Our first 20 mile competitive endurance ride... (pics)

GreatRider

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Mar 4, 2009
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So we have been doing some pleasure rides this year building up to Cannock Chase 20 mile limited speed class...

Luckily my OH could cycle to 3 points to take pics

Me trying to take my jumper off as I was boiling!
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Trotting away
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Meeting point 2 trotting up the hill
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At the Stepping Stones
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and still in good spirits at about 12 miles
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Well we did it in 2hrs 28 mins (ave speed 8.1mph) and had a final heart rate of 40....



So we came 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I could have just cried I was so happy

and my wonderful horse...
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Deserves all the praise :)

Not bad for our first competitive ride that many said was an extremely difficult ride (probably helped it was our home turf thou!!)

xxx
 
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Ahh great pics!!

You must be thrilled :D:D

Can you tell me how you trained for it? I am just starting endurance, done a few 12 mile rides which she managed with no bother (final hear rate of 44), but we weren't very quick. However got an 18 mile one soon and I don't think we are fit enough :(

We will still go, as I don't mind taking it slow and finishing in walk if we have to (we hack over that sort of distance anyway, just not as fast) - but it is hard to fit in training around work, very annoying!
 
Hi, thanks, i'm over the moon, all that hard work paid off!!!

Yes very difficult fitting training in around a full time job, partner, other animals and house!!! (no kids thank god!!).

I ride her 6 times a week for about 5 miles (I have a GPS watch so can monitor how fast I am going etc) Some rides i just hack, some i go fast. I live right next to Cannock Chase which is extremely challenging terrain so I think that helps. I think you just have to ride as much as you can. Having a horse that is suitable helps, my horse is extremely laid back, doesn't bother about much and 'gets life'. What is your horse like???
x
 
That's reaassuring - doesn't sound all that dissimilar to me and I am doing less distance :). Is just hard to know if I am doing enough. We have been hampered by a kick injury since our last ride - so she has lost some of her fitness as she had to have some time off and as she is an ultra good doer has put some weight on :(

I ride 6 times a week - at the moment we are hacking 5 of those (1 schooling session on the 6th day), I do shorter hacks in the week that are about 5 miles or maybe a bit less (with a lot of trotting). At the weekend I go further and mix the paces up a bit - so some long canters and more walking, we usually do 8-12 miles each day then. She isn't tired when we get home - I've never actually seen her very tired but she runs on adrenaline when at events which does worry me sometimes! She is a poppet though, very forward but not strong and very sane - the type you can leave for a week then just hop on and she is same as ever. We have pretty good hacking - not very interesting terrain (just standard briedlways and byways) but the rides we do are local so over the same type of terrain so don't suppose that matters!

I also dabble at dressage and jumping, but when I enter a distance ride then I put that to one side for a bit :p but my pony is a real all rounder. Molly is 14.2hh Welsh D x (no papers but poss Welsh x Arab - but mostly Welsh D). She is a total duracel bunny - bags of natural stamina, loves hacking inc gates and has a big trot that covers the ground, so she is well suited to it I think :) we both enjoy it.

I guess we will just have to see how we get on - it's an informal sort of ride, joint local Endurance group with Pony Club (I am far to old for pony club - but is open to all). We can walk if we run out of steam :eek:

Hi, thanks, i'm over the moon, all that hard work paid off!!!

Yes very difficult fitting training in around a full time job, partner, other animals and house!!! (no kids thank god!!).

I ride her 6 times a week for about 5 miles (I have a GPS watch so can monitor how fast I am going etc) Some rides i just hack, some i go fast. I live right next to Cannock Chase which is extremely challenging terrain so I think that helps. I think you just have to ride as much as you can. Having a horse that is suitable helps, my horse is extremely laid back, doesn't bother about much and 'gets life'. What is your horse like???
x
 
Fabulous. Well done. You look like you are having such a wonderful time.
I would love to do endurance. My horsey would be great. I wouldn't. Too fat, too unfit, too old and cream crackered.
 
Wow, great pics, I'm doing the Endurance GB South Yorks ride on Sunday. Not sure my new horse is ready for it yet but we are taking it steady, more of a pleasure ride. The ride is near my new yard so we will possibly find some new routes to explore.
 
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