Arab horses and endurance riding

Bodshi

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2009
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As a child I always wanted an Arabian horse - thing is I've never actually ridden one but I think it was a book (or two) I read about them that set me off. I've also always (even during my 30 year break from riding) wanted a horse that I could 'be' with, just doing things together.

I think the thing that has surprised me most since returning to riding last year is that the 'done thing' seems to be to do a bit of schooling or jumping in the arena or go out on a hack round the fields, which to me is a bit like walking the dog, only on top of a horse! After an hour or two that's it.

My own dream of having a horse was and still is to spend hours or even whole days exploring the countryside, popping logs and galloping along grassy canal banks. With that in mind, I wondered whether endurance riding would be a good hobby? I've had a look on some websites and see there seem to be pleasure rides going on as well as the competitive stuff which I think would be a bit beyond me at my current level of fitness and inexperience, as it does look pretty tough.

I've also discovered that Arabs seem to be a very popular choice for this type of riding. However I've seen adverts for Arabs that say 'typical Arab so not novice ride'. What does that mean??! I don't mind horses that are lively/forward going or jumpy, but wouldn't be keen on a bucker or napper, nor would I want anything bad tempered on the ground.

I'm not ready to get a horse yet as am taking things slowly to make sure I know what I really want and am ready and capable, which might never happen! I returned to riding last year, am loaning this year, see how that goes first - but I am thinking about what direction I want to go in.

Anyone have any experience of Arabs or Endurance? Would love to hear any thoughts.
 
you really cant beat an old style arab for endurance, its just hard work making sure that the arab you get is old style and not show ring bred, show ring breeding breeds out everything that you want for endurance.


Get the right one, and you've got a pal for life who will look after you and put his neck on the line for you.


Arabs are sensitive in a way that they respond far quicker to bad riding than most other breeds to, they either quickly tell you it wont be tolerated so pull your socks up, or they get so ****ed off with it that they fall into being nappy/spooky just because they really dont enjoy being ridden badly.

I've competed endurance with my arab alongside up to 20 other arabs and the whole atmosphere was one of competion excitement but utter horsey calmness.
 
My own dream of having a horse was and still is to spend hours or even whole days exploring the countryside, popping logs and galloping along grassy canal banks. With that in mind, I wondered whether endurance riding would be a good hobby?

Endurance riding at the competitive levels is a way of life rather than a mere hobby!
I competed at a fairly high level around 20 years ago and am glad I left it when I did, as the big money started entering the sport.

Nowadays I live your dream.

I have an Arab mare who is the calmest, sanest thing on four legs, and a true friend. I also have her up-and-coming replacement, a Sec C 4yo mare. Two very different types physically - I am not at all sure of riding Rosie's bouncing butcher-boy trot, being accustomed to Kal's floating paces - and two very different types mentally, too, with Rosie being like a labrador, bouncing all over me for attention, yipping and yapping and licking and pawing, and Kal sidling up quietly as a greyhound would do, using an appealing gaze to speak volumes in silence. But both of them are simply delightful companions out on the hills and in the forests for hours and days at a time.

What part of the country are you in?
 
Thanks both, it's lovely to hear from you. Suppose I'll never know what it's like to ride an Arab until I try one and perhaps I'd better practice my riding skills first. I'd love to learn to be more sensitive with my commands but TBH riding a hulking half-ton rather idle b*gg*r is not helping in this respect. It is building up my inner thigh muscles though, which has got to be good! I would absolutely love to come face to face with an arab, thought I might go along to an endurance event just to have a look at the horses and see what goes on.

Take your point old woman (don't feel right calling you that!) about being a way of life rather than a hobby - hope I didn't cause offence! I'm not wanting to compete seriously, just have an idea it would be nice to spend some time enjoying different scenery and new challenges with like-minded people.

I'm in East Yorkshire, but pretty much on the boundary between North, South, East and West. I work in Leeds but live about 30 miles to the East down the M62. There is some nice countryside about (including a log and grassy canal banks!) and I could hack into South Yorkshire on the trans-pennine way and bridle paths without having to do much roadwork. Unfortunately, the yard where my loan horse lives is on the other side of the motorway and the area isn't so nice for hacking, without doing a fair amount on busy roads first. I bet you've got fantastic rides in 'deepest North Northumberland' - one thing we are lacking here is hills!

Funny Louki, when you said "Get the right one, and you've got a pal for life who will look after you and put his neck on the line for you." it reminds me about the reason we chose the breed of our dog (Pyrennean Mountain dog) - it was because the dog breed book I had said a Pyrennean is "loyal until death to his family and will fight to the death to protect them". Sounds quite similar (apart from the doggy fighting thing perhaps!)
 
