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If you enjoy being outside, and love riding along trails, alone with nature and your horse, you might enjoy the sport of endurance riding. Of course, this sport is really a race against the clock. Having a horse that has a great deal of stamina, is easily trained, listens to you, and is able to move gracefully and with great speed is of great importance. |
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Endurance riding is an unusual sport. To be successful, your horse must go through veterinary examinations throughout the race to determine whether he is fit to continue. Endurance rides can be from 25 to 100 miles in length, with one to four phases of approximately 25 miles each. |
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The race can be spaced over two days. At the end of each phase, riders must wait until the horse’s pulse returns to a normal rate, then have the horse thoroughly checked over for pulse rate, heart rate, weight, and overall condition (mouth and back sores or abrasions will cause the horse not to pass the check). Horses that are too exhausted to eat or drink may also be eliminated from the race. |
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As you can see, the goal is not to be the first to cross the finish line, but to make the best time possible while your horse remains in excellent physical condition before, after, and during the race. The rider who can read the signs of fatigue and pace his or her horse according to its capacity is most likely to excel at this sport. |
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Before to the early 1950s, when endurance became an international sport, it was a form of delivery that pushed horses to collapse. In the later part of the 20th century, the sport was regulated and focused on measuring stamina and speed, as well as riders’ ability to judge pacing and demonstrate good horsemanship. |
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Riding as fast as the horse can go over rough terrain, up mountainsides, across streams, and winding along narrow trails while dodging trees and bushes requires stamina from both the horse and rider. |
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In 1950, endurance riding was recognized as an equine sport by the "Fėdėration Équestre Internationale" (FEI) headquartered in Switzerland. This is the organization that sets up rules for Olympic equestrian sports. Endurance is not yet an Olympic sport, although an annual World Championship title is the endurance rider’s dream. |
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Although endurance rides are often hotly contested, at every level of endurance the welfare of the horse is very important, with the strictest veterinary checks of all horse sports, and awards for best condition often being regarding as important as wining. For many people the unofficial motto of the sport 'To finish is to win' sums up the satisfaction they feel bringing their horse home sound and healthy. As you can see, endurance riding is a thrilling sport for everyone. |
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