First Horse/Endurance Advice

[mnemosyne]

I keep having to delay getting a horse but I’ve been riding my neighbor’s for several years now and I know I want to do some distance trail rides/endurance if possible. I have two questions for you wise people!

1. I’ve read some articles about which breeds/body types are best for endurance, but in your experience what makes the biggest difference? Are Arabians the way to go, or can any healthy horse do well? In short, what should I be looking for when shopping for an endurance prospect?

2. What’s the biggest challenge you DIDN’T expect out of endurance? (What should I be wary of?)

[Scribbler]

How serious are you about endurance? And do you like Arabians?

Some like them and some don’t. They really aren’t my cup of tea but if you like them, get one. They are not that expensive these days either.

[gothedistance]

1. Arabs AS A GENERAL RULE are pretty much biologically and uniquely suited for traveling long distance with the most economy of body and energy. That said, your good endurance horse also has to have a good mind, a willing attitude, a good physiology for traveling over all kinds of terrain, an excellent metabolism, and patience. If you miss any of these 5 requirements, there is a good chance that the horse will fail.

Most Arabs have a huge problem with attitude, and patience. It seems like minor things, but it is magnified exponentially as the distance gets longer. When a horse fights you to be the one in control, then all that energy goes into zero productivity. And Arabs are known for having as much longevity in fighting you as they do the ability to travel down a trail. That is one of the reasons why Arabs are cheap enough to be a dime a dozen. If you want a truly good Arab you need to find one at a breeder, but that isn’t always a guarantee either.

So I would rate the five necessities in this order:

1. Willing attitude
2. Patience
3. Excellent metabolism
4. A good mind
5. Excellent physiology

Find any light breed of horse with these attributes, and you have the making of a good endurance prospect.

2. The biggest challenge of endurance is getting yourself physically fit enough to deal with the high stress of competition while at the same time being the best caretaker you can be to your horse during the competition and afterwards. A 50-mile ride can reasonably be accomplished within 7-8 hours on the trail. Add to that at least 2 hours to prepare your horse for competition with feeding it and yourself a wholesome breakfast, tacking up, warming up for the start, and making sure that you have everything that you need to be out on the trail - your rider card, map, GPS, electrolytes for your horse and yourself, food, extra hoof boot, etc. Add to that at least 1 hour to 2 hours after the ride for taking care of your horse, feeding it and yourself, packing up all of your camping equipment, and getting the horse ready to go home …unless you are planning on spending the night. That means that your competitive day is anywhere from 11 to 12 hours total.

That is a lot of work, and a lot of stress, and the main reason that most people have drafted either friends or family to help during the competition.

You often don’t know until you are in the thick of competition, generally at the 35 mile point, how well you are going to be able to handle yourself for the remainder of time. You need to know how to successfully smooth your way through all the nuances of the competition by knowing ahead of time what it is you need to do at the In/Out timer, and especially the vetting, in order not to crash and burn before the ride is over.

Which is the critical reason why you need a horse that is going to be a willing partner able to take direction from you and accomplish the task at hand, not a drama queen.

One of the best ways of learning this is to ride a non competitive endurance training ride. These are usually 18-mile rides that are part of the competition, but do not have points or recognition. They do have all the elements of a true endurance ride, but with less distance and more emphasis on how to approach the ride itself, how to care for your horse the best way during the ride, and how to take care of yourself so that you can keep going on with enough energy after the ride is over.

Incidentally, the joy found in riding a happy, willing horse 50 to 100 miles in a day on the trail cannot be found in any other sport. Anywhere. In that, endurance stands alone as a source of incredible enjoyment of two successful partners of different species being together for a sole defining purpose.

[mnemosyne]

Thank you very much! Lots to think about. My plan is to start with a lot of long trail rides and work up to actual endurance races (there are lots of lovely snowmobile trails around here that aren’t used in the summer months). I’ll be keeping your advice in mind! I rode an Andalusian last summer who’s getting on in years (1997) so not always able to go beyond ~5 miles, but if I can find a horse with as good an attitude as she has, I think we could do anything.

I do like Arabians, but I don’t want to always be fighting!

[tabula_rashah]

I compete on a Rocky Mountain Horse and a Morgan, have competed on other Morgans and now also have a TWH that I’m getting ready to do our first ride in less than 2 weeks. I did have an Arab that I got as a yearling and specifically raised/ started as an endurance horse but I sold him to a friend last year and she is competing him now. He was too laid back for me lol. I honestly don’t find Arabs to be all that hot or silly- I grew up with them and they were the lesson ponies I started on and I’ve pretty much ridden Arabs and Morgans most of my life until I got into gaited horses more recently.
That being said- there are certainly some challenges in riding a heavier muscled, non-traditional breed but they are in no way insurmountable. I’d say go with whatever horse you find that is a good fit for you and is sound and willing

[Scribbler]

My barn friend has a 7/8 Arab that was a fallen through the cracks problem project when she bought him. He has come around nicely. I have a big muscular Paint mare. We go on longish trail rides together.

I was doing focused conditioning with my mare last year and my friend was riding maybe 4 days a week because of her job schedule. Nevertheless that Arab had way more stamina on mountain trails than my beefy girl. He settles down and goes very nicely on a 3 hour plus ride. I would say though that the Paint has the butt for going downhill. She took to gnarly mountain trails right away and has never missed a step. My friend feels her Arab isn’t as good at tucking his butt under him on steep terrain. I think he’s always done fine enough though.

I also rode a 25 year old Andy sporthorse in the back country last summer and she held up really well to 3 and 4 hour trail rides but she has a strong work ethic.

I do think Arabs have more endurance than Andies.

We have another Arab in the barn that’s an ex show horse and his past experience plus currently management keep him wound up to the point his very experienced rider often claims to not feel safe on him. I don’t know how much that’s a choice and how much that’s inherent.

The advice above about buying a sane Arab is good. They are all flightier than I like but still a wide spectrum

My friend says they are actually not as hard to deal with as it appears because they are light on their feet. My Paint mare loses her mind inhand maybe two or three times a year in cold weather and she is a raging bull. The Arab prances much more often but doesn’t run you over or actually mean anything by it or really give you any trouble.

[SharonA]

For your first horse, no matter how long you have been riding, get a sound, healthy, versatile horse who is a pleasure to trail ride, alone or with other horses. My Arab was not at all flighty, and owned every trail she set foot on. (Some people believe there are differences between Polish Arabs, and Egyptian Arabs. The Polish lines may be said to be more workman-like and less flighty. My mare was Polish). Until her mid-20s, there was no bottom to her “energy tank,” which meant the occasional difference of opinion about speed. My Morgan is actually more reactive (but slower. When he spooks, it’s kind of like sitting on a spooking couch. I think I know he’s spooking before he does.)

A good partnership and access to knowledgeable instruction for the inevitable differences of opinion between horse and rider (especially with a smart, fit horse), are more important than breed. Shop only for a horse that is already doing the types of riding you want, and then get the one of these that you feel safe on. Train the two of you well and go have fun.

[RedHorses]

I have a TBxQH who would have done well in Endurance had I found it earlier. Unfortunately his drug-managed health issues disqualify him from competition. We might be able to sneak one in at the very beginning or very end of the season if (a very large, highly unlikely if) the weather cooperates and he doesn’t need his drugs.

My other horse’s granddam was an Arabian with a wonderful temperament. My horse is 3/4WB and can be a bit high strung at times, but he is getting better and settles well. We did his first competition ride last summer and he did very well. I’m hoping to do more rides with him this year.