Endurance is not as well known as other equestrian disciplines such as jumping, eventing, or dressage, but it is becoming increasingly popular both in the U.S. and around the world. Among the many positive aspects of endurance are the deep bond that it creates between horse and rider and the sense of camaraderie between the athlete and their support crew. Endurance is known as one of the friendliest equestrian sports, and it encourages a true sense of sportsmanship at all levels of competition.

For those not familiar with endurance, it is a long-distance sport covering variations in altitude, terrain, and weather that tests both the horse’s fitness and stamina. It also tests the athlete’s discipline and horsemanship skills. Periodic checkpoints occur throughout the competition to ensure the health and fitness of the horse and rider. In fact, endurance horses undergo more vet exams during competition than any other equestrian sport, U.S. Endurance team vet Olivia Rudolphi stated. 

Rudolphi said that because of the long distances that endurance entails – top riders do 100 miles in a day - the sport is often misunderstood. Endurance athlete Heather Davis agreed that there are a lot of misconceptions about horse welfare when it comes to competitive endurance.

“You cannot be successful in this sport unless you're a horseman, because you're constantly with your horse ... knowing what it takes to keep them sound, healthy and happy and loving their job for hours upon hours makes endurance unique vs. other sports,” Davis said. Davis explained that the top-level riders are very in tune with everything about their horse’s welfare, from feeding and shoeing to saddle fit.

“In many ways, endurance is the purest thing we can ask of a horse,” U.S. Endurance Chef d’Equipe Lisanne Dorion said. “Endurance can actually be an amazing foundation for other disciplines because of the thoughtfulness that goes into the training and conditioning.”

Dorion describes endurance as “a long chess game with your horse” because when you are out on course you have plenty of time to fix problems, she said.

“The more educated and prepared you are, the better off you and your horse will be in the long run. You have time to think: ‘What do I feel here? What am I seeing? What should I be doing? Let's check in,’” she explained.

 

Pre-Ride Preparation

Both training and conditioning are essential for endurance riding, and Dorion explained the difference between the two terms.

“Conditioning has to do with the soft tissues of your horse and the cardiovascular system, such as making sure your horse’s heart rate recovers ... it is more of the physicalness. You can condition to the humidity, to the length of the ride, to the terrain, etc.,” she said.

“The training side of it is mental, I call it more of the intangible,” she continued. “Making sure the horse isn't going to get freaked out when the porta-potty door slams, or if they have to start the ride in a large group of horses.”  

Davis said that getting a horse ready for high-level endurance requires a three-year plan, gradually using shorter rides such as 25 or 50 miles to build up their fitness.

“I truly believe in using the rides to help you get fit – you have to ride your horse a LOT!” she said.

As a former eventing rider, Davis has her endurance horses do dressage training once a week to teach them how to respond to her core.

“When you're cantering up and down hills, you really want to be able to balance your horse off your body. Also, it is really helpful to have leg yielding, flying changes, etc.,” she said. In addition, she makes sure they have experience on whatever terrain the ride is on, whether that is rocky ground and hills, or flat sand gallops.

Nutrition is incredibly important and has a larger impact in endurance than any other equestrian sport, Davis said. While every horse’s nutrition regime is unique, it is essential that they have a very good plan.

Davis also recommends being hyper-focused on tack fit. Saddles, girths, saddle pads, bridles and breastplates can all cause issues over long distances, if not properly fitted.

“If something is too tight or you have a spot that doesn't fit well, you're going to have a rub, and it's going to continue to rub. It could be a problem, and it could end your day,” she said. Davis makes sure to pack multiple saddle pads for each ride.

“If it’s really hot, I’ll change the pad every loop. You're getting sweaty and dirty so it's essential that there is nothing under the saddle that you don't know about,” she said.

Veterinary Inspections

Before the start of competition, there is a thorough pre-ride vet check, marking off 20 to 25 variables and observations that are recorded on a vet card. 

