Procedure of an Endurance Ride (Example Kitzesbergdistanz 120 km)
Most of the competitors and their crews arrive on Friday afternoon. After getting settled in their camps with paddock for the horse (for some a horsebox in the stable tent) they get their paperwork in the office done. At 05 p.m. the first inspections takes place in the “vet gate” to give the horse the start permission. Later in the evening there is the welcome ceremony and rider´s briefing where the organizer explains the procedures of that specific ride and gives some hints about the trails.
Most of the competitors and their crews arrive on Friday afternoon. After getting settled in their camps with paddock for the horse (for some a horsebox in the stable tent) they get their paperwork in the office done. At 05 p.m. the first inspections takes place in the “vet gate” to give the horse the start permission. Later in the evening there is the welcome ceremony and rider´s briefing where the organizer explains the procedures of that specific ride and gives some hints about the trails.
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On Saturday morning the participants of the 120 km competition are the first to start at 06:30 a.m. The 120 km competition has 5 different rounds. Each marked with wooden signs in the color of the round. The first round is the “BLUE” one with 30 km. There are “crewing points” after 10 and 20 km where the crews will link up with their rider to provide drinking water for the horses, down the horsesand check on equipment. They also take care of the rider (nutrition, clothing). After those 30 km the riders first time gate is the “Arrival Time” where they get arrival time. they now go straight to the “Crewing Area” to cool down the horse to get the puls (of the horse) on 64 beats per minute or below. Soon the heartrate is below those 64 bpm the horse is led to the “In-Time”.
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There the riding time stops and the break time starts. The time the horse needs to regenerate down to 64 bpm is ridingtime. Also the heartrate recovery time is an important indicator for the fitness of the horse. The time between “Arrival-Time” and “In-Time” may not exceed 20 minutes because it means there is something wrong with the horse and it will beout of competition automatically. Now the vets will inspect the horse exactly for its metabolic conditions and gait. >Only if the vet is satisfied with the health condition of the horse it is “fit to continue”, otherwise the horse is out of competition and the rider has present the horse to a vet to see if some treatment is necessary. For the vets it is paramount to take a horse out of competition before the horse suffers serious issues. From “In-Time” on there is a 40 minute break before the rider and horse start the next 22 km round (BLACK) at the “Out-Time” If two horses do the round in the exact same time the horse with the better stamina and a better heart rate recovery can pass the other horse in the “Vet-Gate” because it can start the next round earlier.
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In the last “Vet-Gate” after 100 km the break will be 50 minutes because the horse has to be presented to the vet for a re-check 10 minutes before starting the last 20 km round. After crossing the finish line it is the same procedure with a max heart rate recovery of 20 minutes and a complete inspection. Only if the vet is satisfied (the horse should be able to do another 20 km without any problems), the horse will be in the ranking. For an endurance rider it is important to prepare the horse carefully and with a good knowledge for endurance competitions and to manage his horse competent and with good horsemanship on the trails. It always also is a competition against the clock, weather, ground conditions and altitude differences.
If you have questions about endurance during the event we look forward to answer you!
If you have questions about endurance during the event we look forward to answer you!
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“The horse: Nobless without pride,
friendship without envy,
beauty without vanity,
a servant but no slave.”
Author unknown
friendship without envy,
beauty without vanity,
a servant but no slave.”
Author unknown
