About endurance
Find out more about equestrian endurance riding
Endurance riding challenges a team of horse and rider’s ability to traverse diverse natural terrain against the clock over distances of up to 160 kilometres.
The sport’s history goes as far back as the early 1900s when endurance was used in the United States as a military test for cavalry mounts. Horses were required to go on a five-day, 483 kilometre ride carrying at least 90 kilograms to demonstrate they were fit for battle.
The test became the ultimate challenge for American riders and endurance became a recognised sport in the early 1950s. As both the time and the distances in endurance events were reduced, the sport became increasingly popular and in 1978 the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body for World and Olympic equestrian events, recognised endurance riding as an international sport.
While the rides are timed, the highest priority is not crossing the finishing line first, but rather the condition of the horse when it does so. Horses are checked by vets at regular intervals during endurance rides to ensure their wellbeing and those who participate in the sport pride themselves in having an intricate understanding of their horse’s capabilities and the effective use of pace to achieve the best results.
“…the highest priority is not crossing the finishing line first, but rather the condition of the horse when it does so.”
A QUICK HISTORY OF ENDURANCE