They're amazing are arabs, you dont just have a bond or a horse owner relationship, you are soulmates. You become so intune with eachother that at times its slightly spooky to those who dont know arabs.


I'd have one up here if If only it was fair to have one here, but to ask an arab to do a winter of regular gales and a solid month of heavy rain is to much.
 
My own dream of having a horse was and still is to spend hours or even whole days exploring the countryside, popping logs and galloping along grassy canal banks. . . . I've seen adverts for Arabs that say 'typical Arab so not novice ride'. What does that mean??! I don't mind horses that are lively/forward going or jumpy, but wouldn't be keen on a bucker or napper, nor would I want anything bad tempered on the ground.

You sound like an Arab person to me!:D Do you know any border collies, er sheepdogs I guess you call them over there? Well, Arabs are like that, only they're horses. Demons for work, sensitive, sweet-natured, a tad neurotic but generally not a mean bone in their bodies, and - did I mention they like to work?

Best of all riding an Arab you'll learn how to stick tight in the tack - or spend lots of time on the ground.:D Lots of creatures like to eat Arabs. Tractorsaurus eataponies (a nefarious species often found on farms); minature feathered pterodactyls (known to you and me as pigeons, but there you are); sabertoothed barncats - all of these lurk around hoping to catch an Arab unawares and make a snack of him. There is, however, no such thing as an unaware Arab, so the breed survives.;)

My RI has me on an Arab (-aloosa) and she says I'm a novice. I'm a novice with a damned good seat by now:p which RI says is different from a "beginner." But it's all thanks to the company I keep. I say Arabs rock.
 
Best of all riding an Arab you'll learn how to stick tight in the tack - or spend lots of time on the ground.:D Lots of creatures like to eat Arabs. Tractorsaurus eataponies (a nefarious species often found on farms); minature feathered pterodactyls (known to you and me as pigeons, but there you are); sabertoothed barncats - all of these lurk around hoping to catch an Arab unawares and make a snack of him. There is, however, no such thing as an unaware Arab, so the breed survives.;)

Salt and vinegar crisp packets ! only thing that ever spooked my boy and you'd get the full snorting tail up dancing on toes mummie mummie its after me ! then 2 mins later he'd cruise past combine harvesters and fully loaded forestry trucks
 
Salt and vinegar crisp packets ! only thing that ever spooked my boy and you'd get the full snorting tail up dancing on toes mummie mummie its after me ! then 2 mins later he'd cruise past combine harvesters and fully loaded forestry trucks

Ah, well, you apparently did not get the memo - Arab-eating gremlins frequently cloak themselves in potato chip bags, erm, I mean, crisp packets.:D

My first RI's Arab displayed admirable sang froid about farm machinery. Even those big scary things that dump grain by the ton into a hopper with a big whooosh-thump noise. He was the one who clued me in about pigeons' appetite for Arab meat, however.;)

I might get me an Arab one day - I really like the beasts. They're curious as kittens, affectionate as puppies, and you can't wear 'em out. Sounds like a good hunt horse to me. Just have to bombproof him to hounds. (disclaimer: in the US we do not kill the fox. or coyote. really)

I've seen Arabs who were calmer than Quarter Horses. Of course, our QH's over here are about half TB nowadays, so I'm not sure that's saying much!:eek:

Where do you live, Louki? I know Wally's always said the same about her climate being too harsh for an Arab. (Not a problem in South Carolina.:D We're a good bit more humid than an Arab's native land, but the heat's about the same!:D)
 
I've just looked at your profile Louki and seen where you live - get your point! See you have an Icelandic though which has got to be good! Saw my first one of these whilst trekking in Skye last October - looked like a little 'Thelwell' pony (don't know if you're old enough to remember Thelwell). Have you always lived up there? (Another one of my dreams is to live on the west coast of Scotland - not sure how extreme we could go - but my OH can't cope with the midgies in summer). Thanks for the tip about what to look for in an endurance horse - I have seen that one on Horsemart and in fact I think it was looking at that advert that got me thinking about owning an Arab again, but he has been for sale for quite a while now, which made me wonder if he isn't quite the catch he sounds. Don't have any experience of horse buying, but have been following Madmoo's posts on the search for the holy grail, which has made me a bit suspicious about some adverts! I've been looking at yours too Pineapple!

Peace - LOL - was very impressed by your spelling BTW! Yep, think I'd have fun with a border collie (we do call them that) type horse but I like the sound of Louki's calm one too!
 
