What is an endurance horse?

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

Tamara  wrote:
> Personally, and
> within reason, I dont think its the horses type/pedigree/cost that
> matters its its guts and heart that counts and I guess you can only test
> that by the suck it and see method!

I like that - "suck it and see method"!!  Tamara, sorry
I'm not sure where you live, could you fill me in?  

Using the Ididerod dogsled race as an example, one can see that almost
any breed can compete (Paul heard of someone with a team of Dalmation
crosses), however certain breeds predominate because they were bred to do
long distances like that *and the odds are that those dog teams will do
well at the job*.  Looking at thoroughbred racing, one sees that
certain bloodlines predominate because they win more and again, people
choose them because the odds are better for winning with those
bloodlines.  You start with something someone has already shown does
the job and try to improve on that.    Why reinvent the
wheel?

The issue here is not how many horses are winners because they break the
mold (e.g. draft crosses, free, rescue or whatever horses doing well in
endurance "in spite of..."), but what is the mold from which
they are breaking?  And how can that be improved? 
Lif

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