“They go through everything from hydration and attitude to gait and lameness, checking any wounds, disposition, etc.,” Dorion explained. “If we asked human marathon runners to go through the vet checks that we put our horses through, maybe half would be able to start the race, and I bet most of them would be pulled by mile 15!” she laughed.

There are then consistent vet checks throughout the ride, typically after 12- or 18-mile loops depending on the length of the competition.

“The horses come in and have a heart rate recovery that they have to pass within a certain amount of time,” Rudolphi said.

The FEI states that a horse’s heartrate must be 64 beats per minute (bpm) or below at vet gates during a competition. However, at shorter national competitions, the ride management can set maximum heartrate parameters. The horse also goes through a full metabolic lameness exam to ensure they are sound enough to continue, Rudolphi explained. In a 100-mile ride, there will be four or five vet checks and then the final exam and trot up at the end of the ride.

“You can complete the entire 100-mile ride and be eliminated at the end because your horse is lame or metabolically not sound and well,” she warned.

In addition to the official vet checks, if a vet is out on course and sees a horse that looks lame, severely dehydrated, exhausted, or overheated, they can be eliminated at any time if it appears to impact the welfare of the horse.

The most common issue that prompts elimination is lameness, followed by dehydration, which is treated with IV fluids and electrolytes. “We have to watch how many oral fluids we give horses because they can get ileus, where the small intestine stops moving very well,” Rudolphi warned.

Severe dehydration can also cause secondary issues, such as laminitis, in which case additional medications or anti-inflammatories are administered. While on course, there is guaranteed water for the horses approximately every file miles, Dorion said. (The FEI rule is water at least every 10 km.) Plus, “there's always a way that you can call in for help if you get into trouble.”

While vet checks can feel intimidating because of the risk of elimination, Rudolphi stressed that they are for the safety and welfare of the horses. “We're basically there to make sure that the rider and the horse have the best experience - and to protect everybody.” 

 

Endurance Crew 

“The crew is really the heart of endurance,” Dorion explained. The crew keeps the whole team moving forward because they know the horse and rider very well. A crew is made up of about four people who keep the rider informed throughout the competition and provide all the support needed for the horse's welfare at designated points on the ride. They supply water and food on course, untack at vet gates, groom, and cool down the horse to reduce the heart rate, and are on hand to spot any ailments or issues in the horse’s demeanor.

“They must be creative. They must be thoughtful. They must be very, very knowledgeable,” Dorion said.

“You want them to be calm, cheerful and organized,” added Davis, who has had the same crew for the past eight years. “As the rider gets tired, there’s going to be stuff that you can’t anticipate. Your crew is essential to make sure your horse is eating and drinking, that their feet are healthy, that their urine and their poop is normal. They come in with fresh eyes.”

 

Post-Ride Recovery

Beyond passing the final vet check, Davis is extremely diligent about her post-ride routine for recovery. She checks that her horse is eating and drinking normally and poultices after every ride.

“It is essential for 24 hours after a competition that you make sure they're rehydrating and you're monitoring their urine and their poop - if it's dry or anything like that,” she said.

Davis also ensures that the horse’s rest time is equivalent to the ride distance - 25 miles equals one week off, 50 equals two weeks off, and 100 miles equals four weeks of total down time.

“Rest is essential. They get to mentally recover, but also all those aches and pains need to have time to sit and heal,” she said. “I always assess them during that time frame and make sure I'm not missing an injury or anything like that.

“Endurance truly is a horsemanship sport. You don’t progress in it unless you take the time to focus on all the different phases of horsemanship,” Davis continued. “The biggest responsibility of an endurance rider is to always make sure you're monitoring your horse and not get in a race brain, where you put your goal ahead of your horse.”

The 2024 FEI Endurance World Championships will take place on Sept. 7 in Monpazier, France.

For full details of USEF’s rules and regulations for Endurance, click here.

Photos by Maria Phillips; Gerard Bedeau; Claire Sapet; Francisco Boetsch Tagle;
Becky Pearman, Taylor Pence; courtesy of Heather Davis