Endurance is the sport of competitive long
distance riding.
Endurance is governed in England and Wales by
Endurance GB, in Scotland by SERC and in Ireland by
ILDRA.
Can anyone enjoy Endurance?
Endurance is accessible to all
levels of rider, and all breeds of horse. Endurance caters for all
abilities. Classes range from Pleasure Rides (of any distance up to
40km) to Competitive Endurance Rides (maximum distance of 160km in
one day). You can compete at novice, open and advanced level and
compete at any distance. There is no obligation to upgrade,
enabling you to continue to compete at the level and distance you
want to.
What happens at a ride?
A brief overview:
- Prior to the ride you will be
sent a ride pack, consisting of a map, route talkaround, venue and
ride details, crew card and vet sheet.
- On arrival to the ride, you will
need to collect your number bib and hand your membership card and
horse mastercard into the secretary. You will also need to check
with the secretary for any last minute route changes.
- Before you start the ride you
will need to have your horse checked by the farrier, and present to
the vet for a pre ride inspection.
- Once you have passed the pre ride
inspection you have 30 minutes to present to the timekeeper and
start the ride.
- You will pass through a number of
check points during the ride. You must ensure the check point
marshalls have taken your number as you pass through.
- When you finish the ride, you
must collect your time card from the timekeeper.
- You have 30 minutes from
finishing the ride to present to the vet for the final
inspection.
- Don't forget to return your
number bib to the secretary, collect your membership card, horse
mastercard and collect your rosette if you successfully passed the
vetting. Don't forget to also have your group mileage card signed
by the secretary.
What happens at the
Vetting?
At all EGB rides you will have to fill in a Vet
Sheet. Before the ride you will fill in details such as horse's
name, breed etc and the rider's details, and the vet writer will
fill in the rest of the sheet at the start, end and if applicable
mid-way vettings.
You should present your horse to the vet in a
headcollar or a bridle (your choice, as long as your horse is under
control).
There are three main parts to the vetting;
taking the pulse, checking for lumps and bumps and the trot up to
check for any signs of lameness.
How do I get started?
If you are interested in giving
endurance a go, we recommend you take part in a Pleasure Ride
first, or take advantage of the Try Before You Buy Scheme which
enables you to do two national rides (maximum of 40km) before
registering. The Northumberland & Tyneside group can arrange
for a ride buddy if you would like some company and guidance for
your first ride. Please contact us to arrange.
What is a
Logbook
Every registered horse has its own unique
Logbook, which is a record of its competitive endurance career.
After each ride, you will receive a copy of the vet sheet, which
should be placed in the Logbook. You should take it with you to
every ride. It does not need handed in to the secretary before you
start, but the organisers may request sight of it.
What is a
Mastercard?
Every registered horse also receives a
Mastercard. A yellow card is issued for a first season. This
should be returned to the national office at the end of your
first season, where it will be replaced with a green one. This
subsequent card only needs to be returned to the national office
when it is nearly full. Every ride a horse takes part in,
(successfully or otherwise) is recorded on the
Mastercard.
What is a Mileage
Card?
A mileage card is issued by your group. You
should complete this for each ride you do, and have it signed by
each ride secretary. If you ride more than one horse, you will need
a separate card for each horse. Mileage cards record both
pleasure/training rides and competitive rides. At the end of the
season mileage cards need to be sent, together with copy vet
sheets to the trophy secretary. You must make sure you complete
your mileage card correctly to be eligible for annual group
trophies and accumulative distance rosettes.