Endurance, ensemble

Having never before competed in an Endurance competition, I thought the time had come to have a go. And as I hate doing anything in a half hearted way, I wanted to be fully prepared. So, first things first. Read a book, browse the internet to get an idea of training, speeds and equipment and make a plan. This takes a few days and then finally I feel ready. The family are very impressed with all my preparatory work but think perhaps it’s slightly over the top for just 10 km!

Normally my choice of horse would be my Arab "Ras", but due to some saddle fitting problems, "Sunny" has unwittingly taken up the challenge and been fast tracked into a sleek and streamlined form. Not easy for a horse with a lot of Irish Draught in him.

So off we go on our first training session. Nike+ watch strapped to my wrist, I need to average between 10 and 12 kmph over a distance of 10 kilometres. Sounds easy, but our first average speed is just 7.25 kmph. Sunny has a tendency to slip, slide and generally act like Bambi if the ground is slightly wet, so over the years I’ve got into the habit of letting him ease down the hills in walk and now this needs to change. We also have a dressage competition coming up, so I devise a combined dressage / endurance training regime, involving trotting elegantly around the arena then blasting round the whole field as fast and balanced as possible. Finally, back into the arena, canter around like they did at Greenwich Park and then it’s once more round the field for another circuit of power trotting!

Next ride out we get up to 8.5 kmph and then seemed to stick at this speed. So onto youtube to watch other endurance riders adopting a slightly forward and lighter position in the saddle.  With this image in mind off we went ... 9.80 kmph. Getting better. But we were still losing a lot of speed down hills when his rhythm changed completely – so I decided that when it did, I’d just carry on bouncing and moving as if it hadn't. I’m sure I looked mad, but after a while he realised it was a lot easier to keep his speed the same and avoid the embarrassment of a rider who was bobbling around like she was on a playground ride.  And at last we reached 10kmph!

The day of the competition arrived and, surrounded by speedy looking horses, we stood there large and proud. My English friends were out in force too, like me all on rather chunky horses.  We completed the 10 kilometres at 12 kmph, Sunny starting and finishing with exactly the same heart rate. Ending up as a group in 4th position, members of the La Porte TREC team were also individually placed 1st and 6th.

We were all so pleased with our Endurance horses and it was one of the most fun equestrian things I have done in France. Who knows, we might even brave a 20km competition one day. Just don’t tell Sunny!