Endurance riding is an exciting sport that welcomes riders of all ages and equines of all breeds. Getting started may seem daunting, but there are many ways to learn the ropes. Here’s how to get your foot in the door, even if you don’t have a horse.

Volunteering

Endurance riding is a sport that runs on volunteers. More hands are always welcome, and there’s no better way to see the inner workings of an endurance ride than by spending your day helping out.

Common volunteer roles on ride day include:

Timer – The timer is responsible for noting when teams come into the hold, when they pulse down, and when they are allowed to leave on their next loop. This can be busy, tricky role, but there’s always someone willing to show you how it’s done. Timers have a front row seat to watch how the horses and riders are performing, plus there’s plenty of time to swap stories with the old timers (pun intended) between rushes.

Pulser – Pulsers are responsible for checking the heart rates of horses as they come into the hold. You’ll want to be familiar with the use of a stethoscope, wear a watch with a second hand, and know how to calculate an equine heart rate based on a 10-second listen. This role puts you up close with the horses and riders all day long.

Vet Scribe – Vet scribes jot down scores called out by the veterinarians as they check each horse’s soundness and metabolic parameters. This role offers a fascinating window into the nuances of the sport and the care that is taken to keep the horses safe.

Renaissance (Wo)man – If you don’t feel ready for a more “official” role, there’s always a need for folks who can help with miscellaneous tasks. This could range from helping fill water tanks or fetch hay to preparing dinner for the riders or simply holding horses while their riders run to the porta-potty.

Best practices for volunteering:

• Give a heads-up to the ride manager – advise re any limitations and level of experience – none is ok (holding gate takes no skill and is extremely well appreciated by riders and RM!)
• Show up as promised
• Bring snacks and drinking water
• Keep dogs and kids under control for safety of all
• Follow rider instructions
• Don’t take bad moods personaly
• Wait for quiet moments to ask questions
• Stay for awards if you can

Crewing

Although it’s perfectly possible to ride endurance without crew, many competitors enjoy the luxury of having a dedicated individual or team to assist them. If you know an endurance rider, ask if they’d like you to crew them at their next event.

Crew members see the most action when their riders are in camp. They make sure both horse and rider have everything they need to recover and prepare for the next loop. Depending on the task your rider assigns, you might fill water bottles, prepare snacks, soak mashes, swap hoof boots, sponge sweat, swipe sunscreen, find a lost ride card, or check the ribbon color your rider needs to follow next.

Crewing will give you an intimate look at the inside of an endurance ride, including the trials and triumphs of your rider. As a bonus, you’ll have plenty of time to shoot the breeze with other crew and volunteers while your rider is on the trail.

Best practices for crewing:

• Ask what your rider needs ahead of time
• Follow instructions carefully
• Be prepared to hurry up and wait
• Don’t take bad moods personally
• Don’t feel useless if it seems like there isn’t much to do – sometimes a friendly smile and someone to hold your horse is all you need and very mjuch needed

Catch Riding

Catch riding is competing on someone else’s horse. Many riders try to keep multiple horses fit for endurance distances, but they can only ride one at a time. This may mean they need someone like you to ride their other horses.

Being invited to catch ride is an honor. The horse’s owner is entrusting you with his or her precious partner, not to mention all the resources that have been poured into getting the horse ready. It is critical to be a strong, balanced, thoughtful rider and follow the owner’s instructions precisely. 

Of course, you’ll also want to keep yourself safe by accepting catch rides only on horses you’re comfortable handling in the charged race environment.

By taking excellent care of someone else’s horse, you increase your likelihood of becoming a recommended catch rider in high demand.

Best practices for catch riding:

• Ask local riders, clubs, and on social media
• Get recommendations
• Usually ride with the owner; either way, follow instructions to the letter and err on the side of caution
• Plan to pay your entry and possibly contribute to costs, which are substantial – fuel, electrolytes, hoof protection, UlcerGard – can be hundreds of dollars
• Help with the work, which is also substantial – takes a lot more effort to manage and care for 2+ horses in camp – don’t just ride. Be available to tack up (if wanted) handwalk, clean up horses and tack, fill water buckets, set up and break down camp, prepare meals for riders and crew
• Don’t be a flake! Treat the opportunity like the honor it is. Show up on time, every time, communicate, have a good attitude.
• Your reputation – good or bad – will precede you. Endurance is a small world, so make sure that reputation is good.

Although most riders who are new to endurance are not new to horsemanship, safe participation in the sport does have a steep learning curve. I recommend getting your hands on all the resources you can find to educate yourself on everything from the rules to gear to equine physiology. Here are some good places to start:

Books – Most appear outdated, but nearly all the information is still accurate, so don’t let that scare you off. They are a good place to start because give a comprehensive picture. My favorites are included in my 5 Top Books for Endurance Riders.

Social media – Mind all the usual cautions. Short blurbs often miss the larger context and either ignore or overemphasize certain nuances. Do not let this be your primary source of information! That’s lazy. Do the work of reading a book, then absorbing articles from reliable sources.

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