The prospect of preparing a new horse for its first endurance training ride may seem daunting to beginners but with the appropriate planning and commitment both horse and rider will comfortably cope with their first ride.

This article is a simple introduction to the feeding and training needed to adequately prepare an inexperienced horse for its first training ride. It is not intended to be a detailed program and the "further information" section at the end of this article will point you in the right direction to get more detailed literature on endurance riding.

Long slow distance work is the basis of preparing a novice horse for a training ride. You should plan on riding the horse three to five times per week and allow twelve weeks to get an inexperienced horse fit for its first 40 kilometre training ride. Always remember that rest is critical to the conditioning of an endurance horse as it allows the horse to recover from the stress of training. The training sessions should each be about 1 hour in length with a longer session of two hours or more included once per week.

For Weeks 1 and 2 the horse should be "legged up" at the walk only over flat terrain. Although this is relatively boring for the rider it is crucial to build strength in the legs and condition the horse for its future training. During this period it is a good idea to teach your horse to walk-out as fast as possible so that the conditioning effect is maximised and it will also help you to cover more ground later at rides. For the average horse this will mean covering about 5 to 6 kilometres in a one hour training session and 10 to 12 kilometres in a two hour training session.

For Weeks 3 and 4 you can begin to introduce some trotting (up to 10 minutes per one hour session) interspersed with the walking. When you commence trotting it should initially be for only short distances but gradually increased. During this period you should work on trotting the horse on opposite leads so that it remains even gaited and builds its muscular strength equally on both sides. It is also recommended that you work the horse at different speeds in the trot to develop the horse’s ability to go along at various speeds and try to cultivate the horse with a calm but confident manner.

For Weeks 5 and 6 increase the trotting to 20 minutes per one-hour session and introduce some hill work. Endurance rides will generally involve some substantial hill work and if you do not have access to hills on which to train it would be wise to float your horse to an area where this is possible. Initially you should walk the horse up the hills and as his fitness improves begin to trot up some of the easier hills. Downhill work this early on should be done at the walk because trotting downhill is hard on a horse's legs and you are still looking to strengthen and condition.

From now on each fortnight you should increase the amount of trotting gradually (say an increase of 10 minutes per one hour session) and try to incorporate hill work where possible. At this point YOU could also begin to introduce some easy cantering in the same way that you did with the trotting. By the end of week 8 you should be approximately walking half the time and trotting half the time. For the average horse this will mean covering 9 to 10 kilometres per hour. At this point it would be good to do a 20 km intro ride if there was one available.

Two weeks before the training ride the horse should be given about a 30 km trial run which would take about two and a half to three hours to complete. This will allow you to check how the horse copes without the excitement of the ride. If all has gone to plan and you have had no problems or received no setbacks as a result of lameness etc. then your horse will be ready to attempt his first training ride.

During the training period there are also a number of other things you can do with your horse, which will help your horse in preparation for the ride.

 about 1 to 3 kg of hard feed such as oats or prepared feed is adequate for a 500 kg horse. Endurance horses require good levels of vitamins and minerals in the diet so always ensure that the diet is balanced correctly. Always reduce the amount of grain fed to your horse on rest days by at least half. This is very important to prevent tying-up.

Electrolytes are important for endurance horses. Sweat contains high levels of electrolytes, which must be replaced or horses become prone to fatigue, dehydration or more severe problems. Horses that are worked and sweat heavily should receive additional salt (25 to 50 grams) and an electrolyte supplement formulated for heavy sweating horses performing long slow work such as endurance horses. Avoid feeding electrolyte supplements with sodium bicarbonate as they are designed for fast working horses.

Water is critical for the endurance horse and a clean supply of cool, fresh water should be available at all times.

This article has been a brief introduction to the preparation of a new horse for an initial training ride. Obviously there are differing views on training and feeding methods but the basis of a steady preparation is fairly universal.

