# Endurance Riders; I need your input!



## Horsiezz (Aug 24, 2011)

Okay so I like to do alot of diffferent things with my quarter horse mare, and theres a "mini endurance ride" as they call it going on at a park called Whitacre Greer near me in Magnolia, Ohio. I'm probably gunna go and check it out but i'd like to do a real full length one. My mom & brother used to do alot of endurance riding in their day on their quarter horses, and my brother placed at many. So I like to have my horse be one of those "All arounders" and I like to try out new things so I think I would like to go to one of these! But I don't know where there held at... and what to expect? My mare is in exellent shape and healthy and could defintely do it. The only thing that bothers me is that everyone starts at the same time, which  is what my mom told me but she said they might have changed it since she rode. My mare is dominant and kicks horses she doesnt know, especially geldings. So this worries me. I wouldnt want my horse or someone elses horse or possibly leg to get hurt. So can someone please tell me how everything works and where I can find some in Ohio? Thanks!


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## goodhors (Aug 24, 2011)

We have a couple endurance riders on here, who will probably add a lot of current information about 
how things are done at a ride.

I will speak of conditioning though, because we do a lot of conditioning for our horse activities.

Firstly, you will be preparing her for a totally different activity than other riding disciplines need in 
fitness.  Even doing the shorter rides of 25 miles or 50 miles as opposed to 100 milers, she will need
to be VERY fit in several catagories to let her body work correctly.  I have no idea of your "Vet" skills, 
ability to take pulse and respiration rates, recognize if horse is quickly recovering from short periods of stress
designed to build her fitness levels.  Maybe she is not! You have to be able to help her cool down quickly, prevent inner 
body heat damage, in short time periods.  Helps if you can do heartbeats and temp checks on the horse, 
since Vets at the ride will be working on her at the stops.

Arabians seem to do best in Endurance races because of body style.  Long lean muscles for doing long
miles, like the long distance runner in Marathons.  QH is usually more muscular, deeper bodied that holds
 heat inside more.  QH can do distance, but may take more time to get fit, more work to cool down than the Arabs.

Our information for conditioning stresses that you take at LEAST 90 days of works to get ready to compete.  This is doing
3 to 5 works a week, not just on weekends.  So this is 90 TRAINING DAYS, to be ready.  Of course the more works 
you can do in a week, will greatly aid her progress in fitness.  You are getting different body parts prepared, so time just 
cannot be shortened or the parts are not prepared for the physical stress of heavy competition and distances.
Developing their wind, hardening bones, takes the WHOLE 90 days of fitness works to get them ready.  Cutting
the works down to a minimum, you chance damaging the horse in competition, body is not fit enough.

For us doing a June competition, means we start in Feb, because we may have bad weather, not able to do road
work on a daily basis.  You have to have a program laid out, with required milages at certain speeds, increased regularly to build more
fitness, so she can manage the distance of the ride.  You may do a fast work now and again to check that horse has
gained the fitness needed to recover quickly.  

We keep a daily work calendar on the stall door for easy notes on each work done that day.  With such a long 
time period preparing, you can easily confuse what you did when.  Calendar notes keep things clear for you.  Then 
look back to see when you gradually increased mileage, gave her days off to rest.  What WERE the pulse and respiration when
you started, how long did it take to drop back to normal back then?  What are her rates in 30 days?  We start out with rather 
short distances, lots of walking.  They always walk out the first mile and home the last mile, which lets their body settle and 
things calm down inside for a warm-up and cool-down from the exhertion.

There are books about Endurance riding, probably some good fitness programs out there you can find that will get you going.
Joining the Associations will connect you to the rules of the game, along with many other benefits.  Much better to do it correctly
with information they provide, than guessing wrong, not being able to compete or finish the ride with an unfit horse.

I hear those Endurance folks are very nice, and the campfires are often very funny with they gather in the evenings at the rides!


