Where to market an endurance horse

[galloping-gourmet]

Hi gang, I’m looking for advice. I am an eventer and do some h/j shows locally. We have a horse that doesn’t want to play in that arena (literally), but she is GREAT on the trail, not spooky, seems to really like riding out. She has great endurance and is a bit hot, but not stupid. Just makes me think endurance.

She’s not a plod along kind of gal. Andalusion/TB, so a bit of an unusual breed, but we would love to find her something to do that she will love…

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated…

[Stushica]

FB has a TON of endurance pages, both across the US/ canada and also regional ones. Also I’d put her on endurance.net and perhaps in the paper of any local trail groups (google your area) and of course, the usually horse for sale places like horse clicks, equine now, etc.

[chicamux]

To be honest most endurance people are looking for Arabs, part-Arabs, Appaloosas, etc. You could try loaning her to someone who would do “other” work with her and see if she finds a niche. Get her out where people would see her. She needs to learn to ride in groups of horses to begin to chill out and not be “hot”. That will not appeal to anyone. Endurance and trail riding is done with horses all around you, passing you, etc. Are you in an area with hunts?

I have known some horses of non-typical breeds that have worked out for endurance riding but no one would have gone and bought them specifically a a prospect for endurance until they had proven themselves at it. TBs, appendix QTR, can have the metabolism for endurance but they have to have the brain and calmness for it. CALM brains is importent.

chicamuxen

[Dajuliz]

We do compete in endurance and ctr and any breed of horse goes. We have seen quarter horses, twh, standardbreds, arabs, warmbloods, grades, t-breds, appy, lippizans, many gaited breeds and even mules. It just depends on the horse and rider combination. It actually takes a really smart horse to compete in endurance or ctr plus a really good rider to be competitive. There is a distance for every one and a competition for everyone. If you think she might have the aptitude, you might want to take her to an event and just enter the novice rides. Then you will know if she has the physical attributes as well as the brain to compete in endurance or ctr. Then you can market her accordingly with a couple of events under her belt with a couple of score cards with comments from the vets. You will know pretty quick if she has the aptitude and the brain.

[goldenrow]

Speaking of Endurance FB groups - can anyone point me to some in the upper midwest?

I have a horse who, like the OP’s, is not a fan of my chosen ‘arena’ discipline, but is very athletic, smart, and outlasts everyone on 12 hour trail rides up and down the bluffs of the Mississippi. So I’m considering finding him a new job.

Are there trainers that I can send him to? Or do I just try to sell him on an endurance website? Is it common to “trade” horses? Where do I start???

[Dajuliz]

[QUOTE=goldenrow;7965235]
Speaking of Endurance FB groups - can anyone point me to some in the upper midwest? [/QUOTE]

Try Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Rides Association aka UMECTRA. They also have a green bean facebook page for people just starting out.

Also Distance Riding Association of Wisconsin (DRAW) is another active organization.