Endurance New Zealand is a discipline of Equestrian Sports NZ and is the body for Endurance and Trail Riding riders in New Zealand. Making contact with endurance riders and a club in your area will allow you to learn from other riders and determine what exactly works best for your horse.

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In this first article, we will talk about what endurance riding is, the very basic rules and information.  

Introduction

Well, let's start with what endurance riding is NOT.  It is not schlepping to some remote spot, having your groom saddle your horse, riding as fast as you can from one point to the other, jumping off and then throwing your reigns to the groom to see to your horse while you sit back to enjoy a long cool drink.  It is not about such fierce competition between riders that they don't greet each other.  It is not about egos; or snobbishness; or what label you have on your saddle or clothing.

It is about a partnership with your horse like no other partnership.  It is about knowing your horse so well that you can tell if he has a problem long before the vet can pick it up.  It is also about long, long hours in the saddle, not only at a ride, but those conditioning miles at home.  Make no mistake, it can be a very lonely sport, where you would be the odd one out at the stables, being the one that rides in the rain or the heat of the day, with people shaking their heads in sympathy at your madness.  You will be the one with the "funny saddle" or hard hat and who rides with a halter.  You will own more and bigger water buckets and sponges than is deemed "normal" by others.

But most of all, it is about finishing that distance you set out on with a healthy, sound horse.  Feeling like a winner when you receive your completion certificate with your placing shown as 43rd of 50 riders - it's like no other feeling on earth.  The motto of endurance riding the world over is, "To Finish is to Win", and each rider has that "winning" feeling when they know they have finished and yet is "fit to continue".

When you get "hooked" on endurance, you'll learn to take your horse's pulse; check his breathing; listen to his gut sounds; take his temperature; tell if he is lame in either his front or back at a glance.  You will learn more about nutrition and energy requirements than anybody else; you will be able to tell the difference between a tied up horse and a horse that is merely cold and shivering.  You will be able to chat to your farrier about hoof angles, length of the bar on shoes and whether pads should be worn or not.  You will also become a seasoned camper, learning to travel light yet pack everything you'll need in the back of a bakkie for you and your horse for a week.  You will also get to know what fatigue and pain is and how to deal with it.

At your first ride, you will know that you're welcomed by total strangers and that you an approach anybody for help or information and they'll go out of their way to assist you.  I've even seen total strangers sharing their feed and tack!  You'll get to know the veterans and realise that no matter how good they are or how long they've been in the sport, that they'll go out of their way to share their experience and knowledge with you.

If you're still reading this, you may have become hooked already, so sit back, enjoy the feeling - the next part will be the "Getting Started" section.
 

The Basics

Equipment to get you started

You won't need to run out and replace all your tack, far from it.  Remember, if it works and it fits, keep it, if not, find something that does.  But there are some basic pieces of equipment and information you'd need to get you going.

Purchase a stethoscope - no need to get a very fancy one - as long as it'll do the job.  They're priced at around R50 and you can either ask you vet, doctor (although they might look at you funny), or any medical supply store.  If you can't find one, please feel free to contact me - details appear at the end of this article.  Get to know where to take your horse's pulse and what his pulse is under normal conditions as well as after any exercise.

Purchase a thermometer - a human thermometer will do - and get to know your horse's normal temperature.

Sponges.  You'll never have enough.  Try and find good sized sponges, not those little round ones you find at grocery stores, but the nice big ones that hold the water.  You'll need these when cooling your horse down.

A good quality scraper is essential for cooling down as well.  Buy two or three and keep them in the box you'll eventually purchase to hold all the bits and pieces in.

A box to keep all the little bits and pieces in.  Not an essential piece of equipment, but it will make your life easier by keeping everything together in one place.  There are nice colourful, easy to handle plastic boxes on the market - I've seen some nice ones at Macro and Game at very good prices.  The metal boxes are very heavy and if you're a woman, difficult to handle.

If you don't already have a sweat sheet / cooler, get one as well, but ordinary towels will also do the trick.

