# HELP advice wanted



## equine hayleyy (Oct 27, 2015)

hi everyone I am looking to do some future endurance comps with my purebred arab gelding Mo 
any tips on what your horses condition needs to be or training tips?
thanks


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

There are several good online resources for conditioning an endurance horse. Not sure where you and your horse are at now, but it's a place to start. You'll quickly see that a lot of time and physical strength on your part is required too!


F o u r M o n t h 
Endurance Conditioning Schedule

1st & 2nd Week	Ride the horse at a walk/trot 3 to 4 days a week for 1 hour each day to begin initial legging up.

3rd Week	3 to 4 days riding - 1 to 1 1⁄2 hour each day. Walk up and down all hills and ravines, trot on all flat areas.

4th Week	
3 to 4 days riding - 1 to 2 hours each day. Trot up ravines or small hills when possible and over rough or primitive terrain. Walk up some very long, steep hills, (if possible,), Always walk down all hills & ravines.


5th & 6th Week	3 to 4 days riding - Rotate the following regimen for the days you are able to ride. #1 Two hour slows trail ride. #2 Two hours primarily trot, some walking, a little cantering on primarily flat surfaces. #3 Two to three hours, primarily trot, (work on elongating trot), work on hills, and primitive rough terrain. 

7th & 8th Week	
3 to 4 days riding - two hours at extended trot primarily. 3rd or 4th day try 4 hour ride. Walking & trotting only.


9th & 10 Week	2 to 4 days of riding, depending on how long you are able to ride.... balance between longer, harder rides with more rest time in-between. Don't ever increase speed and distance during the same training ride. Primarily trot, salt in an occasional canter, and walk for recovery, when needed. A working heart rate between 110 & 140 is appropriate. Horse should recover to below 70 within 1 to 3 minutes anytime it is stopped.

11th & 12th Week	2 to 3 days of riding 2 to 3 hours each time. Use your judgment and horses attitude to adjust speed, length of work, and toughness of terrain to your workouts. Listen to your horse. If he seems tired or sluggish, back off for 3 or 4 days. He will not loose that much conditioning. Try to find as many different places to train that you can. Horses actually can become dull and bored with same ole trails. 
AAA
You and your partner should now be ready to tackle a moderately paced 25 or 30-mile race. If your horse handles that in good shape, you're ready for 50 miles within 3 to 4 weeks. Continue at least twice weekly rides totally approximately 20 to 30 miles to keep his base conditioning. If you compete at least once a month, the competition will act as all the other conditioning that you need.
(Cypress Trail - Endurance Training)

Here's another to check out https://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Endurance.net has a lot of great resources on their Learn page and their Ride Camp message board and their news/blog pages.

Also the AERChas lots of resources under their "Education" tab, including the rider handbook, mentors in your state, and other resources for getting started in endurance. I used to belong to the AERC and found their magazine, Endurance News particularly packed full of fantastic information.

Also, although a bit dated, Nancy Loving's book Go the Distance is still a good resource.

I have never gotten this book, but Donna Snyder-Smith is a known endurance rider, so her book 
The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding and Competition should also be a good resource.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Agreed with above.
Here's the thing--your horse needs to develop his musculature and different muscles develop at different rates.
Pounding creates bone density, which is far more crucial than you may think, and the reason that many show horses get hairline fractures today.
Bone density comes from pounding work, like trotting on the trails.
Start NOW and plan on beginning competitions next year. The lower levels won't tax your horse.
If you have an arena, indoor or outdoor, use it to teach your horse to ground tie, and to pull you by the tail.
I've only done that once, when my DD was at a national CW event, and I let her ride and I walked back. I grabbed "Corporal's" tail and let him pull me up the hill. ONLY a horse that is trained to this will let you do it, and many endurance rider's spare their horse by walking and jogging part of the race.


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## equine hayleyy (Oct 27, 2015)

thanks for the replies everyone!! very helpful


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## renaissanceredhead (Dec 10, 2015)

*tips for newbie endurance training.*

Hi- I've been a distance rider for over 12 years- including the Michigan shore to shore barefoot(250 miles in 10 days). 
Anyway, I recommend the book-
* "4th Gear - Power Up Your Endurance Horse " by Dennis Summers
*


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## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

More books:
Aarene Storms: Endurance 101. A gem for starting in endurance.
Endurance 101 | a gentle guide to the sport of long-distance riding

Conditioning: start where you are and build on it. If you do a lot of walking, introduce some trotting, then some more. Increase distance on some rides. Increase speed on other rides. Never both! As you up distance and speed, you'll get to figure if the tack is right, if the feed is right and all other fun stuff.  Learn to take your horse's pulse before, during, after rides.

Most of all, have fun! It's all about the training and conditioning: official rides are icing on the cake. Even if things don't go as planned, you always go home with new knowledge and having met great people.


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