Now please remember I have accumulated all this kit over many years, this is in no way a bragging look at what I’ve got post, but purely an exercise in answering the regular questions about what endurance kit do I have, or what brand my water bottle is or what I find comfiest to ride in.
I will try to link as many bits of my gear as possible and as always would love to hear what you use or any ways in which you may think I could improve my equipment. So lets get into it.
I know many people would not be particularly proud of completing a pleasure ride, and even more so would not expect a rider who’s ridden at FEI level to be proud of completing a pleasure ride, but here I am, REALLY DAMN PROUD of completing a pleasure ride.
I see the novice years as the ‘education’ years for my horses. It’s where I have the opportunity to practice as many of the scenarios that will come up when they eventually get to FEI as I can. I try to emulate the processes they’ll be doing in years to come as closely as possible.
The week running up to a pleasure ride is exactly the same as my run up to a big race. I like to take them on overnight stays and to busy venues. I like to get them out of bed early to watch the race riders warm up and start together, walk through the vet gate the night before and generally be exposed to as much competition atmosphere as possible.
Now in the past this has gone pretty smoothly with Azid and Pria, they have taken everything in their stride, doing their novice rides at FEI venues, but Qantas is a little more sensitive. But that’s ok, it just means the education part of his training is even more important and it may take us a little more time to get him to be at ease at a competition.
Which is why I’m so proud that Qantas was well behaved for his first sleep over, walked around the busy venue listening to me and not freaking out, that he went into the vetting, that he started calmly. He was ace out on course, really forward going and sure footed, he never pulled to follow any horses that passed and he accepted being sponged down by the crew out on course like a champ. He went in front and behind and kept a lovely even pace.
I like to do the shorter distances like a mini race ride. Start slow and then increase the speed as the ride goes on, just like I would each loop of a race. If the conditions are right I also like to canter across the finish line, this gives me a better idea of what they are going to be like to crew in vet gates and gives them a teeny bit of practice for any potential racing finishes.
Qantas then stood beautifully still to be untacked and crewed at the end of his ride and did the most wonderful trot up to finish. His mind was well and truly tired ,you could see it in his face and body language but his body was in top notch form and by the way he turned out in his field later that day he still had plenty of energy left in the tank.
It would be so easy to focus on the negatives, that we had to downgrade to a pleasure ride because his heart rate was too high at the start to risk it, that he panicked and bucked me off, that his initial trot up was sideways across three lanes, that he hates the sound of sloshes, that he spins and bronks at the sound of horses coming up behind him, but to me those are things we can work on. It’s the improvements that make me happy and are what I want to focus on.
Every training session and every competition I do with Qantas I see as a stepping stone to our long term goal, the results don’t really matter, it’s the journey and giving him the best foundation I can so that one day when we are competing for a win I’ll know I did everything I could to set him up for success.
The run up to competing Qantas for the first time in 2021 has not been smooth. His sarcoid wounds took much longer to heal, he was being funny about having a girth on and it seemed like the weeks were flying by without us even starting training. But thanks to Readwood reahabilitation livery Qantas had three weeks on the water treadmill and then I got a solid three weeks of riding in before our first 40km of the season in July, better late then never!
It’s not my normal pre-season routine and without that usual structure I wasn’t exactly my usual confident self. In the week running up to the ride Qantas got me off twice, he’s just so spooky, but, he was going well and all his pre-ride checks were great. So I packed everything up the night before. I use this list to help me:
I gave the horses a bath and off we went to Cirencester. Last time Qantas went to a ride we didn’t make it into the vetting so in the hope of giving him time to settle we decided to go the night before. He also had the added advantage that Tissy was coming too.
Once I got to the venue and set up the corral I gave him a couple of hours to take it all in before taking him on a walk around the venue and most importantly practicing getting into the vetting and doing his trot up. This actually went remarkably well, by the end he was actually getting in the entrance tent and his trot ups were perfect. I went to sleep hopeful that we may actually get to start our ride tomorrow, but the big question was, would he be settled enough to have his heart rate taken and do the 40km GER or would we need to downgrade to just a trot up and do the 30km PR.
