Gobi Gallop

Just 12 years ago, however, Veloo had never been astride a horse. She tried it for the first time at age 50 when she and her husband, Chelvan Veloo, first moved to Mongolia.

“I was already learning the language,” says Julie. “I realized if I was going to understand this culture and history, I was going to have to sit on a horse. I thought, ‘If these kids can do it, how hard can it be?’ Twenty-however-many times of falling off later—it can be hard! But I was determined to ride.”

Her persistence paid off, and by 2013, she and a group of six friends rode 707 kilometers for fun across the Gobi Desert over nine days, in what officially became known as the inaugural Gobi Gallop.

The idea of a making it a fundraiser in subsequent years added purpose to it, with international riders participating and raising extra money for the Veloo Foundation, averaging roughly $75,000 each year.

Specifically, the Veloos’ Children of the Peak recipient charity aims to stop survival garbage dump-scavenging before it becomes generational. Partnering with M. Batsaikhan (Baagii) and B. Sarantuya (Saraa) of Horse Trek Mongolia, they created and implemented it together.

Blue Wolf Totem Expedition

The 10 years of success with the Gobi Gallop developed into a more ambitious adventure: the cross-Mongolia, three-month Blue Wolf Totem Expedition ride.

“I tried to get everything in: the pre-history, the Silk Road, Genghis Khan, the eagle hunters, the reindeer people, deer stones, and burial sites,” says Julie. “Archaeology lives on the land here. And you can still go out and see it. Anywhere else on the planet [that] would be fenced off.”

The 17 riders, ranging in age from 27 to 70, were accompanied by some 20 support crew and a herd of around 40 horses, which were often contracted from local herdsmen. Riders averaged 50 km per day (31 miles) with a day off every 10 days, and rode through the Gobi desert, the steppes, the Altai mountains, glaciers and enormous valleys, visiting with all five Mongolian tribes.

Full of Surprises

For Australian endurance and dressage rider Duncan McLaughlin, everything fell into place as though the ride was meant to be.

“I was intrigued by the long ride in pretty country,” he says. “I was always interested in different aspects of horsemanship, so I thought it would be really interesting to go to the home of horsemanship to learn more about the horse culture there.

“Once the Mongolian horses get going down the trail, they’re really steady, so sensible, and hyper-aware of their surroundings, even though they seem super quiet.”

As for the people, McLaughlin was surprised.

“It’s a very showy culture,” he says. “You think they’re going to be subdued because you think of Genghis Khan and that stern, very self-contained face. But they’re very flamboyant people. And that big blue sky. It’s phenomenal.”

Self-Discovery

Endurance and trail rider and horse trainer Jill McKenzie of Georgia (USA) felt the pull to visit Mongolia when she saw a fellow endurance rider astride a reindeer in Mongolia. Her research revealed the Veloo Foundation and the Gobi Gallop.

She applied and qualified to ride in that event, but when the Blue Wolf Totem Expedition was announced, she knew she had to participate.

“I wanted to grow and stretch myself, both in my riding and personally,” says McKenzie.

Visiting with the reindeer people was one of her most spectacular memories.

“Riding up to the reindeer people was magical,” she recalls. “We felt like we were on top of the world because it was so high up. You’d see this beautiful, colorful tepee surrounded by holly bushes and wild oak, and then all around you were these beautiful white reindeer. I did get to ride one. It was amazing!

“I learned a lot about myself,” McKenzie continues. “In times of trials, I have a lot of discipline.”

For many riders, one big challenging issue was chafing from riding in the traditional Mongolian saddles.

“We came up with ‘Chafe for Charity,’” she laughs. “I’ve done hard things, but I’m tougher than I thought. And the camaraderie was amazing. I felt a kinship at different times with different people. The 17 of us are bonded for life because of what we went through together.”

McKenzie gained great respect for the Mongolian horse.

“I would consider this the capstone to my horse career,” she says.

Escape to Mongolia

Endurance rider Heidi Telstad of British Columbia, Canada, had yearned to get back to Mongolia ever since winning the Mongol Derby in 2016.

