Thoroughbreds in Endurance?

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=Bensmom;2832098]
Yeah, I think Otis is VERY cool! :yes: I have a Hungarian Felver filly (part Shagya too) that I have already been looking at Otis for a future date, way down the road.

But, that would be a serious muttly mix! :lol:

I like Otis though, he is AWESOME.

libby[/QUOTE]

I just confirmed a date with Otis for '08! He IS awesome! Did you see his YouTube video? And his daughter, Picabo Street is a strong contender for War Mare Award at only the age of 7. I think Connie said she is o/o a Shetland/Arab mare. She’s TT’d most of her 50’s and just started doing 100’s this year. She is doing GREAT – I think she’s gotten a couple of BC’s as well.

But speaking of mutts – I was going back and forth between which mare to breed to Otis – either my purebred (mostly Bask/Polish)Arab or her daughter. Now her daughter is officially a half-Arab – her sire was a Dutch WB named Werigo. But because of the TB and Shagya the WB people have used to refine, the mare is actually only 25% Dutch WB.

And I wanted more TB than I would have gotten using just my PB Arab. I’ve decided on using the daughter – the Arab/WB mare.

THAT muttly mixed foal from Otis & my Arab/WB would, genetically be:
50% Arab, 34% TB, 12+% WB and 3% Shagya! Can’t register it anywhere…<g>

Only worry is that, because my mare’s sire was 16.3hh (although she is BARELY 15hh), and Otis is 15.2hh (and his sire was 16.2), I might end up with something over 16hh. But based on the bloodlines, if I do, I bet the eventing people will be lining up to take that thing “off my hands…”

I can’t wait! Check out the mare in question – last photo was taken when she was three and she’s just turned five now, so she has filled out abit…

http://pets.webshots.com/album/293961107PSSbid

[Mendin_Fences]

The fact is we don’t actually know the history of many of the horses used, since many were bought from traders and/or were “spoils of war.” The Godolphin Arabian’s history, for instance, is mostly surmised, Margarete Henry’s book notwithstanding <g>.

I love that book! I know it is mostly fictional, but I like to pretend it’s true. In 8th grade I painted a blow-up of the book cover onto a big ceiling tile and I have it displayed in my apartment now.
:winkgrin:

[Mendin_Fences]

@Kyzteke;2832040

The fact is we don’t actually know the history of many of the horses used, since many were bought from traders and/or were “spoils of war.” The Godolphin Arabian’s history, for instance, is mostly surmised, Margarete Henry’s book notwithstanding <g>.

I love that book! I know it is mostly fictional, but I like to pretend it’s true. In 8th grade I painted a blow-up of the book cover onto a big ceiling tile and I have it displayed in my apartment now. :winkgrin:

[Bensmom]

Angel is GORGEOUS! I haven’t seen his video – is the link on his site?

My poor filly is only 18 months old, so I am jumping the gun, but I haven’t ever had a mare before that was mine so it is fun to dream about the options. She is 1/2 hungarian and 1/2 shagya, and her breeder saw a video of her recently and is bemoaning having sold her at all – she is going to be really nice. The breeder and I have already been talking about looking into ET for her, so she wouldn’t interrupt becoming a sporthorse to have a baby or two, but that may be REALLY jumping the gun, as I would like to have some proven performance from her before we made that decision.

It is fun to think about, though! She’s the first horse in a long time that I picked out, rather than the horse choosing me – sort of. It is fun to be raising one from the beginning – everything is so full of possibility!

Best of luck – your girl is beautiful!

libby

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=Mendin Fences;2833297]
I love that book! I know it is mostly fictional, but I like to pretend it’s true. In 8th grade I painted a blow-up of the book cover onto a big ceiling tile and I have it displayed in my apartment now. :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

I think all of us horse-crazy little girls loved that book! AND the Black Stallion series. I was shocked when I got older and found out (unregistered) Arabs couldn’t race against TBs on the track! And I kept wondering why little BOYS had all the fun…well, except for the character in National Velvet.

Funny how those things still impact us. Remember how “Sham” had one black spot on his heel? It was suppose to mean he was “fleet of foot.” Well, last year I had one of my Teke/Arab colts born with four while stockings and on the back of one heel was a single black spot! I was just thrilled to death.

Great books!