One or two extra numnahs / saddle blankets - although you may want to wait a little until you do the longer distances - no need when still doing the short, one-leg distances.

Buckets, buckets, buckets.  You'll need a good sized bucket or two for holding your horse's drinking water when at a ride.  Also, get one or two big ones - those with the rope handles or similar.  These will hold the grooming water when you have to cool your horse down, two will be easier when you have somebody helping you.  Also, remember to have an extra feeding bucket if you cannot take the one from the stable.  Different sized buckets will come in handy for storing things in as they have lids that can close tightly and they're easy to carry around - you'll find many uses for buckets.

One or two extra hay nets.  Although not essential, they'll make your life easier.

A waterproof watch with either a second hand or a digital watch that shows the seconds - a stopwatch can also be used.  If you feel extravagant, you can purchase a heart rate monitor, but this is not essential, just nice to have.

Some basic camping equipment like a gas bottle, kettle, pan and braai utensils.  Not always necessary as most rides sell refreshments, but if you're wanting bacon and eggs for breakfast, you'll need to get these items.  Besides, you might not be able to walk even a few meters after you've just done a goodly distance on horseback!  A cooler box will come in handy to keep things cold or to keep the meat in.  Shop around for the braai things - I bought the whole kit from Macro for about R350 and it all fits into a small carry bag - including the two gas bottles.

Decide on where you'd like to sleep.  You'll have to overnight at least one night before a ride, so you can either sleep on the floor of your horse box or pitch a small tent.  Assemble all the necessary camping gear like a sleeping bag with extra blanket; a mattress; pillow; and remember your toiletries.

For the girls, a good sports bra, or two, is essential - not sexy, but I'll choose comfort over sexy when doing 80kms on horseback!  Shop around for the best fit and prices.  For the boys, well, I don't have any experience with that, but I'd imagine something that keeps the dangly bits from dangling too much.

Sunscreen is an absolute must.  Put a tube in every available nook and cranny, because you're bound to forget to pack it - cubby hole, tack box, handbag - and don't forget the stuff for your lips.  I've found the best ones to use is Labello Sport or Sun - the dark blue or yellow tubes.

Waist bag big enough to hold a water bottle and cell phone and maybe a carrot for your horse and snack bar for you.  Practice riding with it, as it can become a bit uncomfy if you're not used to it.  Don't forget the tube of sunscreen!

A basic first aid kit, which should contain horse as well as human emergency goodies.  Headache tablets, a bandage or two, some iodine, cotton wool, plasters.  Don't forget to put some safety pins in - they always come in handy.

Train your horse to be happy in a roped off area as not all rides have paddocks / stables.  And besides, you may be too late to book one if they are available.  You may even opt to purchase electric tape - I'm about to investigate the options and will report my finding soon.  But remember, if you do go for the tape, this must be trained for at home, as it would be too late when you're at a ride!

Right, now that you've spent all your money, here are the basic rules and etiquette when at a ride:

Summarized Rules

1. Hard hat essential.  You will not be allowed to ride unless you're wearing a hard hat.  Any hard hat will do - even a cycling hat is allowed.
2. No illegal substances.
3. No crops longer than a jumping crop allowed and may not be wielded higher than shoulder height.  No branches may be broken off trees to be used as a crop.
4. No abusive tack allowed.
5. Stallions to wear a yellow ribbon in the tail, kickers to wear a red ribbon in the tail.
6. Substances may not be given orally via a syringe or be injected at any time.
7. Dogs to be on a leash at all times.
8. Minimum age of horses: 30km = 4 years; 60km or longer = 4.5 years; national ride (Fauresmith) = 5 years.  The birthday of the horse to be before or on 31 May of the year of the ride.
9. Pulse rates: After a 20 minute rest, the pulse rate to be a maximum of 60bpm (beats per minute).  However, this may be varied by the chief vet according to conditions of the day.  Also, this may change without notice according to international standards.
10. No smoking on the course but at base camp allowed.  Reason is that rides are mostly through farms or in game reserves.
11. No littering at all times.
12. Age limits: Children = 10-13 years; Junior 14-17 years; Seniors from 18th birthday.
13. Novices and Children to be accompanied by an experienced senior rider (an experienced rider is considered to have done 240kms or more at official rides).
14. Riders under 10 years may only ride a maximum of 30kms and must be accompanied by an experienced senior rider at all times.
15. Weight limits - includes tack: Light Weight = below 73kg; Standard Weight = 73-95kg; Heavy Weight = more than 95kg.
16. Shoeing: All four feet to be shod.
17. No pregnant mares or mares with unweened foals (younger than 6 months) will be allowed.
18. Horses to be well behaved and under the control of the handler at all times.
19. You must be a club member to do distances greater than 30kms.