“The Mongol Derby is such an exciting event, but definitely fast-paced, so I felt like I missed out on the Mongolian culture and beauty,” she says. At 1,000 km (621 miles), that race is deemed the longest in the world. “This three-month trek sounded like an opportunity to finally fulfill that dream.”

With an excess of stress at home, Telstad was looking for an escape. She found it in this epic adventure.

“Highlights were getting to see every inch of Mongolia,” she says. “If you ever want to really see a country, ride horses across it. The most magical [sight] was coming upon this huge sand dune in northwest Mongolia. There was a river running underneath it!”

The Last Day of the Mongolian Trek

Even for Julie—who figures she has now ridden more than 50,000 career miles—the wonderment of this long expedition never wore off, even though she knew exactly what was coming up ahead of the group.

“Every day, it would get better and better,” she says. “The route was so spectacular. The last full day of riding, we were heading up to the highest peak in Mongolia. You start in this big open valley along the Milk River, which flows from the glacier at the end point, surrounded by towering mountains. You can feel the echoes of history, and that humanity has used this valley for these amazing spiritual purposes since forever.

“I was out of my mind with how incredible it was,” she continues. “It is magic beyond comprehension.”

On this final day, the group crossed the 3,600-km mark.

“I was riding by myself, because you know it’s coming to an end, but it’s such an incredible crescendo,” Julie says. “And I didn’t really expect that it was going to be such a big thing to cross 3,600 kilometers, but when it actually happened—when this random number ticked over on the GPS, and you know you pulled it off—it’s indescribable. Everybody’s had this unimaginable, spiritual, completely mind-altering time. You’re in this pristine wilderness, and everyone started crying and hooting and hollering at the fact that we had done it.”

Crowning the event was the charity aspect of helping people in need.

“We raised just under $150,000,” Julie says. “It’s an amazing thing to go do something like this and to help kids at the same time. Now we have two kindergartens, a summer camp, community library, and a sewing center. We provide employment for [approximately] 40 people, and this money will help continue these projects.”

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An eight-day-plus, 500km multi-horse adventure race, The Gaucho Derby travels through the mountains and pampas of Patagonia and is unlike any other horse race on the planet, a test of much more than simply ‘who can go fastest’.

Part of the Equestrianists Series, which also includes The Mongol Derby (the longest horse race in existence), The Gaucho Derby is based on the landscape, culture, history and horses of Patagonia and, or course, the Gauchos themselves. Crossing through high mountains, riders have to contend with both tricky terrain and unpredictable weather, ensuring the event is more than just a test of riders’ skills on a horse, pushing navigational skills, physical stamina and an ability to handle the wilderness (with riders camping out most nights) to the limit.

Riding endurance horses for the first few days of the race, when the land levels, riders must swap horses for faster riding, but still remain mindful of not pushing their horses too hard, for fear of penalties.

“We would rather nobody wins than someone wins by pushing too hard. Riders seen making bad decisions, riding too fast across difficult terrain or not presenting horses in great condition will get penalties or be disqualified,” said Tom Morgan, The Equestrianists founder.

The end result: ‘the greatest test of horsemanship and wilderness skills on Earth’.

This was the third time the Gaucho Derby’s run, with Covid causing a break in proceedings, and 39 riders, from nine different nations, lined up at this year’s start line.

The race began on February 8 and from the off, riders learned that the environment in Patagonia can be a cruel mistress, as they faced the prospect of riding through a sandstorm. This slowed things down and no one was able to break away from the pack during the first day’s riding, with riders split between vet stations two and three as night fell. The end of the day’s riding was far from the end of the riders’ day however, as they took on the crucial responsibility of tending to their horses, ensuring they were well-fed, hydrated, and comfortably settled for the night, before setting up camp (riders carry their own tents, food and equipment) and preparing a ‘delightful’ dehydrated meal. This self-sufficiency is a hallmark of the journey, with riders managing their daily activities independently, without reliance on others or the support crew.

Day two saw six riders finally make headway on the rest of the pack, but their lead was short lived, as scorching temperatures and a complete lack of wind, made the going tough the following day. 16 riders spent the night together between vet stations seven and eight at the end of day three.