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=Bensmom;2833804]
Angel is GORGEOUS! I haven’t seen his video – is the link on his site?[/QUOTE]

Not sure – they just got the video done a week or so ago.

But if you search on YouTube under “VSF Otis+/” I’m sure it will come up. He’s a very athletic guy and Connie has done such a good job with him.

Your gal sounds like a perfect cross for him – you could certainly do ET with her this spring/summer. Although you have a point about wanting some performance out of her first. With Angel, based on her pedigree and conformation I know she could be doing great at something, and I am the limiting factor. She is just getting going now, so I’d like to breed her NOW rather than getting her in ride condition and then having her take a year off.

I’m sure the baby will be super…super CHUNKY! But maybe that’s a good thing?

[system]

Hi everyone Im new here.
I really like this topic of tbs in endurance!
I’ve just recently got my 1st horse back. I had sold her about 2 1/2 yrs ago as I was not experienced enough and she was too strong, goey for me. Now I can easily handle her and I want to start endurance with her.
She is 21 (you wouldn’t know it). She is so full of life and energy and LOVES riding, anything, anywhere!
The problem is because she has been abit neglected and has not had much movement in a small paddock, (now she’s on 20 acres) “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. I literally have to hold her back from taking things too far as she is hardly fit yet and will try to trot and canter everywhere.

Can you please tell me how many days a week, how long and how to properly leg her up especially as she is an older horse, without straining her ligaments tendons before they are ready.

We live in the middle of forrest, all are gravel roads, firebreak tracks, and very big hills

I am aiming on putting her in a 25 mile in about 4 months, do you think this is a reachable goal?

I will post a picture of her today or tomorrow.

Can you please post pictures of your tb’s who did endurance? Would love to see them…

Regards
Emma

[pwynnnorman]

I put a link directly to the video on his “entry” page: http://www.sportponiesunlimited.com/Otis_Entry.html

I’ve debated for a couple years now on breeding Teddy’s dam to him since the result would be a 3/4 sibling AND it’s amazing how much Otis looks like Teddy’s brother Kevlar (and how much stamina those boys seem to have!): http://sportponiesunlimited.com/Like_Father_Like_Sons.JPG

[pandorasboxx]

[QUOTE=stargirl86;2836280]
Hi everyone Im new here.
I really like this topic of tbs in endurance!
I’ve just recently got my 1st horse back. I had sold her about 2 1/2 yrs ago as I was not experienced enough and she was too strong, goey for me. Now I can easily handle her and I want to start endurance with her.
She is 21 (you wouldn’t know it). She is so full of life and energy and LOVES riding, anything, anywhere!
The problem is because she has been abit neglected and has not had much movement in a small paddock, (now she’s on 20 acres) “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. I literally have to hold her back from taking things too far as she is hardly fit yet and will try to trot and canter everywhere.

Can you please tell me how many days a week, how long and how to properly leg her up especially as she is an older horse, without straining her ligaments tendons before they are ready.

We live in the middle of forrest, all are gravel roads, firebreak tracks, and very big hills

I am aiming on putting her in a 25 mile in about 4 months, do you think this is a reachable goal?

I will post a picture of her today or tomorrow.

Can you please post pictures of your tb’s who did endurance? Would love to see them…

Regards
Emma[/QUOTE]

Hi Emma,

One excellent resource for conditioning for endurance is www.aerc.org which is the American Endurance Riders Conference website. Look under the heading of Education on the home page and there are links for the new endurance rider.

Also, SERA (southeastern endurance riders association) has great advice on their site. Here is one on conditioning. http://www.seraonline.org/Conditioning.pdf
And here is another:
http://www.seraonline.org/Training/Training%20For%20Endurance.htm

Check it out!

Good Luck~

ps another resource is www.endurance.net Their forum is called Ridecamp. Search the archives for particular subjects if need be.

[Kyzteke]

[QUOTE=pwynnnorman;2836292]
I put a link directly to the video on his “entry” page: http://www.sportponiesunlimited.com/Otis_Entry.html

I’ve debated for a couple years now on breeding Teddy’s dam to him since the result would be a 3/4 sibling AND it’s amazing how much Otis looks like Teddy’s brother Kevlar (and how much stamina those boys seem to have!): http://sportponiesunlimited.com/Like_Father_Like_Sons.JPG[/QUOTE]

Well, DANG, Pwynn! Get with it! Because I’m just waiting for you to stand Kevlar in '09…saving up my pennies (ok, $$$'s) to breed him to Angel’s dam, the PB Arab (with a pedigree much like Otis’s dam). In fact, I think you need to get frozen on Kevlar NOW <g> and offer it.