Unwritten Rules of Etiquette

1. When approaching another rider from behind, ask to pass and wait for the gap.
2. When asked to move over by a faster rider, do so if safe and preferably move to the left.
3. Help any rider in need, even if it means losing valuable time.
4. If your horse is upsetting the other horses, move away from them.
5. When at a water point, don't leave if another horse is still drinking, wait for them to finish.
6. Don't dip your sweaty sponge in the drinking water.
7. Don't crowd at the starting line.
8. Courtesy to all riders and officials at all times.
9. If riding a stallion, stay away from the other horses and especially mares and other stallions.

 

Essential Information

Distances

A ride will be either an 80km or a 100 miler.  The 80km rides are broken up into three legs in a clover leaf pattern of which you can choose to ride either one, two or all three legs.  Normally the first leg is 30km, the second 30km and the third 20km, so you can choose to ride either 30km, 60km or the full 80km.  Exact distances may vary for each ride, but will usually not vary with more than 2-3 kilometers.

The course is marked with coloured arrows, which will point in the direction to go - the first leg is blue, the second is yellow and third is red.  Easy to remember if you think blue is when you're cold and alert, yellow is when you're getting warmer and tired and must start paying attention and red is when you're very tired and must be extra vigilant.

A clover leaf is when you start and finish the leg at one point and all ERASA (Endurance Ride Association of South Africa) approved rides in South Africa are ridden on this basis.  This means that you start and ride a pre-planned loop and come back to base camp.  Each leg is a different loop, hence the term "clover leaf".  When you get back to base camp, you have to cool your horse down and present to the vet within a set time - this will be discussed under "At the Ride" later on.

The 100 milers will be covered in later articles as this series is aimed at the beginner.

Heart Rates, Hydration, Respiration, Gut Sounds and Quality of Urine

Every horse has a different resting heart rate and, unlike humans, will not change the fitter he becomes.  That is why you need to get to know your horse's resting heart rate.  It can vary between 28 bpm (beats per minute) to around 43 bpm, but the lower the resting bpm, the better.  When exerting himself, the horse's heart rate will increase according to the kind of exercise he's doing.  We'll cover ideal heart rates when we discuss aerobic and anaerobic exercise under "Conditioning" in the next article.

There are three different places to check the pulse - with the fingers under the jaw bone where the artery crosses the bone, behind the fetlock or on the left, behind the elbow in the girth area - this is the most reliable way of checking the pulse.  The last one can be taken either with the fingers or with a stethoscope, but the stethoscope is much easier.  When using a stethoscope, you'll hear two sounds, lub dub, and you should count only the loudest sound, or the lub.  When feeling with your fingers, only a single beat will be felt.  When checking the pulse, count the beats for 15 seconds (remember the watch that shows the seconds?) and multiply by four to get the beats per minute.  This is where the heart rate monitor comes in handy as it does all the counting and multiplying for you.

Hydration.  Very simply, hydration relates to the amount of body moisture your horse has.  The less hydrated he is, the greater the chance of trouble.  When doing any kind of exercise, the horse will lose a certain amount of moisture through sweating and urinating, so watch for the water intake before, during and after the ride.