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## michickenwrangler (Aug 25, 2011)

Horsiezz said:
			
		

> Okay so I like to do alot of diffferent things with my quarter horse mare, and theres a "mini endurance ride" as they call it going on at a park called Whitacre Greer near me in Magnolia, Ohio. I'm probably gunna go and check it out but i'd like to do a real full length one. My mom & brother used to do alot of endurance riding in their day on their quarter horses, and my brother placed at many. So I like to have my horse be one of those "All arounders" and I like to try out new things so I think I would like to go to one of these! But I don't know where there held at... and what to expect? My mare is in exellent shape and healthy and could defintely do it. The only thing that bothers me is that everyone starts at the same time, which  is what my mom told me but she said they might have changed it since she rode. My mare is dominant and kicks horses she doesnt know, especially geldings. So this worries me. I wouldnt want my horse or someone elses horse or possibly leg to get hurt. So can someone please tell me how everything works and where I can find some in Ohio? Thanks!


Is this endurance or competitive trail? Usually in endurance you are allowed to have a pit crew to sponge and rinse off your horse at vet checks and at points during the ride which may be an asset if you're riding a Quarter Horse.

Goodhors, I have yet to see you AT an endurance ride. There's no one in your area that attends GLDRA rides.

Yes, Arabians tend to dominate the sport but a family over in Grand Rapids does very well on their grade QHs. Quarter horses do need a bit more conditioning. What type of terrain is the ride going to be held on? Try to condition on similar terrain. Michigan is notorious for deep sand, other areas for rocks, apparently Illinois mud is pretty treacherous. Those that compete in Ohio talk about the clay down there. If you can, talk to people who have done that trail (even for pleasure) to know what you're up against. I ride sandy courses much differently than rocky, hilly trails. I know Ohio has all types of terrain. I do lots of hill work with my horse and make my daughter do the same with her pony.

You can BEGIN conditioning in the winter. The early stages of conditioning should be LSD = long, slow distance. Walk a few miles. Gradually increase the distance and speed as you progress. I begin conditioning in Feb. but again, I'll take my horse out for a 2 mile walk for the first few weeks before working up to a 15 mile ride mid-May for Memorial Day weekend. You want to put a good, long ride on your horse about 2 weeks before competition, then keep the workouts fairly light until ride day.

My horse gets very fired up in the "shotgun starts" but when I ride with my daughter or a junior, I put myself at the back of the pack and deliberately walk for the first half mile or so until those who are going to win are well ahead and out of sight, then I'll trot and let my horse trot at her own pace rather than fighting to be in the lead.

Though not advised, MOST horses can be pulled out of a pasture and be ridden 15 miles. So if you are riding your horse on a regular basis, she should be able to do a 25 mile LD ride without much of a problem. She probably won't win, but most riders just do it for fun and want the miles and t-shirt!

If this is an LD ride, then it is not a *race* as such. The first horse over the line doesn't win, the first horse to get down to 60 beats per minute heart rate is the winner.

And yes, endurance people are great! We are a little arrogant (can you tell?   ) but they are extremely helpful and friendly. The competition isn't quite so subjective or ruthless as the show arena, since most people just want to finish.

OAATS = Ohio Arabian & All Breed Trail System sanctions Ohio rides. Try googling it to find out schedules and stuff. Some Michigan rides are OAATS sanctioned too!


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## Horsiezz (Aug 25, 2011)

This is endurance. My mare is in great shape. I ride her every day on the trails by our barn (we have 50 miles of trails) and we go on 5 hour trail rides alot. We also do some Hunter Paces. Shes fit and healthy with good muscling.  I'm not looking to win, just to go there and try it out. My mare isn't one of those short & stocky quarter horses, shes more tailler and leaner. She has been through all kinds of terrain, steep hills like you wouldnt believe to "shoe sucking mud" we like to call it where it goes up to their knees. Around my parts in Ohio its usually the mud, hills, and rocks you have to worry about. I think after a little bit more conditioning where shes running more I think she would be ready for just a 25 mile one, wich is what i'd like to do. 
Thanks for all the info guys! Im gunna look for some in my area.


