# Getting Into Endurance Riding!



## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

start here, http://www.horseforum.com/trail-riding/endurance-limited-distance-ride-new-guy-100665/

search "endurance" several of us have recently started and we have a few threads going.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Make sure you are able to go out by yourself on your horse. My horse doesn't like to go out by himself or away from other horses and we are working on this! Make sure you are ok and horse is ok with other horses RUNNING away, to, from and all around. I am working on this. I have confidence issues so this is my job for the year. Read the threads Joe mentioned. Loads of information.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

My advice would be to go do a Competitive Trail Ride first and learn how to care for your horse on a distance ride. Endurance rides do monitor and take the horses P&R's. But I found CTR rides were much more focused on the rider knowing how their horses is doing. You will learn how to take the P&R on your horse, Gut sounds, filling, hydrations. Knowing how to take and monitor these will help you tremendously in knowing how your horse is doing.

CTR rides are more like a road rally. All horses have to finish the ride in the same amount of time, So speed is not an issue in CTR. This allows you more time to focus on your horses conditioning. It is easier for fellow riders to help you, since you are not slowing them down. since everybody moves at the same speed. They typically move at a slower speed than Endurance races, Giving you a chance for slower ride while you are learning.

The horsemanship judging and slower speeds may not be to your liking, So do one or two and then move on to Endurance. But what you learn doing a couple of CTRs will pay huge dividends when you compete in an endurance race. 

And I'm not talking of doing ACTHA short day ride! Do a NATRC or something similar that is 40-50 miles for the weekend. Where you can really see how conditioning affects your horse.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I only made it through about half of the CTR rulebook, and said no how no way, way to many rules and nitpicking dumb stuff that have nothing to do with riding. I mean seriously a third of your score is based on how you park your trailer ? Then they come up with a "this is the only way to camp with a horse and all other methods are bad" um thanks but no thanks. AERC is pretty simple, get on, yah mule ! get off. check point people worry about pulsing down. You'll pick up enough info along the way. Get out and ride, ride alone ride in a group ride with other riders leaving you behind.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Are you serious Joe? You are judged on how you park your trailer? Okey Dokey......well, thank God I park my trailer better than I handle horses running around like crazy!


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> Then they come up with a "this is the only way to camp with a horse and all other methods are bad"


Say what?




Joe4d said:


> um thanks but no thanks.


Really


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

http://www.natrc.org/RuleBook/Rulebook.pdf
there you go, read the rules, tell me what you think. Definitely not for me.

Yeh go for it, nit picking as all get out. No corrals no this no that, do it our way, large percentage of your score is your camp sight, I kid you not. Then you have to go a specific speed, one they figure is best, the heck with you if you actually know your horse better, get 2 miles from camp and then have to keep moving forward, SO you end p with a big cluster of people at the 2.1 mile mark just waiting for the right time so they can time it to come in in the right window, I guess some people like it. I dont know any and wouldnt find much to enjoy in it.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I have met two ladies that did competitive trail competitions and they both loved it and didn't care for endurance. I would think it is a matter of preference - I will read the rule book that you sent the link for. Thanks Joe!


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Condition your horse and youself. You're unlikely to finish otherwise.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

competitive trail (Actha) is not the same as CTR,, CTR bills itself as an endurance sport, that judges you on all kinds of stuff. Including lots of arbitrary things. Too much room for personal bias and good ole boy scoring.

ACTHA, type events I know lots of people that enjoy. Is a short, 6 milish route with various obstacles. You are basically judged on how you navigate the obstacles. Not really any time limit or race.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I have always compared CTR/endurance to hunters/jumpers--both have similar elements (distance riding vs jumping over fences), but the way one is done does not often resemble the other. :wink:

I personally have only ridden in 1 CTR, a 2-day 50. It was an absolutely miserable experience as I was riding a friend's seasoned, competitive endurance horse and he and I both thought the relatively-slow required pace was silly. However, I think it would be a fantastic place for a greenie - horse or rider - to learn about the basics of distance riding. If you aren't interested in winning, the sometimes-odd things you can be judged on don't matter. Just do it for the learning experience.

I know several people who love CTRs and don't care for the "loonies" in endurance riding. Each sport has its own appeal.


I would love to try an ATCHA event, just out of curiosity, but the closest one is something like 3 hours away.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I did mention that it's not for everybody, It's just a good way for somebody new to distance riding and horse camping to learn the in's and outs.

I have not done a CTR in 12 years. So maybe the rules have changed, But they never judged on how you parked the trailer. They did judge on if your horse was safe in how you tied him to the trailer. And they do require that all competitors treat their horses the same, If there are enough corrals. Then you can use a corral. If some body has to tie to the side of the trailer, Then everybody has to tie to the side of the trailer. It's not fair in their judging for one horse to be able to freely move around in a corral while the 2nd horse remains tied to a trailer.

They focus more on horsemanship skills and not on speed. So it is a good place for a greenie to learn to care for their horse. Once you are past that learning curve, Move on to the sport you like.


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## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

Well, I have done some harder trail riding in North Dakota here in the badlands. And have gone on some really long rides in the past (ranging from 20-40ish miles). I have always ridden distance, just not with my current horse. I have never competed in an actual endurance event, all the long distance riding i have ever done has been because I enjoy it. 

I have been riding since i was a child, and consider myself a rather experienced rider at the horsemanship level. Granted I am not good at showing, but i can stick my seat and have a good relationship with my horse. I was raised on the back of my grandpas arabians, from age 2-12 thats what i rode. So i guess what im trying to say is that im not a greeny  

The people i usually ride with though go slow and my horse is a fox trotter so we like to usually fox trot or her extended trot which is kind of insanely quick. The other riders don't like this because their QH have to lope to keep up lol! So I am thinking that endurance should be right up my alley since I enjoy harder trail riding, and long distance rides on my own  am i correct?


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

you will have a blast, look for AERC events. You just go, any speed you want. your horse has to pulse down at the vet checks which they worry about. If your horse is in shape he will pules down just fine. For someone like you I think you would feel severely micro managed at a CTR ride.


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## Thumper1224 (Mar 6, 2012)

Yay! It's so much fun! I'm hoping to take my pony on a few. Make sure your take fits her and doesn't rub at all. Halter bridle combos are great. Get a group of friends to train with you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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