I know you breed for a “sporthorse” market, but maybe start to try targeting the endurance market more? In that sport, a 14.2hh horse is more the norm and I think your guys have the genetics for it. The only problem is that endurance people are not traditionally “big spenders” in either the stud fee dept. or the buying horses dept.

In fact, I had Angel for sale for TWO YEARS (she’s the one I’m breeding to Otis) and the dressage people gushed over her, but declined over and over again because she was/is only 15hh. The endurance people also gushed over her, including a regional champion 100 mile rider and a (former, now retired)Olympic Team member. But the $4500 price tag I had on her as a three year old was the dealer breaker for them.

Luckily, at some point I realized how nice she was and took her off the market.

Still, your stallions, when crossed with Arabs or 1/2 Arabs would produce some pretty kick ass endurance horses, at least in my personal opinion.

And just so you know, you are TOTALLY my hero – being a small breeder myself, I realize what an accomplishment Teddy O. is.

[Kyzteke]

@stargirl86;2836280

I am aiming on putting her in a 25 mile in about 4 months, do you think this is a reachable goal?

Personally, I think 6 months might be more like it. If she was young and had more conditioning, I would say a SLOW 25 might be ok in 4 months, but older horses don’t get fit as quickly as younger ones do (kind of like we humans…). And if she is injured, it sets you back even more.

There are several really good books out there that get into the nuts and bolts of endurance riding, including conditioning. One I’m reading now that I really like is Nancy Loving DVM “Going the Distance.” I’m sure you can get it on Amazon.com (maybe even used).

The take home message is that it takes a L-O-N-G time to properly condition an endurance horse, especially if you want to do 100’s. That literally takes YEARS.

So better safe than sorry, for the sake of your horse.

Good luck.

[klyneal]

I don’t know about TB’s for endurance. I had an off the track TB, and he was full of energy too, but I never tried endurance with him. He learned super quick and was calm on the trail, though. If you think he’d be good, try him. If he likes it as much as you do, then do it.

My TB was very high withered, and I found an endurance saddle with a removable saddle horn that was perfect. I could use the saddle english or western (the fenders/leathers were switchable, too). Hope that gives you some ideas.

[klyneal]

I don’t know if this helps, as I have an Appaloosa, but I’ve found that hill climbing is a great way to build up a horse’s wind in the beginning of a season. I start out letting my Appy trot or canter up the hills (it’s easier for him), then I make him walk the whole way up, then I start on longer hills. After a few weeks of this, he can go on a 4 or 5 hour flat trail ride with ease. We generally work up to 7-9 hours at a time, more challenging trails. He’s 28 now and I don’t normally go out more than 4 or 4.5 hours. Still, he keeps up with the younger horses.
I’m not an endurance trainer, though. Does anyone else hill climb to build up wind/endurance?

[prudence]

Klyneal, your training plan sounds great. Yes - climbing hills is the best way to condition a horse. They can be used slowly in the beginning and later more quickly with a trot/canter after the hill flattens. Some of the most popular riding trails in this area go down to the American River and back for a great climb.

I loved reading how your Appy is still going strong. Keep him moving!!

PS This thread is nearly 8 years old! Wonder how the OP made out with her TB!

[Gestalt]

I rode my ottb in endurance for three years. He was sound and game I believe in “to complete is to win.” I never pushed him. One ride we were the last in and got some cool gifts.

If you want to have fun then go for it. You don’t have to be in the top ten. Just ride to your horses ability.

[Doctracy]

I’m sure a lot of foxhunting TBs could do endurance, especially from some of the western Hunt’s like Red Rock Hounds. My old OTTB really had no bottom and I could hunt him four times a week,hard.

[Mukluk]

I would probably try endurance if I had the time. I have a nice OTTB who has done a lot of different things (including horse camping and trail rides in rough terrain). We do a lot of trail riding and we both love it. I think she would just love being out on the trail for longer rides. I am sure she likely wouldn’t do as well as the arabs but she would try her heart out for me.