It wasn’t until day five that another breakaway occurred, with Gaucho Derby veteran Daniel Van Eden (Netherlands), endurance athlete Holly Masson (United Kingdom) and Mongol Derby veteran Rendel Rieckmann (Germany) breaking away from the pack. The trio carried the lead forward over the following three days, although at one point it looked like Daniel and Rendel would be able to get a lead over Holly, after she received a two hour riding penalty, but the pair decided to wait for her.

“Honestly, it was exhausting to constantly look over your shoulder every 10 minutes and see them chasing you,” said Rendel. “Eventually, at one of the stations, we collectively made the decision to ride together and finish as a team. It has truly been a massive relief and a much more enjoyable race since we decided to work together.”

It was these three riders who went on to claim the joint title of Gaucho Derby winners, on day eight, but only after a very tense wait at the finish line…

Midway through the race, at the Meseta de la Muerte (Plateau of Death), a fierce storm rolled in and, in consideration of the well-being of the horses and riders, the race directors opted to pause the race until it was deemed safe to proceed. At the time, Daniel, Holly and Rendel were in the lead and were given a two-hour ‘credit’ once the race had restarted.

Hot on the heels of the three riders, through the latter stages of the race, were French men Nathanael Bienvenu and Olivier Picard (who rode together throughout). They actually managed to cross the finish line first, but had to wait to see whether there was more than two hours between them and Daniel, Holly and Rendel. Unfortunately, for the French riders, there wasn’t and the trio were crowned champions of a race that will forever be etched in their minds for the scenery they rode through, the people they met, the weather and challenges they faced and, of course, the horses they rode.

Not only was the race an incredible success for all those involved, but it also helped raise thousands of dollars for various charities across the world.

For more details on the race visit www.equestrianists.com.

Gaucho Derby Winners’ Q&A

Rendel Rieckmann (Germany)

What was the most exciting part of this whole event?
There were so many exciting moments, like flying over the bushes with these amazing horses or the small things like realizing that the navigation plan, which was done the night before, really worked out well. However, the most exciting part was for sure to ride as a team and scream and shout together, whether it’s because of highs or lows.

How was it riding as a team? Did you have different roles i.e. navigator, campsite selector, etc.?
Riding as a team was essential. You hear it often, but it’s simply true: I could not have finished alone and it would be a hell lot less fun. Dan always kept his cool to keep going and had great experience from the last Derby, Holly’s drive, cheer up capability and major path finding skills and my technical and nav contribution made an amazing team. In the end it all blended a bit together as we learned a lot from each other.

How were the horses?
We were lucky with the full range of Patagonia’s beauties: from the rather relaxed and calm friends, which were easy to camp with, to the spicy rodeo ones where you wanted to take watches at night to make sure everything is OK. Every one of them became kind of a friend along the way.

What was your emotional roller coaster like during the race?
I’m not sure if this roller coaster would pass German regulatories. This much of up and down was hard to handle. There were parts when every hour basically we thought completely different from winning to not even being able to make it to the finish line. I literally wanted to quit 30km before the finish line and call it a day after we rode 10km in the national park, which was the wrong way. An hour later we saw we can still make it and the spark was back on.

It’s billed as the Toughest Horse Race. Was it really?
The first two thirds were hard but still manageable with treating yourself well with food, water and sleep. After that, it became mentally and physically very exhausting. I remember a scene when after hitting almost nine hours of mountain climbing, impassable forest, searching for gates in the labyrinths of fences and running through never ending bog fields we were partly falling on the ground begging it to end. So I guess it was quite hard!

What kept you going when you were your most exhausted?
Holly’s enthusiasm and just being a wonderful friend.

Daniel Van Eden (Netherlands)

What was the most exciting part of this whole event?
Hard to name one specific moment. Riding into the vet check where my accident happened last time and leading the race was special. The scenic terrain after Sierra Nevada was beautiful. Going over the finish and putting a checkmark to what started about four years ago felt great. I’m also proud to have finished without vet penalties.

How was it riding as a team? Did you have different roles i.e. navigator, campsite selector etc.?
Working as a team can be intense, especially with the pressure of the race and issues with the horses Holly was riding. I think in the end the team worked great because we all added different things to the team.

