Introduction to Endurance
Endurance South West organise rides between 10 & 100 miles (16-160 km) that are held at various locations throughout Devon & Cornwall. Pleasure Rides are between 10 & 20 miles & are open to members & non members. If you would like to enter one of our Pleasure Rides through our on-line entry system you would first need to register (free) as a
Supporter Member. There are more details on our Types of Membership page
Pleasure Rides ( PR's) are not timed but your start time & times you pass through the checkpoints will be recorded. PR's range from 10 to 20 miles (16-32 km). The speed you ride is up to you but we like riders to try to ride at around 8 km/h (ride a mile in 12 minutes) but more information on calculating riding speeds is given to new members & is available on our Your First Ride page.
Any type of horse or pony is suitable for Endurance but it must be 4 years old or over. The minimum age for riders is 8 & riders aged 8 to 13 must be accompanied. All rides are quoted in kilometers (km) with 1.6 miles/km. You may ride alone or in groups of up to four. All horses that successfully complete a Pleasure Ride are awarded a rosette.
Our next level of rides are known as Graded Rides (GERS) are usually only open to members (although we do run a ‘Try Before You Buy’ scheme where you could experience 2 graded rides before becoming a full member) & are run over distances from 20 miles to 50 miles (32-80 km) & riders aim to ride at speeds of between 10 & 18 km/hour. Results for
graded rides are calculated using a formula which includes distance travelled, time taken & most importantly the results of a stringent vet check made 30 minutes after the horse has finished the ride. Our highest level of rides are known as Competitive Endurance Rides (CERS) & to maintain the highest level of animal welfare these can only be
entered by Advanced members riding Advanced horses. These are rides from 50 miles up to 100 miles (80-160 km) & riders compete directly against each other, rather than aim to get a high grade.
All routes are marked with dayglo tape & flags. Stewards are located at various points around the route to offer assistance if required & regular check points will for safety reasons record riders as they pass. All rides are attended by a Dr & all rides with a competitive class are attended by at least 1 experienced equine vet plus a farrier. Each ride is fully insured & organised by a team of experienced ride organisers & trained Health and Safety people. Nationally, Endurance GB has nearly 3,000 members & a dedicated team of stewards who hold nearly 100 competitive rides each season plus many more Pleasure Rides & have been doing so for many years. Each year we use our experience to improve our rides & facilities.
Endurance South West organise rides between 10 & 100 miles (16-160 km) that are held at various locations throughout Devon & Cornwall. Pleasure Rides are between 10 & 20 miles & are open to members & non members. If you would like to enter one of our Pleasure Rides through our on-line entry system you would first need to register (free) as a
Supporter Member. There are more details on our Types of Membership page
Pleasure Rides ( PR's) are not timed but your start time & times you pass through the checkpoints will be recorded. PR's range from 10 to 20 miles (16-32 km). The speed you ride is up to you but we like riders to try to ride at around 8 km/h (ride a mile in 12 minutes) but more information on calculating riding speeds is given to new members & is available on our Your First Ride page.
Any type of horse or pony is suitable for Endurance but it must be 4 years old or over. The minimum age for riders is 8 & riders aged 8 to 13 must be accompanied. All rides are quoted in kilometers (km) with 1.6 miles/km. You may ride alone or in groups of up to four. All horses that successfully complete a Pleasure Ride are awarded a rosette.
Our next level of rides are known as Graded Rides (GERS) are usually only open to members (although we do run a ‘Try Before You Buy’ scheme where you could experience 2 graded rides before becoming a full member) & are run over distances from 20 miles to 50 miles (32-80 km) & riders aim to ride at speeds of between 10 & 18 km/hour. Results for
graded rides are calculated using a formula which includes distance travelled, time taken & most importantly the results of a stringent vet check made 30 minutes after the horse has finished the ride. Our highest level of rides are known as Competitive Endurance Rides (CERS) & to maintain the highest level of animal welfare these can only be
entered by Advanced members riding Advanced horses. These are rides from 50 miles up to 100 miles (80-160 km) & riders compete directly against each other, rather than aim to get a high grade.
All routes are marked with dayglo tape & flags. Stewards are located at various points around the route to offer assistance if required & regular check points will for safety reasons record riders as they pass. All rides are attended by a Dr & all rides with a competitive class are attended by at least 1 experienced equine vet plus a farrier. Each ride is fully insured & organised by a team of experienced ride organisers & trained Health and Safety people. Nationally, Endurance GB has nearly 3,000 members & a dedicated team of stewards who hold nearly 100 competitive rides each season plus many more Pleasure Rides & have been doing so for many years. Each year we use our experience to improve our rides & facilities.