An introduction to endurance, by leading rider Katie Bedwin

 

Endurance riding is my passion, and the competitive events themselves are the culmination of a great deal of time spent training and developing relationships with my horses. The discipline is essentially long-distance riding, at a set speed – for me, it’s all about enjoying the experience and the connection with the horse I’m riding, and enjoying the results of all of our training. Finishing is the real prize, although accolades like being the current Reserve Young Rider National Champion are always lovely! Distances of the competitions vary, and can include anything from 20 miles to 100 miles-plus. So there’s something for everyone, as well as pleasure rides, if you want to try the concept out in a more relaxed environment.

The idea is to complete the full distance as quickly as you can, passing the mandatory vet checks, and crossing the line with the horse in full health. It’s a fine balancing act, both on the day, and in your preceding training! Endurance riding is fun though, allows you to experience beautiful countryside – a recent UK event was the Tilford ride in Farnham, Surrey, which takes you through heathland, pine forest, along some challenging stony paths, and up to the glorious Devils Punchbowl, beneath the San Gabriel Mountains.

 

The requirements

So, what do you need to contest endurance? Your horse ideally needs to be a good all-rounder. Correct limb formation to avoid strains, a well-muscled back and deep chest for physical resilience, strong quarters, well-proportioned hooves, a nice temperament and a rhythmical gait are all desirable traits.

Training wise, your horse needs to be fit for the duration of ride – even a shorter ride of 20 miles can take around three hours. I advocate cross training, e.g. doing multi-discipline work with my horses – they do cross country schooling, jumping and polework, as well as lots of flatwork to develop suppleness and balance. I have always incorporated a wide variety of activities into my training programmes, as I believe it can significantly improve performance; partly as it works different muscle groups and skillsets, and decreases the risk of repetitive strain, but also as this variety is fun, and improves a horse’s attitude to work.

In terms of the rider, you do of course need the same relative level of fitness as your horse – e.g. most averagely fit riders could manage a 20k ride, however as you start tackling the more challenging rides, you do need to develop your own stamina and fitness, as well as your core strength and mobility.

Comfort is key

As an endurance rider, comfort in the saddle is key – my first post-lockdown endurance competition was an 80km ride in the 34 degree heat! – so clothing wise, I do like to have suitable underwear, beneath breathable, comfy riding wear. The Derriere Padded Panties are great, as you can just forget about your clothing and focus on the ride, rather than worrying about chaffing or discomfort. Equally a good bra like the brand’s Sportief is advisable, as a good sports bra aids shoulder position when riding. It allows you to relax and ‘free up’ the area, rather than ‘hunching’ subconsciously to avoid breast ‘bounce’, which can be tiring over long distances. The Derriere Equestrian Sportief sports bra is designed to shape and support a woman's breasts, without the use of under-wires, so is great addition to your riding wardrobe, whatever your riding discipline.

 

 

Nurse Katie Bedwin is a leading British endurance rider, with six 2019 national titles to her name. She was ranked as the second-placed GB rider in the FEI U21 rankings, and was Reserve Young Rider National Champion last year with Aberllwyd Ibn Phariz, at the 120km 2 star. Katie’s plans for the remainder of 2020 and 2021, when she will compete as a senior rider, are to continue contesting graded endurance rides at her level, and train for and compete at a 160km three star with Phariz. Visit - https://www.facebook.com/katiebedwinendurance

According to the governing body Endurance GB, the organisation continues to move towards resumption of endurance riding in England and Wales, in line with guidance issued by the Government and British Equestrian, and is now running social rides and Graded Endurance Rides. Visit - https://egb.myclubhouse.co.uk/

Lucy Cartwright & Daniel Bremner - A holistic outlook

Along with husband Daniel Bremner, dressage rider and trainer Lucy Cartwright has not been resting on her laurels recently, placing top ten in the FEI PSG at Hunters Equestrian with Holme Grove Bernini. She’s often in the ribbons with a string of rides, including Frederico and Grandio. Here, she shares some tips for improving feel when training, by focussing on one’s hips and harmonic movement with the horse.