How were the horses?
Big, small. Some calm, some wild. Better in climbing up mountains than us. They all were beautiful. Because of how they are held, they are more social than the horses back home.

What was your emotional roller coaster like during the race?
I wasn’t expecting it to be such an emotional roller coaster — especially the part where we had crossed into the national park and had to backtrack.

It’s billed as the Toughest Horse Race. Was it really?
Yes. Especially because it needs so many different skills, physically and mentally. Horse riding, navigation, team work, finding fences, camping out, hot weather (while all of us were prepared for cold weather).

What kept you going when you were your most exhausted?
Teammates. Also other riders. And the vets, medics and other people manning the vet checks and horse stations.

— Edited Press Release

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Imagine gliding down the trail, oblivious to rough terrain, without worrying about hours spent in the saddle causing back pain. This isn’t just a dream for the fortunate owners of Paso Fino horses. Born with a naturally smooth gait that creates almost no movement for the rider, they’re the perfect way to travel down the trail, especially over long distances.

Developed in the Caribbean and Latin America from Spanish horses that were imported to the Americas, the Paso Fino is known for its smooth, four-beat lateral gait, which can be performed at three speeds. The classic fino is slow in forward movement, but the feet take very quick steps. The paso corto has medium speed and stride. The paso largo moves forward the fastest, with a longer stride.

The Paso Fino is prized for its gentle spiritedness and incredible stamina. The combination makes for a popular trail and endurance horse.

Today’s Paso Fino Horse

Today, the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) has over 60,000 registered horses and 3,500 members in 21 regions.

Recently, the PFHA held the International Mundial Championships in Miami, Fla., where horses from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and the U.S. competed. Classes were streamed on the USEF Network, with over 80,000 views from around the world—the most-watched event the network has ever had.

Trail riding is so popular within the breed that the PFHA created the Trail Horse Test Program. This gives riders a chance to demonstrate their Paso Fino horse’s skill at trail obstacles through a series of tests. It’s not a competition, but rather a way to gauge a horse’s ability to “complete tasks normally performed before, during, and after a trail ride.” There are three different levels—junior, senior and master—and awards are earned after successfully completing each level.

The PFHA has other recreational rider programs that reward Paso Fino owners who hit the trails. These programs include awards for recreational riding, competitive trail, endurance rides, long-distance pleasure rides, and more.

The Inside Scoop

Virginia Frost is a volunteer with the PFHA and on the board of directors representing the Virginia region. She is the chair of the amateur committee and serves on the Recreational Rider committee that administers the Trail Horse Test Program.

“In 2020, we had 40 horses participate in the Trail Horse Test Program,” she says. “This was our way to recognize and praise ‘just a trail horse.’”

Lynda Zimmerman from Minnesota has owned five Paso Fino horses since learning about the breed in a profile assignment for a science class.

“Their willing temperament, smaller size and reputation for being sensible, sure-footed trail horses appealed to me, as I was an adult student and not getting any taller or younger,” she says.

One mare she owned, Lluvia del Norte (Zia), earned the Rookie of the Year for PFHA, Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Rides Association (UMECRA) and Minnesota Distance Riding Association (MnDRA) in 2010.

For over nine years, Lynda and Zia competed in the PFHA Limited Distance category, documenting over 2,0000 miles before Zia retired at 20 years old. She was also a show horse, earning her PFHA Supreme Merit Award. In endurance, Zia shined as well, being a two-time PFHA Reserve Champion in Endurance/Limited Distance with many Top Tens.

Zimmerman continues to do endurance and trail riding with her younger Paso, accumulating thousands of miles and many awards along the way. HDR Petrolero de Nevado, a gelding of hers, is a three-time PFHA High Point Endurance/Limited Distance Award winner.

“All three of my competition Pasos have had great ability due to their light, athletic body types, which allow them to meet the pulse criteria for qualified finishes, but their biggest attributes are their heart and willingness,” Zimmerman says.

Donna Hajek from South Carolina fell in love with Paso Fino horses for their smooth gait, intelligence, and how they bond with humans.

