# Arabian endurance questions



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

There's a minimum age that horses must be before they can compete.
I think 5 but I could be wrong.
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## Freemare (Jun 2, 2012)

The only way to get her showing is to get her under saddle and do lots of riding miles. Miles and wet saddle pads.


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## Vescuso (Oct 10, 2013)

I don't intend on riding her until she's at least 4 and 1/2


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I am a bit confused.. you talk about jumping and showing and racing. Are you looking at doing many different disciplines with her? Great to aspire to doing many things, but the under-saddle basics would be the best place to start. Once she is solid under saddle, you can go any direction you choose!


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## Vescuso (Oct 10, 2013)

so as far as endurance or cross country once she's saddle trained not much other training should be needed? I have full faith that it won't be hard to break her. I just wanted information on what all it's going to take after that so I can prepare myself and get ready


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I might suggest you get books on training and conditioning for endurance. I would also go to the AERC web site and see what info they have available.

As for cross country...are you talking about trail riding and hopping over logs and stuff, or are you referring to the events where the horses go over jumps that will not give, into ponds, and over things that make my hair stand on end?
That sort of thing takes years of training for both horse and rider and an extreme amount of talent for both. And a boat-load of money to get the horse and rider to the point of competition.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Define training 
For endurance she obviously needs a lot of conditioning for fitness and trail exposure. She needs to know how to load into and unload from any trailer, and haul quietly and calmly. She needs to be able to manage being in strange terrain with horses going in all directions in all gaits. She needs to be able to handle horses running off and leaving her behind and running up from behind and passing. You as a rider need to be able to help her through that along with helping set her pace. Don't forget that you also need to be able to handle riding for hours.

For cross country - like in eventing? She has to learn how to jump and how to jump whatever you point her at. You also need to be able to know how to guide her through the jumps and to ride it out.

It's not a 200 bullet point list but in both cases it can take years before a horse really figures it out.
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