Getting Qantas going again after his long winter break and laser surgery has been quite the mission. He’s always been pretty sensitive about his girth area and very easily gets tense in his lats. The laser site took longer than expected to heal and has healed as a little bump rather than flat, which isn’t idea as it’s right under the girth.
Every time I thought he was ready to start again I’d take him out and after 20mins the tail swishing would start, he’d turn to nip the girth and then freeze on the spot and if asked to move would throw himself sideways. So I gave him more and more time off.
Thankfully the wonderful guys at Readwood Rehabilitation Livery took him on for 3 weeks, he was getting fat and unfit and I was a bit stuck with what to do with him. They did a great job of getting him back in shape and ready for ridden work, softening up the scar tissue, getting him checked by a Physio and doing sessions on the underwater treadmill. I couldn’t recommend them enough and would love to send my horses for pre-season training with them every year.
Once we starting riding we’ve had a few hiccups with his sensitivity, but considering he hadn’t been ridden since November he’s actually come back to it great. He has a 40km planned soon and I’m just hoping that this time we make it into the vet and across the start line at least. We’re taking Tissy with him to hopefully keep him calmer and going the night before to give him a chance to settle, so fingers crossed this may be the start of his endurance career and end of his current issues.
Alongside that, Azid has found a lovely new home, he’s on a lease for now, if the owners like him then the rest of the sale price will be paid and they can keep him, if it doesn’t work out then he can come back to me. I feel it’s the best of both worlds between sale and loan and really makes sure everyone is happy and Azid is looked after.
Going on a hunt fun ride is something completely new to me, so when I was asked to help plan a route for one, I really wasn’t sure what the expectations of such a route would be. In endurance we have clear rules regarding routes, no more than 10% tarmac being one, and we all know how I love rules and planning. We managed to plan a lovely route using woodlands kindly opened up for us by the Duchy, bridleways and a bit of roadwork.
In the UK Bloodhound hunts follow the scent of a human runner over a pre-planned course during winter hunting. In the summer they need to make an income to look after the hounds and to pay hunt staff so they put on fun rides.
This particular ride we had 42 horses in attendance all setting off together on a guided route of approx 11miles. It took about 3hrs in total and was definitely a different experience for Tissy, who is used to to doing that distance in under an hour. But I had great fun getting her pretty for the meet and using my leather tack, although my presentation know how is next to nil and my plait lasted about 10mins!
It would make excellent training for an endurance horse that’s experienced but is about to start their racing career as they could practice warming up with lots of other horses and keeping calm in a big group. All the jumps are optional, and Tissy will literally stand on poles and step over logs rather than jump them, so I was very surprised when I thought I’d have a go at a teeny tiny cross pole that she actually picked both front feet off the floor.
First, some excitement. As some people know I am now supported by Kevin Bacon Horse care. I have been using the hoof dressing for years and have spent the last few weeks testing out their other products. So I’ll be keeping you updated with how I get on with them in the future.
Qantas is back from three weeks at Readwood rehabilitation livery. As I still couldn’t ride him due to the laser site being so sensitive under his girth, he went to loose some weight and do some training on the water treadmill. He’s come back looking great and ready to start being ridden, finally!
Probably the biggest update is that Azid is looking to find a new home. I don’t want to keep pushing him, he’s only 8 and has so much to give in other aspects away from aiming at FEI endurance. I don’t want his happiness and welfare to be at the detriment of my ambitions. So now he’s sound and has proven he is happy at the lower levels of Endurance or hacking and lightly schooling I felt that I should give him a chance to do just that.