“Paso Finos are very versatile, going to a show one weekend, then going out to trail ride, competitive distance riding or endurance riding the following weekend,” she explains. Hajek and her Paso Fino Sundancers Comanchero has been doing 25-mile Limited Distance rides with the American Endurance Ride Conference since 2016.

To learn more about the Paso Fino, visit the Paso Fino Horse Association website or the American Paso Fino Horse Association.

This article about Paso Fino horses appeared in the August 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Based on the ancient horse messenger system used by Genghis Khan — in a country where the horse is king — at 1,000 kilometers, the Derby is the toughest test on the planet for equestrian endurance riders. Whilst horses are changed roughly every 35km, at checkpoints strung out throughout the country, riders must endure being in the saddle for up to 200km a day and face the challenges of riding over 28 different semi-wild horses. The riders must face the animals’ varying temperaments and bucking abilities, and the inevitable falls and mishaps that happen along the way while navigating through challenging terrain, including giant sand dunes and freezing mountain passes.  

The thirteenth edition of the Mongol Derby kicked off on August 2 and looked set to be a firecracker from the off, with 42 riders from 11 different nations competing for the prestigious win. 

Watch this recap of day one of the Mongol Derby.

Day one saw Spanish rider Xavier Ferrer riding at the front of the pack for most of the day, but he wasn’t in the lead as evening fell. Having had a reversal of fortune when he abruptly parted ways with his horse en route to HS3 (horse station 3), Xavier had to hitch a ride back to HS2. This left German rider Judith Jaeckle at the front of the race as night fell.  

Over the next eight days, Judith was never far from the front of the race and showed true horsemanship skills by never having to redraw a horse (new to the race this year, every horse station was a ‘lotto’, meaning riders had to ride the horse they were given, rather than picking a horse themselves, testing their horsemanship all the more. You could, however, choose to ‘redraw’ a maximum of three times in the race if you didn’t like the look of the horse you were first given). 

The real battle of the race would come on its final stretch, as Swedish rider Linda Hermann — who had been in a game of cat and mouse with Judith over the previous days — finally managed to overtake the German rider to take the lead. . . but only just, and it certainly wasn’t a two-horse race. Hot on the ladies’ tails was American Marine Matthew Perrella, whose navigation prowess and luck of the draw with some seriously fast racehorses, now put him in contention for the Mongol Derby win. 

As it came down to the last two horse stations, Linda found herself deep in a bog. Luckily she and her horse were fine, but it was a very tense moment and a vet team was dispatched before her horse was cleared to continue. This slowed the Swedish rider down, and allowed Judith and Matt to both gain ground, riding on very fast horses. It was down to the wire, but Linda was able to make it to the final horse station, before the finish line. She cleared the vet check (these checks happen at every checkpoint to ensure all horses are OK and haven’t been ridden too hard), and remounted on a seriously fit racehorse while still in the lead. The win seemed hers, as long as her horse passed the final vet check at the finish line. 

But Judith and Matt had other ideas and reached the final horse station almost within eyesight of Linda. They both changed horses swiftly. With Matt on one of the most feral and fastest horses on the course, he crossed the finish line shortly after Linda, with Judith a mere few minutes behind him. 

With bated breath, everyone waited for Linda’s vet check to clear (a penalty would lead to her losing the win), but finally the news came that her horse’s heart rate was below the 56 beats per minute requirement and the win was hers. Matt and Judith cleared their vet checks shortly after crossing, with Matt claiming second place and Judith third. 

Not only was the race an incredible success for all those involved, but it also helped raise a huge amount of money for charity. The Mongol Derby to date has raised over $1 million for charities, with each rider asked to raise funds for good causes. Among them was the race’s official charity partner, Steppe and Hoof, whose objective is to support the herders and their animals while working to save the unique traditions that are part of the Mongolian nomadic lifestyle as it comes under fire from climate change and urbanization.  

Matthew Perella was also raising money for The Righteous Life Rescue Ranch, which he founded to help retired horses and death row dogs, as well as to provide equine therapy to veterans with PTSD, those with special needs, and anyone seeking inner peace and overall improved health.   

For more details on the Mongol Derby, visit www.equestrianists.com.  