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## goodhors (Aug 25, 2011)

"Goodhors, I have yet to see you AT an endurance ride. There's no one in your area that attends GLDRA rides."


You are correct, Endurance riding is not my thing!  We condition for Combined Driving.  Horses have to pull the 
carriges over hill and dale, for measured distances (often between 6 to 8 miles) at a timed rate of speed.  Speed is 
determined by the level you are competing at, with Intermediate and Advanced going at a faster pace.  Horses' vitals  
MUST be down to acceptable levels at Vet Check, before being allowed to continue into the last section with Hazards 
that are timed, as well as timed distance from start of section.  Things are run very tightly to prevent injury or 
stress to the animals, can't go too fast or too slow without significant penalties.  So at the higher levels we compete 
in, horses need to be EXTREMELY fit to recover fast enough in the Vet Check time of 10 minutes.  If not recovered 
by then, you are spun, done for that section of competition that day.

We compete large, deep-bodied horses, which take work to get fit enough for the good recovery rates in our short time.
Add in the higher temps and often EXTREME humidity of MI summer weather, and conditioning your animal is VERY 
serious business.  Any horse who competed but was not conditioned, probably would go into thumps if they didn't 
just keel over!  Having worked the Vet Check I SEE the horses come in who are just not fit ENOUGH.  Yeah they 
get worked regular, have been on a program, but it was not good enough.  They get pulled, temps of 104F staying high, 
even with being hosed, iced, for a couple hours after.  Takes their temps a LONG time to come down to normal, get 
the breathing regulated again because the horse body is not prepared well for self-cooling.

Each demanding sport has good fitness programs that people can research to build a conditioning program.  What is 
done in Combined Driving is not what they do in 3-Day Eventing, for Hunt horses, Endurance or Competitive Ride horses.
Horses have to meet quite different needs for each discipline, get conditioned differently.

OP asked about Endurance, and I started as if she was a Pleasure rider, horse has never been EXTREMELY fit before.
The 90 day deal is for horses that are just beginners, young horses, in any sport needing extreme fitness that includes 
bone density, breathing,  elastic muscles and ligaments.  90 days is still very helpful for horses who have not 
BEEN KEPT fit for a while.   Parts of the horse respond to the work being done NOW, do not STAY at that super-fit level 
if you reduce the work much or give them the winter off.  Safer for the horse, to plan to take the whole long, slow time needed
in preparing for your goal Ride or competition, and not shortcut the fitness of the parts.  This is where soft tissue injuries
happen more commonly.  Doing more sessions in a day doesn't help, it is a day-by-day building of ALL those parts. 
And then you keep up a lighter maintenance program after your goal ride, to stay fit for any upcoming Rides you may want to attend.  
We do that once ours get to that "very fit" stage, with harder works spaced out to stress their systems and keep up the 
body cooling systems working well.  

It may sound a bit overboard in tracking, taking the long-time route in getting fit, but we go to win.  We may only competing 
against ourselves at times in an upper level, but we want to turn in a workmanlike job, actually EARN the ribbons with good marks.
And most of all, we want the HORSES having a good time, with good recoveries.  Prancing into the finish, not dragging themselves
over the finish line.  Driving may sound sissy, but you would be surprised at the effort  needed for the cross-country sections
from your horses.  Michigan has a reputation for needing the fittest animals if you want to compete in our only CDE at the higher levels.  
We drive Multiples, 2 or 4, and they ALL have to be fit, recover fast, to be allowed to continue.  I believe they are equally fit to
the longer distance Endurance horses, but go shorter distances with the weight of vehicle and passengers they have to pull on cross-country.  

Here is a bit of video.  Shows some hazards and cross-country, what is needed from the driver and grooms on carriages to get thru.  
The guy DOES like to take shots of legs in Multiples moving together, so a bit of that too.  Might give you a look at Combined Driving that you
never thought of!!  Sure not what Grampa used to do!  CDE does seem to be a great place for older horse folks to enjoy serious competition.

http://vimeo.com/15256170


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