# Getting into the sport (:



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I am not very familiar with the specifics of how endurance events are held in New Zealand, but the best suggestion for anybody interested in the sport is to find a local event and go to volunteer. Then you can see firsthand how things are done and hopefully find someone local to you to act as a mentor.

In terms of conditioning, you just start at whatever level you are currently at and slowly increase the workload (be that distance, speed or terrain) one step at a time.


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## shanoona (Oct 29, 2009)

I am quite new to endurance as well. Well, I started once  We rode 25 km journey, but got lost, so total around 30 km. I have my mare at the border of our capital city, so i dont really have a huge forest or anything, our longest trails were about 15-18 km. I tried to ride this 15 km trail in "endurance speed"-so trotting and cantering where posible (we have a lot of forest paths, but they are creeky and not fit for cantering for long, but they can do for trotting), I made a few longer versions about the trail so it was around 20km in total. And my mare was hardly sweatty at all, just under the girth  So i just trid to ride around these 20 km like twice a week to keep her fit and she made these 30 km endurance just fine, was sweaty only under the blanket and a bit at shoulders, but true, we werent really the fastest  I think 25 km ride can manage every healthy horse if you will not push him to go too fast and you will let him rest during the journey. My mare is a honnover warmblood with some TBs in her bloodline, and is a "normal" hobby horse. once a week jumping around 1m, once a week dressage, and the rest fo the week terrains around 10-15 km, with no drastic speed, easy tempo, one day a week free. As long as you are not an a**hole, and you listen t your horse, i dont think a 25 km ride is such a big problem  I like trotting the most time, i keep cantering for longer grassy areas (transtitions are difficult and energy consuming, and my mare is a bit jumpy-s i like when there is nothing next to me-trees, gardens, etc) and i kep walking fo crossing villages. Otherwise I trot a lot. She is trained to trot easy, but in pace, but long strides with her neck long. 









(pink one)











AFTER the race:


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## AJH (Jul 18, 2015)

I'm also from New Zealand and started with a few CTR's first, these are great to begin with as they aren't as competitive but still give you a feel for the sport and there is only a breathing and heart rate exam at the begining and end of the ride, I competed in a few on a anglo-arab I was leasing at the time and it helped give me a feel of what he could handle with the (admittedly small) amount of training he had had. I started with 10k which I knew he could do fine as we trekked out quite a bit and then slowly went up the distances, increasing training until I felt we were both ready for an endurance ride. We ended up getting 6th on out first endurance ride! (40k) Starting with riding beside a more experienced rider is great also, cause they will be able to tell you if your horse is getting tired, asking the head/admin of the nearest club if they know someone that would let you ride with/beside them is a good way to get the word out 

getting to know people in your local club is good as well as they can give you heaps of advice about how to ride the course (especially if they've done it before) and how to keep both you and your horse safe, healthy and happy.

I don't think his clubfoot should be a problem as long as it doesn't cause any lameness. As for gear, I've done some pretty long rides in just you're average gp (status) and a snaffle, my boy is a bit hot and spooky to be riding bitless. I used to ride with a halter underneath the bridle and a rope tied around his neck so I could lead him when he needed a break but I got a endurance bridle a while ago when I started getting more serious and untying and tying the rope started getting tedious. 

About the bareback, i actually knew someone who rode her younger arabs bareback during lower level endurance rides as she bred broke in and trained her own horses but as she had like eight at a time (every year), couldn't afford saddles for all of them if they were just getting sold within 12 months. This might depend on your area though and what the people in the club are like.

It shouldn't really bother other riders if your horse gets hot as most peoples horses that have been doing it for some time should be used to that by now, my horse used to jig-jog and half rear until about 15 mins into the ride where he would start to settle down, one of my more experienced friends used to ride quietly beside me and we chatted until he calmed down. Also alot of riders will be used to, if not familiar with hot horses as arabs are the main breed used here (in nz) especially in the higher levels (although any breed can do it, I was beaten in a 40k ride by a 17yr old standabred) All the hot and excitable horses I have know though calmed down with experience. So anyway, I think it would be okay to ride it out, unless you can see someone having trouble with their horse because of it, then you should ask if they are ok and if you should get off, there may be other new and more nervous riders around (I had a incident where one bolted past me and caused my horse to bolt as well, I slowed him down quickly enough but I ended up walking the rest of the ride with the other girl because she was too scared to get back on her horse)

Anyway just take the first few rides slow and see how he goes, ask the vet that does the checks about snotty noses etc. I didn't really have to worry about that as my horse was pretty good so I can't remember if the lower distance rides check that. Big things to keep an eye out for is respiration, is the horse breathing heavily etc. this will help give an indication to his heart rate, also condition, is he sweating much, in summer you have to keep a close eye on this as you might be able to do 20k no prob in winter but he might be sweating a fair amount by the end of it in summer, if you come across a stream/good water source, offer the horse a drink. in the longer rides, how much weight/condition is lost is important. Endurance is all about the horse, they don't mind if the rider is dehydrated but if the horse is showing signs, you'll be vetted out.

I love endurance, it's so much fun, so I hope you have a good time and enjoy the sport, once you have the basics down, it's not as hard as it sounds 

-AJ


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

Like you I am (very) competitive. Having been "getting into" endurance for 5 years now I can tell you that you may need to turn it down - a lot. 

In my case injuries to the horse have been the result of my competitive mindset. One must be careful and patient to not overtrain resulting in injury to the horse.

I now get my speed and competitive thrills on my bike and have gone back to normal trail riding for the time being with the horse.

Here, we have experienced mentors who are very happy and willing to guide new comers to the sport. I will be looking one of them up next year if I reenter the quest.


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