[Brijjy]

Me and Jimmy the Fell pony are going to try our hands and hoofs at endurance. I have read up about it and joined my local club. I've got a novice training day in March. Jimmy has also had his first ever clip today and looks very smart. He's lost his beard but still has his 'tache and his feathers! Plus we've started to go on longer rides to build up for our first proper one at the end of March. Does anyone else do endurance and would like to pass on any knowledge? Any help, as always, gratefully accepted.

[sabrina]

I would have loved to have done this but never had enough time when younger. One of my foals went onto do endurance and has won a few gold awards. His owner took up the sport after he retired.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I've done a pleasure ride 20 something kilometres) in endurance and also helped at a few which is a great way to get to know the people and learn more about it, hoping to do more this year with my Haflinger mare ( she had an illness and then a major op for me interrupted our plans).


It really is very rewarding and although some participants are scarily focused with goggly Arabs, most are on Heinz 57s with normal tack and just enjoying working towards the rides, it makes hacking more fun the rest of the time if you are fittening  up for a ride.


To do a pleasure ride within the min/ max time you would ideally want to be able to hack on varied terrain at an average of a reasonable trot all the way (ie any walk walanced with equal distances of canter). However there are sometimes smaller distance taster rides which are only 10km and which any horse in regular hacking work could do.


If you are doing your first ride and don't have someone to ride with, contact the ride organiser and they will likely be able to buddy you up with someone to look after you. They can also likely lend out the few bits of kit you need eg medical kit, armband, map case.


My neighbours both ride, husband does endurance seriously on said goggly Arab . Wife rides a fell pony and we hack out and she does occasional pleasure rides on her Fell mare.


I bet young Jimmy will have a great time!

[Brijjy]

I've never been a big fan of Arabs, very pretty pretty on the end of a bit of string but too flighty for my tastes. It's just something I'd like to have a bash at with Jim. We're hacking out on varied terrain all the time round here, from roads, forestry tracks, fields and deeply rutted mud! I just to get a pair of shoes on the front as he gets a bit footy on sharper stones. The first ride I'm looking at doing is on easter sunday near Abergavenny and it'll be 12km. Lots of hacks out before then methinks.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Fell ponies are pretty ideal for endurance at least at the more moderate distances as they have excellent feet, are tough and have a good spanking trot. I reckon you will be hooked!
Arabs have the advantage at the longer distances because of their lighter frame and heart rate recovery and history of endurance in challenging conditions. But I, like you, prefer something a little less 'interesting' to ride (altho since Haffies are originally Arab x Tyrolean mountain pony I get a bit of that snout in air attitude occasionally from Madame :-DD)
Your hacking prep sounds ideal too, and fingers crossed for lovely (but not too hot) weather for a great day on Easter Sunday 

[Brijjy]

Training is going well. I did an 18km ride today with alot of trotting. I've got a novice training afternoon on sunday where I can meet other, more experienced endurance riders and learn lots of useful stuff. I've already taken advice and bought a pair of secondhand flexi stirrups. I wish I'd discovered them years ago, they are so much more comfortable! I've changed Jimmys diet to a much higher fibre one. He was on cheap pony nuts but he's now on Dengie HiFi and sugar beet (not much of either).

[lachlanandmarcus]

Thats great news!! We havent got out on long rides yet as the snow and ice is still preventing any proper work. But you are off to a good start! The fibre sounds good too. Theyll have you in endurance jodhpur tights before you know it :-DDDP
 

[sabrina]

In my op ion your ponies diet is not enough for the work he is doing.Get in touch with Dengie for advice they will keep you right.

[Brijjy]

I've done a lot of research and gone to Dengies website for advice and what he's getting is about right. I've got a weigh tape so keep an eye on this regularly. I took him off the pony nuts as many horse nutritionists recommend a higher fibre diet for better digestion. He just used to inhale the pony nuts whereas he takes his time over the HiFi and beet. He also gets two big nets of hay a day. I'm not doing 18km every day, I worked up to that over a few weeks. He does get ridden probably 4 or 5 times a week and one of those rides will be a longer one.

[Mammyshaz]

Sounds like you are getting along fine    but  we need picture evidence 

[Brijjy]

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s383/brijjy/IMAG0242_zps6e9d1b41.jpg

http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s383/brijjy/IMAG0268_zpseaeeb2ae.jpg

[Brijjy]

The second photo was on our first long ride of 10+ miles. Two of my kids and the dog came too. The kids were knackered at the end. The dog would have carried on though.

[Mammyshaz]

Wow! He is gorgeous    and working well of course 

You all look like you are having fun 
Do your kids and terrier make you feel unfit? Ours certainly do! They are non stop bags of energy. And the terrier looks like she's been caged all day when we get back 

Jimmy is just my size and I could brush him for hours, he has a wonderful main and tail 

[Brijjy]

He does look good when the sun shines! I do spend ages brushing him, mostly for my benefit cos I find it very therapeutic. That and poo picking! The kids did say that their feet hurt at the end but they had worn wellies. They've now got some proper walking boots that I've acquired. My terrier, Nettle, is as mad as a box of frogs and has no fear of Jimmy. Unfortunately he's not keen on dogs and does like to try and stand on them. Luckily the kids kept her out of the way or there would have been a flat dog. Jimmy is definitely no lightweight!

[sabrina]

He looks good.