I am lucky enough to ride my friends arab. Its taken two years and she finally greets me when I come to the stable. She is a one person horse and hangs on her owners word. She just tolerates me. Saying that she is very brave and will do anything for you and will place complete trust in you. She is marish and will bite when you tack her up if you don't keep an eye on her so not for the faint hearted. We recently turned western with her as saddle fitting was a big issue and she is now calm and relaxed most of the time. We can go past tractors, combines, roadworks, lorries, hedge cutters with just a small tremble, but cows (alias lions in disguise) frighten the pants off of her, and she skips past keeping a close eye on this predator. She will stand stock still when a fighter jet whoshes in for the kill, but will jump out of her skin when a duck takes flight. She'd never bolt with you, just prance about. She reared once half heartidly when a tractor suddenly appeared out of nowhere and startled her, but this was a couple of years ago. I love riding her, but I have to say I don't think I would buy one. I like to be able to relax around horses, and I always feel on my toes with her.
 
The right Arab will be as calm and as quiet as anyone could want - but never unresponsive! All three of mine have volunteered in RDA, being especially patient with mentally handicapped pony-mad teenagers. One Down's Syndrome lass became a VERY popular young lady among the other 'normal' pony-mad teenagers when it became known that she had - mysteriously! - gained access to a pure-bred Arab.

They are, in general, exceedingly generous horses - even more generous as a breed than are horse in generaly - BUT that generosity is rarely extended to those who take them for fools, as I saw some years ago when a young relative of mine, with all the arrogant know-it-all confidence of a dozen lessons at a dodgy riding school, attempted to tack up and then ride the Arab I had at that time.

The previous day my mare had spent at RDA, and had taken several teenagers and young ladies very carefully through a range of lessons and hacks, even letting one severely physically and slightly mentally handicapped young lady ride her unaccompanied (although discreetly watched) round the fields and woodlands surrounding the RDA centre, as a 21st birthday treat. The birthday girl even enjoyed a canter across a field, which was so controlled - by my mare, and my mare alone - that the rider felt not even the slightest wobble.

Yet this same mare bit my young relative hard in the small of her back when the girth was yanked up too tightly, too roughly and too quickly. She then proceeded to rattle her around the local tracks at a joltingly-rough trot and, when she was asked - with a kick in the ribs! - for a canter in the lower meadow, dropped a shoulder in a very calculated way and came straight back home, leaving my young relative with a very cold and wet backside in a soggy patch of rushes and a 3 mile walk in riding boots...

She was a mare with Russian bloodlines, pretty and feminine with an innocent expression and very crafty and sly at times, but never with any malice intended. My second Arab was pure Spanish, a 'discard' from the military stud and indeed somewhat plain physically - but as tough as they come, and affectionate and friendly in a very quiet and undemanding, undemonstrative way. My present mare is also of chiefly Spanish breeding, physically prettier than the other, but with a similar character although more open about the affection.

All of them have been bomb-proof in traffic, sensible in every way to handle in any circumstances and what I can only describe as easy yet forward-going , interesting rides. All of them have had far more talent than I, with my feeble riding skills, have been able to exploit but none of them has ever been 'beyond' me, even when a friend rode one in affilliated dressage and horrified the county's dressage divas by getting points - ON AN ARAB!!! - or when one of my daughters took one of them eventing. The one who went eventing actually won a working hunter class at a local show. She was the only one in the ring who went clear. I had only entered for a laugh; I had hunted regularly (plaited and produced as a correct hunter should be!) and she had always been admired in the hunt as a forward-going, workman-like little mare, once the prejudice against Arabs has been forgotten; it was partly as a bet with the huntsman that I entered her into the WH class.

As you can tell, I LOVE Arabs. Correct that. I don't just love them, I adore them.

Why, then, do I have a native pony as my next horse?

Size. If Arabs came with a built-in stepladder I would never have any other breed but I really am starting to struggle with 15 hands. If a sensibly-bred pure Arab of 13.2hh could be obtained with reasonable ease, I would never look at another breed.
 
They're amazing are arabs, you dont just have a bond or a horse owner relationship, you are soulmates. You become so intune with eachother that at times its slightly spooky to those who dont know arabs. .

Totally agree, my old arab mare who I rode for 15 years (but have had since birth) knew my thoughts, we were so connected. (I still have her but she is retired through a field injury:()

My next horse will be an arab, at the moment my mid life crisis has taken me back to having a tb which I had as a teenager (revisiting my youth)and I love her, but I'll always want an arab.
 
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Thanks everyone, you've certainly done nothing to put me off! They sound amazing, so intelligent and sensitive. I'll have try to get along to an endurance event I think, unfortunately the next local-ish one I've found is on OH birthday. Do I think non-horsey OH would like to go to an endurance event as a birthday treat? Er, no!
 
yay another conversion ! Only downside being that if you get one, when i see the pics, ill be green with envy.
 
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