What is the difference between endurence riding and crosscountry besides distance?

Question

im thinking about getting into one or the other. also what should i look for in an endurence horse?crosscountry?

Answer 1

Cross Country

Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is one of the three phases of the sport of eventing; it may also be a competition in its own right, known as hunter trials or simply "cross-country" - these tend to be lower level, local competitions.

The object of the endurance test is to prove the speed, endurance and jumping ability of the true cross-country horse when he is well trained and brought to the peak of condition. At the same time, it demonstrates the rider's knowledge of pace and the use of this horse across country.

Length and types of obstacles

The cross-country course is approximately two and three quarter to four miles long, comprising some twenty-four to thirty-six fixed and solid obstacles. Obstacles usually are built to look "natural" (out of logs, for instance), however odd materials and decorations may be added to test the horse's bravery. Obstacles can include all those that might be found if riding across the countryside, including water, ditches, and banks.

All obstacles or compulsory passage ways are flagged, with a red flag on the right and a white flag on the left. A black stripe on the red flag indicates that it is an option for the obstacle, and another route may be taken if the rider so chooses, without penalty. All obstacles are numbered, and the color of the numbering can indicate which level the fence is for if multiple levels are competing at the event (for example, white numbers on a green background indicate that the fence is on the Preliminary level course).

Design

Cross-country courses for eventing are held outdoors through fields and wooded areas. The terrain is unique for each course, which usually encorporates the course into the natural terrain of the area, and therefore events in certain parts of the world may be held on mostly flat land, while others are over very strenuous hills.

Good course designers will use the terrain to either help the inexperienced horse and rider at the lower levels to prepare for an obstacle, or to make an obstacle more difficult for the experienced competitors. For example, the designer may place a fence at the opening of a wooded area, resulting in a lighting difference between the takeoff and landing side. This requires careful riding and a confident horse. Designers may make an obstacle more difficult by placing it along the side of a steep hill, at the top of a mound (so the horse can not see the landing until he is about to take off, testing bravery), or use the natural trees and ditches to force riders to take slightly more difficult lines to their fences.



"Skinny" fences are designed to test the training of the horse and the rider's ability to ride accurately, and provide the horse an easy "way out" if the rider does a poor jobA good course designer will be able to encorporate the obstacles into the landscape so that they seem natural, yet still fairly test the horse and provide the horse an option to run-out if the rider makes a mistake. Most designers use accuracy fences, such as skinnies (fences with a narrow face) and corners, to make the rider's job more difficult, while still being very "horse-friendly."

All courses begin with a "start box," where the horse and rider wait as the time keeper begins to count-down to their start time. They are not allowed to go out the front of the box before the timer reaches zero on the count-down, nor are they allowed to have a flying start. The first few fences of most well-designed courses are usually straightforward and inviting, such as a large log or rolltop, which helps to build the horse and rider's confidence, get them settled in a galloping rhythm, and beginning to focus on the job at hand. The technicality of the obstacles then begins to increase, and elements such as banks, ditches, and water are introduced. The final fences of a course are usually slightly easier, to allow the horse and rider to finish on a good note, before they gallop across the finish.

Endurance

Endurance riding is like what palomino said above this answer.  

Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI. There are endurance rides worldwide.

There are two main types of long distance riding, Competitive trail riding and endurance rides. In an Endurance ride, discussed in this article, the winning horse is the first one to cross the finish line while stopping periodically to pass a veterinary check that deems the animal in good health and "fit to continue." In the United States, most endurance rides are either 50 or 100 miles long, though shorter rides are organized for beginners and a few longer, usually multi-day, rides exist. In the USA, the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) sanctions endurance rides. Winning riders complete 100-mile rides in 10-12 hours.

Any breed can compete, but the Arabian generally dominates the top levels because of the breed's stamina and natural endurance abilities.

Competitive trail rides are shorter, and factors other than speed are considered, horses may not come in under or over a certain time, and veterinary checks, rider behavior and other elements play a role in the placings. (See Competitive trail riding)

Worldwide, rules vary. Endurance rides and races can be any distance, though rarely over 160km for a one-day competition.

Answer 2

Endurance riding is riding from 25 to100 miles a day on a pre determined trail with vet checks and holds along the way.There are no set jumps as in cross country where jumps are placed on the course, which is usually only a few miles in length. You have 6 hrs to complete a 25 ,12 to do a 50, 24 to do 100 miles. There are also multi day rides where you can ride 50 miles a day for 2-5 days.An endurance horse needs about 6 months to a year of good conditioning before you compete. He needs to be able to be paced and have a good trot as that's the speed you'll be working at most of the time. A good heart rate and recovery time is critical. And they need to take care of themselves on the trail by eating and drinking and being willing to pee in public! The best thing about endurance is the chance to get out of town and see new country.  Almost any decent legged healthy horse can do it if you don't push them past their ability. You can do easy 25s on your  backyard quarter horse or a fast 50 on that goofy arab the neighbor is selling for $500. Check out the AERC website (aerc.org) for rides and riders in your area . Hook up with a few local riders and see if this is the sport for you by working a few rides. Learn all about the horse you plan to compete on before you do a ride so you can monitor him as you go. Start out by doing easy 25s before you move up in speed and distance. The miles gets a lot longer when you have to walk them on foot because you burnt out your horse.

I've never done  competitive crosscountry so I'll leave that part of your question to someone with more knowledge