I have tried to do this as a sort of question and answer style. If you have any questions then please send to me at send email I will endeavour to answer them and also put it up here.

What is Endurance riding?

The simplest description of all forms of endurance riding is the traversing of a set route varying in distance from 10 miles/ 16 km to 100 miles /160 km in one or more days.

Do I need any special Equipment?

Endurance riding requires no special equipment or type of horse.

Do I have to own an Arab?

Though Arabs and Anglo Arabs do predominate at top level, possibly due to the sheer numbers of them competing, there are other breeds that compete at top level successfully.

What are the different types of ride and what do they entail?.

Pleasure Rides- these are rides of up to 32 km/ 20 miles open to all riders with a horse of 4 or more years of age.  There is a minimum and a maximum speed range, more too ensure volunteers are not waiting for to long a period  of time. Some people have been known to take picnics half way through!  You are required to present your horse to the vet at the beginning and end of the ride in the interests of the horse's welfare to ensure it is sound.

Set Speed Rides (SS)- These vary in distance from 30 to 80 km, 20 to 50 miles. They have a minimum and a maximum completion time, with the horses being vetted pre, mid and post ride depending on the total distance covered.

Graded Rides (GR) - These vary in distance from 30 to 80 km, 20 to 50 miles. They have a minimum and a maximum completion time, with the horses being vetted pre, mid and post ride depending on the total distance covered.  Awards are presented in relationship to how well the horse has completed the ride in relation to his physical well being.

French Formula Rides (FF) -  These are rides varying in distance from 30 to 80 km, 20 to 50 miles.  They have a minimum and a maximum completion time, with the horses being vetted pre, mid and post ride depending on the total distance covered.  A formula is then applied  as below:

French Formula -(Speed x 2 -min speed) x 100 / Heart Rate

This is done for each rider and horse combination and allows you to place riders.  This rewards riders with fit horses as two horses riding at the same speed but one with a lower final heart rate will be ranked with the lower heart rate horse being higher placed.  It can also mean that a rider with a low heart rate at a slower speed can be ranked higher than a faster rider with a higher heart rate.

This is currently being trailed by EGB to ascertain members opinion.

Endurance Rides (ER)- These are rides of 65 to 160 km , 40 to 100 miles in a day or 80 to >160km in 2 days.  There is a minimum completion speed but no maximum speed. Horses are vetted pre and post the ride as well as at  intervals along the ride.  The winner is the first person to pass the finish line and pass the vet check within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing.

What does vetting entail - The vetting procedure will vary depending on the class you enter.  For pleasure rides this is a simple trot up to ensure the horse is fit to start and fit on completion of the ride.  For SS, GR and FF this entails a trot up, pulse check with a max of 64, lesions, hydration and gut sounds check. 

For ER's all of the above is checked, however the heart rate is tested slightly differently. An initial check is carried out  then the horse is trotted away 30 meters and back and the pulse retaken after 1 minute from when the horse trotted away.  The first heart rate must be 56 beats per minute (bpm) or lower for rides of less than 80km and 64 bpm for rides of 80 km or longer.  This test is used as an indication of how well the horse is coping with the ride along with the other metabolic indicators in deciding if the horse can continue.