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.

History

Though the need to ride long distances has existed since domestication of the horse , Endurance riding as an organized activity was first developed in the United States as a test for cavalry mounts who were required to go on a 5-day, 300 mile (483 km) ride carrying at least 200 lbs. Its beginnings as a sport began in the 1950s, at the time when Wendell Robie rode from Nevada to California, following the route of the Pony Express, to finish in under 24 hours. Endurance riding first was brought to Europe in the 1960s.

Structure of the Ride

Before the ride, horses are inspected by a veterinarian, to ensure they are fit to perform in the ride. Additionally, riders are given a map of the course, which shows the route, the places for compulsory halts, and any natural obstacles (such as ditches, steep hills, and water crossings).

The ride is divided into sections, with different names (legs, phases, etc.) depending on sanctioning organization. After each phase, horses are stopped for a veterinary inspection (sometimes called a "vetgate"), where they are checked for soundness and dehydration, with their pulse and respiration taken. To continue the ride, the horse must pass the examination, including reducing its heart rate below that specified for the event, typically 64 bpm, although terrain and weather may require the ride veterinarians to set a different maximum target. The riders' time keeps running while they are in the vetgate, so it is important that the horses recover as soon as possible. Any horse deemed unfit to continue (due to lameness or excessive fatigue, for example) is eliminated from further competition.

After the veterinary inspection the horse must be held for an additional time (usually between 20-45 minutes), at which time it is fed and watered.

Riders are free to choose their pace during the competition, adjusting to the terrain and their mount's condition. Therefore, they must have a great knowledge of pace, knowing when to slow down or speed up during the ride, as well as a great knowledge of their horse's condition and signs of tiring. Riders may also choose to ride, or may dismount and walk or jog with their horse without penalty. However, they must be mounted when they cross the starting and finish lines.

The terrain riders compete over varies greatly from ride to ride. However, natural obstacles (called "hazards"), are marked on the trails with red flags on the right and white flags on the left. When so marked, riders must pass through the flags. In some areas, wilderness or undeveloped areas are difficult to find, in these places, no more than 10% of the route can be on hard-surfaced roads.

Determining the Winner

Under the rules of the FEI and AERC, the first horse to cross the line and pass the vet check as "fit to continue" is the winner. Under the rules of competitive trail riding and the endurance rules in some nations (though not international competition nor that in the USA), the winner is determined by a combination of speed and the recovery rate of the horse or to horses and riders that achieve a required standard.

Additional awards are usually given to the best-conditioned horses who finish in the top 10.

Domestic and International Competition

Endurance became an FEI discipline in 1982, and the international organization has since set down rules with the welfare of the horse as top priority. In the United States, endurance rides are sanctioned by the FEI, the AERC, or both but never the FEI alone. When both the FEI and AERC sanction a ride, the FEI rules prevail.

One well-known 100 mile endurance ride is The Western States Trail Ride, popularly called The Tevis Cup. Additionally, the top riders and horses compete at the World Equestrian Games, the Endurance World Championships, and the European Endurance Championships.

One day international competitions are 40-160 km. Multi-day competitions are longer, but have daily distance limits. Those that are FEI recognized and are broken into the following categories:

• CEI * (one star): minimum average distance each day is 40-79 km
• CEI **: 80-119 km minimum average distance each day
• CEI ***: 120+ km minimum average distance each day
• CEI ****: usually 160 km, with the winners completing in 10-12 hours

Note: CEI is the notation that the competition is an FEI-approved international competition.

When first recognized by the FEI, there were only four international competitions. This grew to an average of 18 rides per year by 1998, when the first World Championships were held in the United Arab Emirates . The World Championships provided a huge boost to the sport, and by 2005 there were 353 international competitions, second to only eventing and show jumping. Due to the huge increase in international competition, endurance is growing quite rapidly worldwide.

Equipment

Endurance is much less formal than many other equestrian competitions, with riders choosing clothes for comfort. However, riders are required to dress in a way that preserves the image of the sport. An equestrian helmet is required for nearly all sanctioned rides, including the AERC and FEI. At FEI competitions, riders must wear riding breeches or riding tights, correct footwear, and a shirt.

Endurance riders usually use a specialized saddle that is designed to be lightweight yet comfortable to horse and rider for long hours of riding. At the highest levels, it is usually a variation on the English saddle in shape, although it may have wider panels and stirrups with a wider tread. Regardless of design, endurance saddles are very light to ensure the horse does not have to carry unnecessary weight. Many endurance saddles have extra metal rings for the attachment of equipment. At lower levels, lightweight endurance designs based on western saddles are popular. Various experimental designs are also common, including treeless and flexible panel saddles.

Bridles for the horses may use a wide variety of bits or hackamores. Riders also often add a breastplate, to keep the saddle in place while traveling over rough terrain. Use of a crupper is not common, but sometimes seen, to keep the saddle from sliding forward on horses with a certain build. Protective boots may be used on a horse's legs, though boots also cause problems in some types of terrain (they may slip, can collect burrs and dirt, and if crossing water may become waterlogged, any of which can irritate the legs of the horse and lead to lameness), so use varies by the type of ride and the rider's preferences.

The riding discipline information above is provided by Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrightsfor details.)

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