I’ve thought about continuing to try and get him up to FEI level but I don’t feel comfortable pushing him and I would always have at the back of my mind ‘is this right for him, am I going to break him’. If I was to keep him I know I wouldn’t give him the attention and work he deserves as my focus would be on the horse that’s going to perform at the level I want to compete at. He loves attention and he loves his adventures so I want him to have a home that will give their all to him.
There is something so magical about riding next to the sea. It was dreamy to have both Tissy and Azid at the beach together. Dan did an amazing job of keeping Tissy calm and staying on for his first ever beach ride. Although I did jump on Tissy at the end so she could have a bit of a blast through the waves!
I know I’m going to treasure this video, it’ll be one I look back on over the years to remember how lucky I am. Made all the sweeter by the amount of help we needed from my parents and brother to make it happen. Three vehicles, one back up truck, a sausage dog, two horses a boyfriend and a whole weekend to get there!
A huge part of owning a horse is taking care of it’s every need. Competition horses are much more prone to injury and lameness due to the high stresses put on their body during training. That’s why it’s really important to me that I have a regular ‘check in and check up’ so that I can catch any abnormalities as soon as possible.
Now I am not a vet, this does not replace the knowledge and experience a vet would give. But for me the basic place to start is knowing what’s normal. I regularly trot my horses up, probably every other day on their way from the field to the stable. I lunge once a week and slow motion capture their movement so I can see how they are moving and compare it to previous videos to note progress and change.
When I pick out their hooves I always run my hand down the whole leg, checking for lumps, bumps, swelling and heat. I also have a thermal camera that I use around every fortnight to check for any signs of sub-clinical heat (where it’s hotter but not drastic enough to be felt by my hand and there’s no outward signs of injury or lameness yet). Now thermal imaging is a little controversial but for me because I do it regularly on the same horses, under the same circumstances, it’s that built up bank of knowledge and what’s normal for that horse is what makes it a valuable tool. I also use it after riding to look at the heat distribution on their backs and the bottom of my saddle, it’s a great way to show where the contact is and if the fit is even.
I also stretch the horses after every session and run my hands over the muscles, feeling for any tightness, soreness or just unusual flickering. I regularly test the joints range of motion and watch for any reaction to check if anything might be a bit sore.
It’s because of this that when Azid went lame this time, I had stopped training him 3 days before because I felt something wasn’t right, low and behold 3 days later he was lame. Azid has some pretty subtle tells when he’s not comfortable. usually a forward going horse, he’ll just stop and I have to ask him to walk on, where normally I can just think it. He also prefers canter to trot and wants to rush into canter rather than stick to a steady trot. Apart from that though, this time, there is no heat, no swelling, no soreness on testing.
When a horse is lame we tend to stick to a straight forward assessment to try and establish which bit has gone wrong:
The history oftraining: I look back at my training logs to see if there are any clues, dips in performance or hard ground for a session or maybe I noted a slip.
A good look at the horse at rest: Balance and weight-bearing, as well as look for any evidence of injury or stress. How they are grazing in the field, or which foot they are stepping forward with first when asked to walk or trot.
A thorough hands-on exam: Touch everything! checking muscles, joints, bones and tendons for evidence of pain, heat or swelling.
Using hoof testers. Applying pressure to the soles of the feet to check for undue sensitivity or pain. Plus checking for any signs of an abscess. I would also always get the farrier out to check feet, shoes and movement.
Evaluation of the horse moving. I walk and trot up in a straight line on the soft and on concrete and also on a slope. I would then lunge on soft and hard surfaces. Turn on a tight circle both ways and watch them back up. It’s important for me to see them trot straight from the side too, so you can really get a good look at where they are landing and how they are moving.
Actually recognising the signs of injury or lameness is the hard part, particularly if its subtle or they’re not actually lame, just have altered bio-mechanics. There’s quite a cool online tool to help you get better as assessing and recognising lameness: Lameness Trainer. But if a lameness is persistent and I can’t pinpoint the cause then I’ll always get the Physio, Farrier and Vet out.
