Each discipline has its own type of training: the interesting world of endurance horses.

Autumn is approaching and it is now time for many riders to start competing again. All kinds of competitions and races in all disciplines are kicking off again in full force this season, including horse training.

Endurance racing is possibly more intriguing than any other discipline, particularly when it comes to managing training sessions. One of the questions that endurance riders often receive from both riders and non-riders who do not engage in endurance sports is ‘how much do you need to train to do that many kilometres?’We will try to offer some insight into why it is not that easy to give a straightforward answer to this question and why ten different riders who are asked this question are likely to give ten different answers.

The first thing to be said is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all training programme as numerous factors come into play when preparing for an endurance race. For instance, the type of competition being faced and the type of horse that needs training. These two macro variables encompass an unlimited number of aspects that should not be overlooked when planning any task.

While some endurance horses are genetically better suited to covering long distances than others, all of them (whether Arabian thoroughbred or Anglo-Arab) are unique creatures and need to be treated as such. In each case, a careful rider will devise specific training sessions according to the aptitude, age, physical condition, temperament, strengths and weaknesses of the horse as well as the distance covered in competitions and training.

In addition, when it comes to the actual race, many variables come into play: the distance to be covered (categories range from a minimum of 20 to a maximum of 160 kilometres in a day), the number of competition days (some races run over two consecutive days), the type of track (flat or with major gradients), and the type of terrain.

Training is usually spread over several weekly sessions (3 or 4) lasting 2 to 4 hours on average, which can be carried out at all three gaits along country, mixed or mountain trails. Those who need and/or have the opportunity to do so, can combine some galloping sessions on the track (maximum 1 hour and 30 minutes/2 hours) and, if necessary, some training on a flat ground, for example to correct any gait asymmetries.

In order to gain a better understanding of how training works progressively and at what intensity, think of the profile of a pyramid: the loading phase starts at the base with light work and gradually increases until it reaches the apex (normally 15 days before the race), after which it descends just as gradually (unloading phase) so that the horse can be both well rested and adequately prepared for the race.

And as for nutrition and supplements,itis an entirely different chapter: in the preparation phase and during the race, nothing should be left to chance in terms of what the endurance horse eats. Strenuous efforts such as those required of endurance horses can also be sustained through a proper diet that meets all of the animal’s nutritional needs.

In this case, useful aids come in handy such as electrolytes, which compensate for substantial mineral loss due to sweating, specific feed and protein cores capable of providing adequate support for horses who have high energy requirements. Nowadays, endurance horses can be particularly sensitive and emotional, which is why it is a good idea to supplement them with products specifically formulated to promote their psychological and physical well-being and containing key nutrients such as magnesium, passionflower and tryptophan for example, which promote a natural state of relaxation. We should also bear in mind that veterinary and nutritional advice is of crucial importance in all preparation phases.

Let’s now dispel a myth or, rather, an idea that most people have, particularly those who do not engage in endurance sports.

Did you know that when an endurance horse is being trained, it never covers the same number of kilometres during training as during the race? For instance, a rider and his or her horse preparing for a 120-kilometre race do not cover 100-120 kilometres trotting and galloping every time they train. On the contrary, it is the sum of everything that has been gradually and steadily accomplished over the previous months that will allow the horse to be in top physical and mental condition to successfully and safely tackle the race.

There is no doubt that horses’ joints and tendons are under a lot of strain at every stage of training; therefore, the use of specific gels and products for external use (strictly doping free) containing herbal extracts, with an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving action, such as Arnica, Horse chestnut and St. John’s wort, can have a major relieving action on the horse’s limbs.

And what about rest periods?  Once again, numerous factors come into play and vary from one horse to another; however, all horses that have participated in endurance races are required to take a compulsory period of rest imposed by the F.I.S.E. (Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports) and the F.E.I. (International Federation for Equestrian Sports).

Rest days vary depending on the distance completed (which is the total number of kilometres of completed stages) in the following manner:

• up to 19 km in 5 days,
• more than 19 and up to 106 km in 12 days,
• more than 106 and up to 126 km in 19 days,
• more than 126 and up to 146 km in 26 days,
• more than 146 km in 33 days.

The Federation requires horses that fail to finish the race and that are eliminated due to lameness, metabolic problems or injuries to take extended periods of rest, with up to 180 days off from racing in the most severe cases. If you would like to learn more about this subject, please refer directly to the National Endurance Regulations which became effective on 1 January 2023 and are available for consultation at https://www.fise.it/english-version.html

In addition to the minimum amount of rest days required by these two federations, riders are thankfully more and more frequently choosing to allow their horses to rest for longer periods of time, exclusively in the paddock.

We hope that this concise but thorough overview, which is not intended to be 100% exhaustive, has given you an idea of how managing endurance horses and their training is very much a part of a complex yet truly intriguing world.