Daniel and I are very focussed on holistic training and riding, from the way in which we manage our horses and the breakdown of exercise we do with them, to the type of schooling we undertake. We know from our own riding and the training we undertake with elite riders, as well as our work with clients, that the rider’s hips are key in flatwork – strong, mobile hips can really help create stability and strength in our lower body. This region of the body is very important for dressage riders of course, but anyone focussing on flatwork training, even with a view to competing in other disciplines, will find that effective hips help us increase our flexibility, and gain control of our seat. Those imperceptible cues given to the horse in the more advanced movements may be invisible to spectators, but are being translated loud and clear to the horse through the rider’s hips and seat.

The hips shouldn’t be overlooked or considered to just affect the lower parts of our bodies, e.g. how we hold our thighs, and how mobile our lower joints are – they also influence the mobility of the pelvis (and how well we can sit to a trot!), as well as our upper back and torso, especially in terms of and the quietness of our shoulders and hands.

Feel isn’t just about rein contact!

As the horse’s body moves, our hips rise and rotate with its motion, our legs absorbing the movement as the pelvic area softens and also absorbs the movement. Ideally, as the horse's hip raises, our same hip also raises, while the upper body adjusts. I have some lovely youngsters coming up through the levels, and I find that my goal for a good sitting trot with them is to rotate the pelvis downwards, so one extends the lumbar spine and really ‘goes with the movement’. The phrase that we often use with our clients, ‘feel’, really does radiate from the hips and the seat, as this tells us so much about how the horse is moving, and about their natural propensity to move their back and utilise their natural paces. Feel isn’t just about rein contact!

So, what can fixed or stiff rider hips lead to? Apart from making the overall picture more rigid and less harmonious, it can directly affect things like correct canter strike-offs, as well as lateral ‘drifting’, e.g. on a circle. Again, with youngsters it’s important to let them use their bodies effectively and not to restrict them. I find that core strength, e.g. in the rider’s stomach and lower back, directly affects hip mobility, in that a strong core allows the hips to relax and do their job, rather than tightening to keep balance. Having flexible hip flexor muscles is of course key – unfortunately, long hours spent sitting in cars and at desks can cause hip flexor muscles to shorten and tighten, which is why I find that many clients have issues in this area. 

 

Suitable exercises

Yoga, pilates and pre-and-post-ride stretching are all beneficial for improving hip flexibility.

Jennifer Miller’s article for the United States Equestrian federation, ‘Loosen up’, has some excellent advice and exercise tips, and quotes Jennifer Kotylo, Pilates and Equilates instructor, who says that most people have the innate ability to have good range of motion, but they don’t use it day to day. “Move it or lose it! If the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia, or connective-tissue fibres, surrounding the hip area don’t get used, they ‘forget’ how to work properly,” she advises.

In addition to yoga, pilates and pre-and-post-ride stretching, any regular exercise like walking, swimming and cycling will help our riding fitness. Work with an instructor to focus on any areas of tension, and remember to equip yourself with some comfy, supportive riding underwear - the Derriere Equestrian range, featuring the DE Performance Padded Shorty and the Performance Seamless Shorty, is designed for both men and women. Personally, I forget I am wearing them, meaning I can pay attention to how my horse is reacting to me, without the distractions of discomfort.

 

Lucy Cartwright, formerly based with Carl Hester and a leading trainer within her own right along with husband Daniel Bremner, found success at Junior and Young Rider levels (twice winning the Under 25’s National Championship). She is also a former Champion at the Badminton Young Horse Finals where she rode Valegro, and a former Summer British Dressage National Champion.

With husband Daniel, Lucy offers a range of dressage services at their base DL Dressage, including training livery, competition livery, sales preparation, training of both horse and rider and clinics throughout the British Isles. 

 

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