# Why do you ride endurance?



## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

^^what it says^^


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

When I discoverd endurance riding, it was like a dream come true! It combines all my favorite parts of horseback riding, particularly speed and trail riding  Now that I'm conditioning and a member of a local club, I love how it gives me a goal and purpose to work toward with my horseand holds me accountable to take great care of him! I love doing our conditioning rides, setting out into the wild frontier (aka flat, desert BLM land, though there is a pretty sweet ATV course for hill work!) just me and my horse. The people are amazing and SO helpful - I've had horses for over 14 years and I never knew I knew so little about them until I began endurance!

Oh, and the whole color-coordinated tack thing is awesome  we're royal blue!


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Plus, I love the praticality of it all - if it works and it's comfortable for you and your horse, then it's a good thing! I got so tired of all the technicalities of showing in the ring throu 4-H and I just wanted to RIDE. I also like being competitive (though with endurance most of that competition is onky against ourselves and achieving our own goals, though maybe we'll win some awards someday haha), so I have the opportunity to do what I love and still have that competition feeling to it.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I have...dabbled. I would love to do more during my downtime. I took my 18 year old gelding on a ride last summer and he loved it (Me and my trainer suspect when he was younger he was trained for endurance, but we have no way to confirm it) We placed best condition and first in the race itself.

I would do it maybe more competitively if I had a horse like my older gelding who has the love of it and wanted to compete in it. But for now I am sticking to my barrel horses. I am still going to do a couple rides in the summer months though.


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## DebSmith (Feb 15, 2012)

I decided to start endurance riding because I just want to ride my horses and spend time with them. I can get in the hours during the day while the kids are at school and even take a weekend to do a ride. Spending 6 hours in the saddle with my horse on trail sounds like heaven to me. I'm only thinking LD rides for now. Not even looking at 50's for awhile. I just need a small goal to get started. Most of the rides are a few hours away so I will have to limit and budget for them. I used to compete at horse shows but decided I'm not as competitive as I need to be to justify spending that amount of money for a weekend.

I'm very excited about trying this sport!


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## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

I am getting into endurance (well really CTR right now) so my horse and I can do something that we both enjoy! My mare has put up with many years of showing, and going in circles in an arena is pretty darn boring to her by now  She is still in great shape and nowhere near ready to be retired, so CTR is - hopefully - going to give us a way for me to get my competition fix and allow my girl to have fun also!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

*A*.ll
*E. *ndurance
*R*. iders are
*C*. razy


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I like trail riding....this is pushing that envelope. I haven't competed yet...still working on my own confidence issues. The training and conditioning has really helped my confidence and riding skills. I finally got my "seat" back after not riding in years. Yay!!! I hope to one day compete but in the mean time, I continue to ride and condition my boy and myself!!!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

qos, have you looked into CTR or ACTHA as opposed to endurance ? Might be more up your alley.


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