To check for hydration, you can pinch the skin on the neck, sort of in the middle away from the whither, and notice how quickly or not the skin "un-tents".  The quicker the better, but if it takes five seconds or longer, you horse is in trouble.  Another way of checking is on the gums - press your finger on the gum for a few seconds, let go and check how quickly the gum becomes pink again - less than three seconds is good - and the presence of saliva in the mouth indicates a good moisture content.  The over-all colour of the gum is a good indication as well - the colour should be the same as the pink under your finger nails.  When it becomes darker or even bluish around the gum margins, trouble is brewing and your horse needs a vet.

Respiration is the number of breaths your horse takes in one minute.  The normal resting rate is between 8 and 16 per minute, a 3 to 1 ratio to the pulse.  When the respiration becomes higher than the pulse, your horse has become inverted and is panting.  As long as his temperature has not increased (higher than 40 deg C) and the pulse rate is normal, this is not a major concern.  Panting means that the horse is trying to cool himself down.  Watch for the quality of the breaths though - if he's stretching his neck and gulping air, he's in oxygen trouble.

Gut sounds must be present.  This indicates a healthy gut as the food is being moved along the tract.  Get to know your horse's gut sounds, both the quality and the frequency.  You can either hear it by placing the stethoscope anywhere along his flanks or by simply placing your ear on his side just in front of his hip bone.  The absence of gut sounds indicates that colic may be on the way as stagnant food means it's fermenting in the gut, which is the forerunner to colic.

The quality of your horse's urine is of great importance.  Learn what normal urine looks and smells like - don't worry what other people might think of you as you closely study your horse as he urinates.  The colour should be pale yellow and frothy.  When it becomes dark yellow and the quantity has decreased, dehydration has set in.  Your horse is in big trouble if you see a reddish tinge to the urine - call a vet immediately.

At the Ride

Arrival at a ride should be no later than the Friday evening before the ride.  This gives you a chance to settle in, enter, do the vet check, be present at the course discussion and generally mingle and get to know the people.

When you arrive at the ride, settle your horse in and go enter for the ride.  At entry, you will receive a vet card, which should be kept in a safe place at all times, either on your person or by somebody at base camp.  You will also receive a cloth number which you must display at all times when on the course.

Take your horse to be vetted.  The vet will ask for your vet card on which he will note the pulse rate, hydration and gait and any other comments he may have.

Attend the course discussion.  The official will discuss the route and will point out any areas where caution must be used.  He will also announce any changes in pulse rates or any other changes to the normal rules.  The departure times will be drawn - note your departure time - groups of about 10 riders depart 5 minutes apart from about 5:30 in the morning depending on the season - the longer distances depart first.

In the morning, make sure you feed you and your horse at least 2 hours before you're due to depart.  If you're grooming for yourself, make sure your buckets with water, sponges and scraper is ready and waiting for you.  Don't forget some hay / teff and maybe a handful of food (more about this later).  If you have somebody helping you, make sure they know what time you intend coming in and try and stick to that time as much as possible.  Tack up at least half an hour before departure.  Don't forget your sunscreen and rider number.  Warm up in an area away from departing horses but close enough to the announcer's tent to hear your number called.

When you come back to base camp, your "in" time will be noted and a card will be printed with hold and vet times together with the ride speed on it.  The hold time is 20 minutes in which you have to cool your horse down by sponging and scraping like mad.  Make sure the water isn't too cold and start with the inside of the back legs and neck first - this is where the big arteries run.  Be cautious when sponging the big muscles with cold water - it's best to leave the water in the sun to warm up a little.  If you use cold water on the big muscles you run the danger of cramping those muscles and you'll be pulled by the vet.  Check that the pulse rate is coming down - this is where practicing at home comes in handy.  After 20 minutes, present to the vet where the pulse, hydration and gait will be checked and noted on your vet card.  If any abnormalities are found, you will be put on either a time hold after which your horse will be checked again, or if the abnormality is severe enough, pulled by the vet which means you are disqualified and won't get a completion certificate.

