ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Choosing an Endurance horse

Re: Choosing an Endurance horse

Di Kajar (Murrawonda@msn.com)
Tue, 20 May 97 03:17:19 UT

In reply to Bruce's comments about choosing an endurance horse, I would like
to reply to the following:
1. Choose a pure arab
Not true as far as I'm concerned, I have ridden a number of horses over the
last 12 years and feel that they all did the job when prepared properly, I
have competed on a standardbred (who has 3 quilty buckles), an anglo arab and
4 purebred arabs. I do think the purebred arab is the best for the job - but
any breed properly prepared will do the trick.

2. Choose a gelding.
Definitely not true, after having ridden 4 different geldings and now being
graced with mares, I would definitely prefer to ride a mare over a gelding. A
blessing in disguise is to compete on my little mare when she is in season -
runs harder and better every time. As far as being tempermental this is
usually the riders fault and the cop out is to blame the mare/stallion.

3. Choose a grey.
Sorry to disagree again but out of the six horses I have competed on three
have been grey and the other three bay and although the bay horses do run
warmer than the greys, their recoverys are still excellent and I certainly
wouldn't pass up a potential endurance horse on colour!!!!

4. Choose between 14.3 and 15.2 hands.
Will agree on this to a certain extent although I feel smaller than 14.3 is OK
if the horse is capable of carrying the rider. Don't like to go much bigger
than the 15.2 they can get big and akward - but I did know of an endurance
horse that was 17 hands and he did extremely well - although he was big he was
very balanced and put together well.

A couple of other things I would like to add to this conversation is that the
rider and the horse need to get along right from the start and to do this the
rider needs to like the horse - can't expect a horse to give his/her best of
you don't like it. Also temperaments need to be fairly evenly matched - a
competitive rider needs a competitive horse and so on.

Anyway just my opinion on things. I'm off to the Quilty at the end of the
week on my BAY MARE - see everyone later.

Bye for now
Di Kajar
Murrawonda Arab Stud
Mount Pleasant, South Australia
(home of 4 Quilty buckles and 6 qualified endurance horses)
<Murrawonda@msn.com>

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff