# Could my horse become an endurance horse?



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I don't know a lot about endurance but I think just about any horse can be conditioned and trained to do just about any discipline--with varying success. I think the real question here is what are your goals? From there you can decide if they're realistic for you and your horse.

I will say, though, that just running everywhere is not what endurance is about.
Subbing! c:


----------



## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

At least for a LD ride, most horses can complete it within the allot time limit if they are in reasonable condition. 


However, a horse who wants to run instead of listening to which gait the rider asked for and responding correctly is NOT a candidate for any endurance test----the horse needs to be well trained, soft and responsive to the rider's cues, and maintain the gait that was asked for. A 30 minute ride is not a good test of the horse's potential for endurance----you could not have covered the normal 25 miles of a LD ride in a variety of terrain. Most endurance rides are ridden at a trot or the horse's intermediate gait for those that are gaited. The gallop is reserved for the last leg of the ride if the rider is going for time placing.


----------



## danicelia24 (Jul 16, 2013)

Like I said I let him set his own pace...however if I ask for a wtc he will do those gaits. He is primarily used as an english/jumper horse. But I was considering trying something different for the both of us. I was also considering taking him on a couple hunter paces as he loves to jump and he likes being out and about. He will work fine in a ring but he gets bored working in one all the time. And we have a variety of terrain where I live in the Appalachian Mountains (in northern PA). Also it was only a 30 minute ride as I had to cut it short. Normally my horses go on 2-3 hour rides with my longest being 7 hours.


----------



## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

I think that you should look into how to train for endurance, and start there. Start training him. I think you would find out in the process of training/conditioning for it if you or your horse is not able to do it. 

Any horse can be trained to hold the gait asked for. I don't see this as an issue. After all, I trained my horse successfully to do just that, and she used to be the most stubborn, laziest thing on the planet.


----------



## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

The standard answer is usually "Depends, most sound and healthy horses can go out and compete" and for the Limited Distance of 15-25 miles, definitely almost any sound and healthy horse can go out and compete. When you start looking at true Endurance which is 50+ miles, then the criteria gets a little more difficult.

Having a forward horse is a big bonus but with that being said, if he can't rate or fights you while trying to rate, then that gets exhausting for both of you, and the marks at the vet checks will eventually show a disgruntled horse. On the flip side, dragging a lazy horse or you working harder then the horse to get them forward is just as discouraging.

Check out the NATRC, AERC, on Facebook "Green Bean Endurance" group is a wealth of information on conditioning, tack, what to expect etc.

I will say this, I LOVE LD rides and ride camp is a whole new experience if you have never camped with your horse. Learning which method of tied to trailer, high tie, electric corals, portable corals, I suggest volunteering as crew at a local endurance ride. This will help you with all the things you never knew you need to know for this fun yet challenging sport.

Endurance and even LDs are a challenge to your entire training program and you as a rider. Are you conditioned enough? Am I over conditioned? Does my horse drink enough on trail? Can my horse pass another horse? Can my horse be passed by another horse? Is my feed program enough? Post race/event recovery, and after you stress all of this, take a deep breath, enjoy the trail (because at the end of the day, that is why so many of us are out there) and enjoy the ride!

Welcome to our crazy world and also, check out Top Trail Horse and get a tracking app for your phone (I use endomondo) and you can upload your miles, keep track of your speed, terrain, etc so it helps with conditioning.


----------



## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

I totally agree with Idrivetrotters. Go on AERC website, they have a lot of valuable advice for getting into endurance.

I see conditioning and training as two different things. Conditioning is the easy part and if you horse can go for 7 hours and still have gas left, it seems you've got that base covered. Most sound and active horses can do distance rides. Learn to take his pulse at rest, and take it right after you stop and every couple minutes after until it drops under 60. If it drops within 5-10 minutes, you probably didn't overdo it.

Training is the hard part. Learning to pace, not get race-brain, following and being past at speed, riding alone and in groups, travelling, camping, eating and drinking on the ride, getting to listen to you in any circumstances and stressful situations, being a gentleman while being handled by vets and volunteers.

When you accumulate the conditioning miles, you'll get to know your horse in a totally different way, likes and dislikes, habits, tack fitting issues etc. Warning: it's addictive! 

Volunteering to a ride near you is probably the best advice.


----------



## danicelia24 (Jul 16, 2013)

Thank you guys for the advice!!! We went for a 4 hour ride over the weekend and a lot of it was trotting/cantering with a fair bit of walking as well. When we got to within a mile of home and i gave him his head and he flat out galloped that mile to home. Afterwards he was pretty tired but as soon as I hosed him down and turned him out he tore across the pasture to the rest of the horses as if the devil was chasing him.


----------



## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

danicelia24 said:


> Thank you guys for the advice!!! We went for a 4 hour ride over the weekend and a lot of it was trotting/cantering with a fair bit of walking as well. When we got to within a mile of home and i gave him his head and he flat out galloped that mile to home. Afterwards he was pretty tired but as soon as I hosed him down and turned him out he tore across the pasture to the rest of the horses as if the devil was chasing him.


IMO horses all go faster when they know home is in sight.

I never allow mine to go fast home, barn sourness is not something I want.


----------



## Idrivetrotters (Jan 5, 2013)

Yeah, that gallop home sets a bad tone for future rides and especially at competitive LD rides, and any horse going for speed before fitness tends to have injuries.

If you are serious about riding, get a stethoscope and learn how to take your horse's heart rate, have a baseline for resting, immediately after training, and every 5 minutes until you are at resting. This will give you the best idea of your horse's true fitness level and more importantly, recovery levels.


----------



## danicelia24 (Jul 16, 2013)

He isn't barn sour as he would rather be out on the trail than in the pasture. However, I do not normally allow my horses to run home as I hate it when you get on a horse and they would rather be back at the barn and risk hurting you than actually listen to you. Most of the time when we ride that last mile to 2 miles is spent walking to cool them down. I do own a stethoscope as it is part of my vet kit (my 4-legged first aid kit). IMO it was impressive that after 4 hours of moderate-hard riding Kwincey was still able to sustain a flat out gallop for a mile. He is also ridden on a regular basis (3-4 times a week at 4 hours per day at least) and most of it is training either under saddle or on the ground lunging. He does a variety of things from barrel racing to English pleasure to driving double. So he definitely isn't out of shape. My mustang on the other hand  she has been sitting for about 6 months and I wouldn't dream of working her like I do Kwince as she is very out of shape. Though I definitely will be checking and recording his heart rate at various activities and at rest.


----------