Comments from Winner Linda Hermann at the Mongol Derby Finish Line

Linda on being stuck in the bog en route to the last horse station: 

“I had a lot of pressure today. . . but [the horse] just got up and nothing was wrong with him. The vet cleared him and we continued to the final station.” 

Linda on her favorite part of the race: 

“Riding alone.” 

Linda on expectation vs. reality:

“The rodeos at the horse station, I expected that, and I got it. Most notably being kicked in the stomach.”

Linda on the horses she raced on: 

“The thing is, when you’re going so fast on some of these horses, there’s a feeling that, ‘If my horse trips, I am dead,’ but they didn’t trip. The risk and the feeling was just incredible.”

— Edited Press Release

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First developed in England strictly for the purpose of racing, the Thoroughbred began with three foundation stallions: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. Named after the men who owned them, these stallions were born in the Middle East and brought to England at the turn of the 18th century. They were bred with hardy native mares.

The horses that resulted from these crossings proved to be very fast over long distances. The British aristocracy had discovered the sport of horse racing, and the Thoroughbred became a favorite.

Selective breeding made the Thoroughbred faster and faster with each generation, and in 1791, James Weatherby researched and published the first volume of the breed’s General Stud Book. The book featured the pedigree of 387 mares that could be traced back to one of the three original foundation stallions.

Since then, the Thoroughbred breed has become synonymous with professional horse racing around the world. When people think of racehorses, they think of the Thoroughbred. Household names such as Man o’ War, Seabiscuit and Secretariat made racing a favorite American pastime.

More Than Speed

The Thoroughbred has been a racehorse for centuries, yet it turns out this amazing breed can do a lot more than run. An organization called the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has had a hand in proving that Thoroughbreds bred for racing are also incredibly versatile as sport horses, and they can excel in a variety of disciplines.

Jen Roytz, executive director of the RRP, has seen this firsthand and knows why.

“So much careful thought, research and planning goes into the mating that produces each Thoroughbred with the goal of creating an elite equine athlete,” she says. “During their formative years, they are raised and cared for with that same goal in mind, and as a result receive proper nutrition and care as they develop.”

This care, combined with centuries of careful breeding, results in a very athletic horse, according to Roytz. And while the goal for most Thoroughbreds is to be a superior athlete on the track, racing is not the only good use of its athleticism.

“Their agility, stamina, adaptability and versatility make them well-suited for a variety of sports outside of racing,” she says.

Many people are familiar with Thoroughbreds competing in jumping, eventing, dressage, and even barrel racing, polo and endurance. But there’s more to discover outside the box when it comes to this breed.

“Their demeanor, intelligence and curiosity make them the perfect partner for everything from ranch work, trail sports, liberty training and recreational riding to lesson programs, therapeutic riding and more.”

Thoroughbred Horse Makeover

Over the past few years, Thoroughbreds have proven this at the RRP’s annual Thoroughbred Makeover event, held in Kentucky. Over the past six years, the group has named champions in 10 disciplines: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, show jumping, show hunter, field hunter, polo, ranch work and freestyle (a free-form division).

More people are starting to recognize the value of the breed in different sports.

“This can be seen in the increase in the number of horses adopted from the racetrack and the increase in the prices paid for them,” says Roytz.

“Each year, more than half of our Thoroughbred Makeover trainers are competing in the event for the first time, and many are formally taking on the task of retraining a Thoroughbred from racing to their new career for the first time. That shows us the needle is moving, and more people are choosing Thoroughbreds for equestrian sports.”

Other organizations are also aware of this. There is the Jockey Club’s Trainer Incentive Program (TIP), which encourages the retraining of retired Thoroughbred racehorses for other disciplines. The TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, run by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., is another.

It can be breathtaking to watch a Thoroughbred run at full speed on the track, but it can be just as impressive to see one of these athletes perform a flawless dressage test or soar over an oxer in a show jumping class. Whatever the sport, Thoroughbreds are proving they remain the horse world’s finest athletes.

The post Thoroughbred Horses Find a Second Calling appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Heather Reynolds and her husband, Jeremy, train endurance horses at Reynolds Racing in Dunnellon, Fla. Between the two of them, the Reynolds have four Tevis Cup wins, multiple national championship wins and best condition awards and team and individual golds from the North American Endurance Championships. Heather was the first American rider to cross the finish line at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Lexington, Ky. Currently, they have six horses—all purebred Arabians—that they are bringing along as prospective competitors for Normandy.

