I need some help getting into endurance riding?

Question

Me and my friend ride a quarter horse gelding and a tennessee walking horse mare. We use a 22 and 25 lb barrel saddle. I was wondering what the prizes were....and what the usual entry fee was. What is the best distances to go on the first ride? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

okay, a few things... normally the event has a cash prize. Im not sure of the entry fee, but depending on the level i would assume a couple of hundred dollars...

but honestly, i have a friend whose family breeds and trains endurance horses, and let me tell you, a quarter horse and a tenessee walker will go NOWHERE in endurance. To even consider winning a real competition you need to have and arab or something, you'll notice that everyone else will be competing them.

To geta quarter horse to run an endurance race would be like getting an olympic 100m sprinter to compete in the marathon. He wouldnt be genetically capable of much sucess.

Answer 2

Go to www.aerc.org, click on education. Start reading. This is bar none the best resource for a newbie endurance rider. It covers everything you could want to know.

Entry fees have been going up due to the increased cost of putting on rides. Plan on spending $90-150 for an LD.

There aren't really prizes. At large, famous ride like Tevis you might get a belt buckle for going top ten or getting best condition, but usually you just get a t-shirt to cheap plaque for finishing the ride.

Answer 3

well, let me go look up my site. . .

*suggestion by first glance, i wouldnt use heavey saddles, the lighter they are the better (according to what i was told)*

arabs are generally accepted as best, but as long as the horse is sound and likes to go go go then it shouldnt be a problem (they even have a "new" gaited endurance horse group, google it, it'll be faster then me digging thru all my web links, i cant keep anything in order these days)

i can say if you want the link to my blog it has TONS of different web sites, a few of them are all about indurance, email me and i'll give ya that link.

the usual prize is your happy you finished. . . in it to finish (something like that) is what endurance riders say about this sport. fees, im not sure about either, never entered one. but even the shorter disances take alot of work to build up to. 25 miles is no laughing matter, and there are tons of vet checks along the way to make sure your horse is still sound and healthy.

the link to mah part of the endurance web site is this (just click home to get to the main page)

http://www.my-endurance.net/profile/shad...

it's a good site, lots of pics and info.

anyway, i just know the basics from my reseach, but good luck.

Answer 4

I am not good with horse breeds but i know that quarter horses are good at short fast sprints i dont know how it will do with endurance.

i am sorry but i dont know about the enterance fee or anything like that

hope it all works out for you