I took Tissy to the Avon Valley pleasure ride and we had a wonderful time. Pleasure rides are up to a maximum of 34km, we did 32km at Avon, and should be ridden at no more than 12kph. Which is an easy speed to stay around as long as you mix in lots of walk, trot and canter. I use a GPS watch but I also work out my maximum and minimum total ride time so that if it fails I know the amount of time the ride should take me.
So when you get to the venue the first thing I would do is go to the loo, ha! Because once the horse is out the box you can’t leave it tied up unsupervised. Then you need to head to the secretaries tent, where you will receive your number bib and some emergency tags to attach to you and your saddle.
Once I’ve got your number and have headed back to the box I prepare my post ride buckets and water so that they’re ready for when I get back, I try to work out where the shade will be at my estimated arrival back so that the water is cool and my horse can be in the shade after the ride.
Then it’s time to take the horse out and prepare them for vetting, remeber to fill out your vetting form and take it with you. For Tissy all I did was give her a quick groom, pick out her feet and give her a 5min leg stretch around the parking area. For a pleasure ride you will see the farrier first to check if your horses feet, barefoot or shod, are in adequate condition to complete the terrain. After that you head to the vet, the vet writer will take the vetting form off you and the vet will watch you do a trot up. If the horse is happy and sound then you are ready to start the ride.
From the trot up time you have 30mins to tack up and head over to the start. You’ll be given a start time and the timekeeper and off you go. You’ll have seen a map beforehand so will have a rough idea of the course and most Endurance GB rides are very well marked so just pay attention to any turn offs and make sure you have seen some markers at least every 1km or so.
You’ll be on the same course as some competitive riders and most of them will warn you when they are coming up behind and ask to pass. If you would like them to walk please say otherwise they will slowly trot past when it’s safe to do so.
There are check points out on course, they’ll be clearly marked and usually a car with some sort of antennae on it. Just make sure they have seen you, give them your bib number and say thank you, as most people you see at the ride have volunteered their time for us to have a lovely ride.
Once you get back to the venue you have 30mins to cool off your horse and go back for your final trot up. Then you can take your horse back to the box and give them, and you, a well deserved munch. You usually have to wait around 15-45mins before your results are back with the secretary. So enjoy a bit of a relax before the drive home. Then take your number back to the secretary where you will be given your vet sheet and ride results along with a rosette.
Endurance GB have group and national Pleasure ride trophies so if you are a competitive spirit you might want to have a look at how you can compete for a trophy. Take a look at the Endurance GB website for info on rules and where you can book your Pleasure ride.
As a human physio I’m well aware of all we need to do to keep strong, mobile, stable and fit. I spend a lot of my time making sure my horses are symmetrical, injury free, happy and healthy…..but I am guilty of not spending the same amount of money, time and effort on myself.
I workout 3-5 x a week, my job is active, my hobbies are active. But I’ve had a fair few injuries over the past couple of years and have I been to see anyone for an assessment or treatment…..no. So I thought it was about time to make sure the jockey was just as balanced and functional as the horses!
I went to see Kirsty at Fit2Ride for an assessment on the simulator. It flagged up several things that I’ve been struggling with on my flatwork and also a few dysfunctions I wasn’t aware of. Kirsty is quite the drive from me so time and finance mean it isn’t something I’ll be doing weekly. However, we’ve come up with a plan to visit Kirsty every 6 weeks for assessment, treatment and exercise prescription.
This wouldn’t really be enough ordinarily but seeing as it’s my job to rehab people, I can do the bits in between. I just need another set of eyes to assess and set of hands to treat me. I’m quite excited about spending a bit more time on me, getting into the nitty gritty of my biomechanics and sorting out the aftermath of all these injuries.
I used to be naturally a very balanced and strong rider but the past few years, broken bones, head injuries, tendinopathies and muscle injuries have meant I’ve lost my symmetry so I’m going to put as much effort into myself as I would my horses.
Beth Endurance 