'd think endurance would require level strides - long, flat and low. Energy spent lifting the front would be wasted energy.

According to Wiki, Icelandic horses are normally 13-14 hands high and weigh 700-850 lbs. They look to be too thick to excel at endurance - just as top marathon runners don't look like sprinters or weightlifters. Large muscles are a disadvantage in running distances. The muscles weigh more and retain heat more than a leaner runner or horse.

Cowboy is our 13 hand BLM mustang. There is a lot to admire about him as a trail horse, but he isn't built to cover long distances at speed. Like Gimli the Dwarf says in the movie: "_I'm wasted on cross-country! We dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances! _"










Doesn't mean one could not DO an endurance run with them, provided one's goal was to have fun and go at a pace the horse could handle.


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## Rentrap (Dec 16, 2020)

I do not know much about Icelandics.

There are breeds that have been bred to have more type-one muscle fibers (slow-twitch) than type-two muscle fibers (fast-twitch). Type-one muscle fibers are used for aerobic exercises; they have slow contraction times and high resistance to fatigue. Type-two muscle fibers, on the other hand, are used for anaerobic exercises; they have fast contraction times and low resistance to fatigue. Arabians are one breed that is known for its type-one muscle fibers, which makes them good at endurance. Thoroughbreds are one breed that is known for its type-two muscle fibers, which makes them good at racing. While training and conditioning can help, trying to turn a type-one horse into a type-two horse or vice versa works against years of selective breeding. You can still find a wide array of breeds in endurance, but to excel or win, you may want to look at type-one horses.

When looking for an endurance horse, one should look for a well-built horse, as if you were competing in any other sport. No hoof, no horse. You are doing to be traveling long distances over varied terrain. Many horses are either shod or booted, but those can only do so much for horses with genetically weak feet. You want a horse with strong, clean legs. You will be in the saddle for most of the time. You want a horse to be able to comfortably carry you. A very general rule of thumb is that the shorter the back, the stronger, the better. You want a horse with a deep chest to support a large heart and lungs. A good neck length is desirable for better balancing. Movement is important as you will be in the saddle for most of the time. If given a choice, many people would prefer a slower, more comfortable horse than a faster jackhammer. While some movement is individual, much of it is conformational, such as the shoulder angle and legs. It is not a beauty competition. "Extra" features, such as mane and tail or head, do not matter as much.

No horse has perfect conformation; and with every sport, it is important to consider what the horse likes doing. I would rather ride a horse with less than ideal conformation, one with a good work-ethic than a horse with near-perfect conformation who is sour every time I ride.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

As far as endurance conformation goes, the more a horse looks like an Arabian -- small, slim, flat hard bone, flat slow-twitch muscles, thin coat, big heart girth, big nostrils, flint-hard feet, the better. Arabians dominate endurance because they have the exact build for covering long distances at a fair pace.

The opposite would be a racing Quarter Horse, built to cover very short distances at incredible speed. That's what those blocky muscles are for.

Besides unsoundnesses -- which may not show up unless a horse trots fifty miles in a day -- the main problem most horses have is recovery. They just don't 'pulse down' the way Arabians can. Essentially, they overheat. Arabians are desert horses which have every cooling advantage.

The other thing, of course, is try. A horse who wants to go and keep on going is what you want.

Lots of breeds compete successfully at the lower distances in endurance, but at the top it is virtually all Arabs and Arab crosses, with a sprinkling of mustangs and Morgans. Individuals of many breeds have been successful but they are more the exceptions that prove the rule.


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## fireandicehorse (Nov 21, 2020)

bsms said:


> I'd think endurance would require level strides - long, flat and low. Energy spent lifting the front would be wasted energy.
> 
> According to Wiki, Icelandic horses are normally 13-14 hands high and weigh 700-850 lbs. They look to be too thick to excel at endurance - just as top marathon runners don't look like sprinters or weightlifters. Large muscles are a disadvantage in running distances. The muscles weigh more and retain heat more than a leaner runner or horse.
> 
> ...


The breeding goal is for lightly built horses like this one.







Do you know if horses will learn to move more level once they do a few rides?


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

If you are specifically interested in doing endurance with Icelandics, you need to find someone who has done it.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'm not seeing a lightly built horse. A lightly built 12-13 hand horse shouldn't be carrying grown men. And as a rule, a 12-13 hand horse is at a significant disadvantage in a race. You won't find many 5 foot tall cross country runners either.


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## fireandicehorse (Nov 21, 2020)

bsms said:


> I'm not seeing a lightly built horse. A lightly built 12-13 hand horse shouldn't be carrying grown men. And as a rule, a 12-13 hand horse is at a significant disadvantage in a race. You won't find many 5 foot tall cross country runners either.


Icelandic horses are typically 13-14 hands and rarely 12 hands. Almost every Icelandic is 12-15 hands, and mine are all between 14-15 hands.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

"_The height of the Icelandic horse generally ranges from 125 [12.1 hands] to 145cm [14.1 hands] when measured with a stick at the highest point of the withers. The average for mares is 136cm and for stallions 138cm. [13.2 hands]_" 









Icelandic Horse Breeding Standards


Breeding Standards: [[$universal_slideshow]] Description of the Icelandic Horse Breed: Origin The Icelandic horse breed originates from Iceland where it has been bred, without any known introduction of foreign genetic material, since the island was settled around the year 900 AD. Its clos




icelandics.org





If you want to do endurance races with your horses, go have fun. The folks who run them will check to make certain the horse is not overwhelmed and you will probably find the other riders nice and helpful. Enjoy.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

You will probably want to either braid the mane during long rides or shave the underneath half to make it thinner like they do with minis to help with cooling. 

I've mentioned this before but the short back can make saddle fitting difficult for long distances.
Even the lighter ones fall into more of a draft pony category, so speed and cooling will be primary difficulties.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

While you don't see many Icelandics doing endurance, there is one quite famous one: Remington, who is in the AERC Hall of Fame.

article here

and another article

My personal experience with them, heat can be an issue. They are unlikely to be super competitive, but their owners sure seem to be having fun.


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