Miles of Training

Endurance horses at the Games compete in a 100-mile race, and the winning teams will finish in approximately seven hours. That kind of sustained effort requires careful conditioning, but Reynolds explains that they don’t log as many training hours as people might think.

“Our horses work six days a week,” she says. “We ride them three days and the other three they’re on the EuroXciser [a type of hot walker]. When they’re in top training, they’re probably doing a total of 70 miles a week between the EuroXciser and riding.”

It takes a lot of conditioning miles to get a horse ready for a 100-mile ride, and trainers must strike a balance between preparing a horse for long distances and avoiding too much wear and tear on their bodies.

“Our horses might go 11 miles twice a week, and then do 20 on a Saturday or Sunday,” Reynolds says. “The longest training ride we’ll do is about 23 miles, but we’ll do shorter races as part of the training.” These training races can be up to 75 miles and help to prepare the horses for the main event.

“The best way to train for a race is to be super flexible,” says Reynolds. “The horse dictates the workouts. You might have 23 miles planned, but if you get six miles into it and realize your horse isn’t feeling great, you just have to change your plans.”

While many of the endurance horses at the Games are veterans of the 100-mile distance, that’s not always the case. At the 2010 Games, Reynolds rode a horse named Ssamiam to a finish that was just five minutes shy of the winning time. It was only the horse’s second 100-mile race.

Feeding the Endurance Horse

It takes a lot of energy to churn out all the miles that top endurance horses do, but when not at a competition, their daily feeding regimen isn’t that much different than that of average pleasure horses.

“Our guys just get grain once a day,” says Reynolds. “We go for quality over quantity when it comes to grain. They also have free-choice orchard/alfalfa hay in front of them all day.” The Reynolds’ horses also get supplements, including selenium, MSM, a mineral supplement to prevent ulcers and a magnesium-based supplement for muscle recovery.

On race days, endurance horses burn a tremendous amount of calories and are fed accordingly. “Basically, we set up a buffet [at the vet stops during the race] and the horses can eat whatever they want,” says Reynolds. “We give them everything they get at home, plus whatever sweet feed I can buy locally—that’s like their temptation, their potato chips. The day of the race, all bets are off. They can eat whatever they want.”

Reynolds explains that while this race-day feeding routine would be risky for a horse with metabolic issues, such as insulin resistance or Cushing’s syndrome, the horses that contest the big races are highly conditioned and healthy athletes, and with the amount of energy they need, the risks of overfeeding are minimal.

“If a horse was just eating bucket after bucket of sweet feed, I would take it away,” says Reynolds. “But they usually take a little of this and a little of that. They really self-regulate.”

Prepare for Liftoff

The one time an endurance horse’s diet can be problematic is prior to a long journey, like the one that the horses headed for Normandy will be taking this summer.

“We’ll cut way back on grain [leading up to the trip], and then take the horses off grain entirely the week before they travel just to reduce the risk of tying up,” says Reynolds. “They’re so fit, and then they get cooped up to travel. If you keep them on their regular ration, they will tie up. That’s the biggest concern in general for endurance horses when they travel.”

Although the team won’t be announced for a few more months, Reynolds is looking forward to the prospect of competing on Normandy’s endurance course. The route incorporates a variety of terrain around the Norman countryside, over hills, through forests and even down the beach. The riders will pass in front of the iconic Mont Saint-Michel, a historic Benedictine abbey on an island just off the coast.

“This course has only been ridden once in its entirety,” she says. “No one can study past statistics on it, so you’re going with your own talent and knowledge based on what’s in front of you while you’re riding. It’s kind of nice. It takes more skill.

“Another cool thing is that we’ll get to ride on Normandy beach,” adds Reynolds. “That’s what I love about endurance. You get to go 100 miles and see places you’d never see otherwise.”

Find out more about Heather and Jeremy’s program at reynoldsracing.us.

Learn more about the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy at Normandy2014.com.

The post Getting Ready for the Games: Endurance appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.