If you're doing more than one leg, your "out" time will be noted on the printed card.  This is also 20 minutes after your vet check.  If you're finished, the vet will keep your vet card but will hand your printed card back to you with the pulse rate noted on it - nice to keep as a record.

When you're finished, relax and compare notes with other riders.  You may leave at this point, but it's generally considered rude not to stay for the certificate ceremony.  Besides, your horse may be too tired to travel all that way home and will appreciate a bit of rest.

If all this sounds a bit overwhelming, why not go along to a ride, spend the day and check out the routine.  You can even become a "groom" for somebody who'll show you the ropes.  Grooming before actually riding is a great way to learn.  This might sound like you'll be doing all the hard work, but you'll only be busy for short periods of time in between loafing - think of the rider doing all those miles!

In the next article, details on how to start conditioning and some tricks of the trade.  Also, the "ideal" horse for endurance will be discussed

The following article is taken from an Australian outback story I read and wrote down, when over there recently.

Here is one very successful Endurance rider’s opinion of a good Endurance Saddle

Australian international endurance champion Penny Toft reckons she has done about 10,000 kilometers in her off-the-shelf Wintec Isabel Werth dressage saddle – and mainly across Arabian deserts.  She shrugs when you ask her why she uses a purpose designed dressage saddle for such grueling distances. :

“There’s nothing like it for placing you in a good riding position” she says. “It puts your legs right underneath you. It spreads your weight over a large surface of the horse’s back than a normal saddle, which is what you need for endurance. Also there is good clearance above the wither, which is an area that can be bruised by ill fitting saddles. The Isabell fits 95% of our horses. If I could design a perfect saddle for endurance, it would probably be the Isabell with knee rolls.”

Penny says she instantly feels relaxed and ready for the job when she gets on her horse.

“These saddles are remarkably hardy,” she says. “I have only had three since 1999and they are basically all that I use.”

Penny has ridden more 160km races than she can count, across the sands of Abu Dhabi Dubai and Bahrain, including the invitation only, President’s Cup hosted by the President of the United Arab Emirates. She has ridden in New Zealand, Malaysia, France, Germany, the USA and Spain. She has won the team gold in the endurance World Championships in France in 2000, the team bronze in the World Equestrian Games in Spain in 2002 and team silver in the Dubai World Equestrian Championships in 2005.

She has achieved all this on a standard $1600 Wintec Isabell, exactly the sort you can buy from your local equestrian store.

When it was launched in 1999, the Isabell Werth was a radical new design from the Bates-Wintec combination in Perth. Entrepreneurial cousins Ron and Ken Bates had cleverly co-opted German Olympic dressage gold medalist Isabell Werth to help them design a new saddle. It took years of collaboration, which involved much redesigning and test riding, but eventually they came up with a new design that worked brilliantly and importantly affordably.

They positioned the stirrup bars further back to help the vertical alignment of ear, shoulder, and hip and heel. They gave it an extra deep seat and low thin waist allowing the rider to sit as close as possible to the horse. Together they created what is now the best selling dressage saddle in the world.

Ron and Ken Bates exemplified the way manufacturers are moving, tailoring saddles to specific sports, using high tech materials and shifting the focus from saddle making to saddle engineering.

The underlying principles are simple; a horse that feels comfortable and can move freely unhindered by the saddle performs better.

Following the success of the Isabell, they developed other sport specific saddles including the Pro Eventer and Pro Cross Country for jumping and eventing, designed with help of the Olympic medalist Matt Ryan. In 1996 they introduced the first changeable gullet system so riders could custom their saddle and in 2001 they replaced traditional materials with air in order to cushion the saddle and relieve pressure on the horse’s back.