I know it is a great distance, but I missed the beginning. Do they start in a line, or one every 30 seconds, or what? It looks like they get into different spots early on.
Can’t help you, but I’m curious, was it on TV, the Internet, or were you watching live? Sounds like fun.
the endurance is on NOW
Waiting for Buck to go in Dressage for 3 D E. It is raining.
Endurance:confused: run your horse 100 miles in a single day as fast as possible is my limited understanding
I’m pretty sure they have a mass start
It is a mass start, but not a big line or anything–folks usually start in a way most advantageous to their horse, which for some is near the front of the pack and for some is at the back. I’ve seen folks start as much as 10 minutes after the gun to keep their horses calm.
And while it is sort of 100 miles as fast as you can, the horses at various points must vet in, ie pass a jog and a metabolic exam (their TPR must fall in to a certain range in a certain amount of time) and be in holds eating and drinking and testing for required amounts of time. So it is not to your advantage to go balls to the wall. Of course given the abysmal state of FEI endurance, who the heck knows, but in theory that’s how it works.
Also, at the finish line, the horse must be vetted again and judged still fit to continue. If you get there and have run the tank to zero making it, you’re eliminated.
Who is in the lead now? Never mind. 
Bay mare with star, UAE.
[QUOTE=PhoenixFarm;7735286]
So it is not to your advantage to go balls to the wall. Of course given the abysmal state of FEI endurance, who the heck knows, but in theory that’s how it works.[/QUOTE]
But apparently it is advantageous to starve your animals.
wow! I was trying to be diplomatic when I started this thread, because this is all I know about it as well. I know there is terrible cheating and gross treatment of horses, but waited to see if anyone could explain the details, and the start. But everyone seems to have a similar opinion to mine!
[QUOTE=Larksmom;7735558]
wow! I was trying to be diplomatic when I started this thread, because this is all I know about it as well. I know there is terrible cheating and gross treatment of horses, but waited to see if anyone could explain the details, and the start. But everyone seems to have a similar opinion to mine![/QUOTE]
I read in COTH magazine that a prominent rider was recently suspended for the second time. I believe there was an article about the sport needing an overhaul too.
The current state of endurance at that level, the corruption, and Princess Haya’s connection to it all is why I am THRILLED she is leaving the FEI after 2 terms.
Endurance itself is a tough, great sport. Horses will be thinner than, say, dressage horses, but a healthy endurance horse is not as skinny as those photos which had been going around. Think of the body of a healthy human distance runner, and endurance horses are going to be similar. The terrain can be very hard (Tevis Cup, for example) though I don’t know how it is for WEG. The vet checks are supposed to ensure the good of the horses but that’s where corruption at these levels has come into play. It is an art to develop a horse to be sound and happy and in the ideal condition to win a major race, with proper recovery times, etc.
I have heard that the footing is wet, sticky, thick mud and that many horses are getting exhausted quite early. Read that pairs that usually have top placings have withdrawn after only a few laps.
One of the Arab States (Qatar?) just got eliminated at the 4th vet check…
and the FEI Tv commentator is not that great!
Endurance Completers?
I do not know much about endurance–trying to decipher the live scoring results. Please someone tell me I am misunderstanding and that it is not true that only two (2) of the 172 entries completed.
Maybe I am misreading, some are still on course?
Yes, most of the field is still on course! Only two have completed so far, the gold and silver medalists. Just now some were still jogging for inspection before beginning the final leg.
[QUOTE=NorCal10;7735212]
Endurance:confused: run your horse 100 miles in a single day as fast as possible is my limited understanding
I’m pretty sure they have a mass start[/QUOTE]
sits down in comfy chair with popcorn and a Diet Coke
[QUOTE=Maythehorsebewithme;7735853]
I do not know much about endurance–trying to decipher the live scoring results. Please someone tell me I am misunderstanding and that it is not true that only two (2) of the 172 entries completed.
Maybe I am misreading, some are still on course?
http://www.normandy2014.com/live/5/endurance[/QUOTE]
More have finished now.
But I can’t believe you didn’t mention that the winner was Yamamah!
so endurance riders are horse starving cheaters?
ok then…
Article on measures taken this year; http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/weg/weg-news/endurance-monitoring-stepped-weg/
Of the 5 riders on the UAE team 4 did not complete.
