# Saddlebred for endurance?



## TrailxxRider (Feb 13, 2012)

I'm looking into getting a 16.2 hh spotted Saddlebred. I need a horse with lots of energy and get up and go. I found this ad and taked to the people selling him. They ride dead broke QHs, real slow and mellow, and he's way too fast for them. I'm looking to do competitive trail riding with my friend, but no one I know who does endurance rides big horses, they all have little zippy Arabs, Paint, and QHs. He's a little older then I'd like, but if he's got that much GO he might work. 

This is the add: Spotted Saddlebreed Gelding

What do you think?


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## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

Look up "Wing Tempo", if you are concerned about breed inhibitions. I say try it! If you like him get him!


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## TrailxxRider (Feb 13, 2012)

Thats what I thought too. No harm in looking. She's also said that she'd waive the price to the right home. She's just too nervous to ride him since she's never had horses with that much speed. Thats why she listed him as needing an experienced rider. I ride my friends Arabs, and talk about hot headed fast horses!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I think CTR isnt endurance. They make you keep a specific pace, (slow) so pretty much any horse in decent shape can finish the runs. Most of your score at a CTR event has nothing to do actually riding your horse for any speed or distance. 
Just read the rule book.

AERC, is about speed and distance and passing the vet check with a conditioned horse. 
In the lower ranks, (like me) its more about saddle time and conditioning than breeds. 
Currently my endurance mount is a 15 hand TN Walker. Id rather have one a bit bigger. I think he'd move faster easier. But I worked pretty hard with him over the winter. We'll see how it goes in May for our first 50 miler. Knowing me I will want to get competitive and get a taller gaited horse probably exactly like that saddle bred. Is he 5 gaited ? My GF up in maine does endurance on a 5 gaited saddlebred. 
I think it may be terrain and areaq specific as well. At an event in SC i saw alot of really tall TB type horses. It was mostly flat easy terrain. Many of the rides seem to be in really difficult rough steep terrain. I imagine a shorter more nimble horse would be better suited for that,


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## TrailxxRider (Feb 13, 2012)

I never asked if he was gaited, but I'm going to talk with his previous owner tonite who had him since he was 8 months old and I'll make sure to ask. 

And I downloaded a beginners handbook for endurance riding, I just thought it was also called competitive trail riding as well. My friend and I would like to start conditioning our horses right away, so hopefully this guy will be what I'm looking for. I also prefer big horses, I like their gaits better then small horses.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

If you want to do CTR, competitive trail, then he's probably fine. If you're talking true endurance, I'd stick with an arab or 1/2 arab at the very least. Saddlebreds are AWESOME horses, I love them lots, but they are not known for being consistant endurance champs the way arabians are. It's all in what you want to do.


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

Endurance is largely dependent upon muscle composition - the ratio of fast to slow twitch muscle fibers. I don't really think the size of the horse matters particularly, although weight due to excess fat obviously would. With flat and near-flat work an Arab is obviously the best choice. As the terrain becomes increasingly difficult, more fast twitch muscle is needed for thrust, and half-Arabs are ideal. Lots of horses can do competitive trail, but for actual timed endurance a saddlebred would not be competitive unless its muscle composition were anomalous to its breeding...however, most people do endurance for fun and for the challenge, just like running a marathon, so it really doesn't matter as long as your horse is fit and you monitor its condition during the endurance run...


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hey all you endurance riders! I know there are a few in this thread  We now have our own forum for posting about endurance! It's located at Endurance Riding - but here's the catch: in order to keep it, it has to get active and STAY active! So please start posting anything endurance related there so we can keep our new home for endurance conversations! Thanks!

(PS - sorry if you see this message on a few different threads - I'm trying to get the word out to as many endurance riders as possible!)


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

from what I am seeing at alot of big rides, endurance is won or at least top tenned by attrition rather than speed. 
Im gonna smoke the Arab crowd with my new TWH when I get her in gear. She floats on air.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

The saddlebred might be just what you a looking for& that's sure a pretty package,& the price is great & sounds like thay will knock it down even more. looking can't hurt,hmm?


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