New to Endurance

New to the sport? This page walks you through everything from “what is endurance riding?” to what to pack for your first ride. It’s based on VERA’s official Getting Started in Endurance handbook (2019) — the full handbook is also available as a single printable PDF if you’d rather read it that way.

• 1.Introduction to Endurance
• 2.Becoming a Member
• 3.Qualifying Your Horse
• 4.Entering a Ride
• 5.Preparing for Ride Day
• 6.On the Day
• 7.Vetting & Strapping
• 8.Finishing Up
• 9.Glossary
• 10.Getting Involved

1. Introduction to Endurance

Welcome to the exciting world of Endurance riding. The Victorian Endurance Riders Association (VERA) welcomes all people to share in the challenges, the fun and the camaraderie that make our sport so wonderful.

Endurance riding is one of the most family-friendly, diverse and accessible horse sports in Australia, embracing riders of all ages, families and support crew, volunteers, officials, veterinarians, sponsors and suppliers. There are so many ways to be involved — something is sure to fit your vision of what you would like from an equestrian sport (see Getting Involved, below).

Based originally on the military requirement for a horse and rider to travel lengthy distances and arrive at their destination fit and ready to continue on, endurance competition gained wider attention when the USA introduced the Tevis Cup, a 100-mile event, in 1955.

Australia’s premier event, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup 160km ride, was first run in 1966 as a way to showcase and reward the Aussie spirit of horse and rider tackling the terrain and conditions unique to our country. The founders were renowned stockman Tom Quilty and legendary outbackman R.M. Williams.

As time has progressed, so has the sport. We arrive at a modern equestrian discipline, governed by unmatched equine welfare rules and monitored via computerised administration and timing systems — but the spirit of the sport remains as it always has been: the partnership of horse and rider, who hold our motto close to their hearts:

Ride types

An “affiliated” ride is one approved by VERA’s State Management Committee and run under AERA’s rules. There are three types:

• Introductory ride — under 40km, non-competitive. Designed to introduce new horses and riders to how a ride is run, at a maximum set speed.
• Intermediate ride — usually 40–60km, non-competitive, at a maximum novice speed.
• Endurance ride — competitive, minimum 80km in one day. Riders/horses with Endurance status can travel above the novice speed cap.

2. Becoming a Member

You don’t need to be a VERA member to try an Introductory or Intermediate ride — a day-membership fee covers your insurance instead. To ride an 80km+ Endurance ride, you need to:

1. Become a member of your state’s affiliated endurance association (VERA, if you’re in Victoria).
2. Successfully complete 2 affiliated training rides.

Membership is now handled through AERA’s online member portal rather than a paper form — see the Become a Member page for the membership classes on offer, or contact the Membership Registrar if you get stuck. Riders progress through two levels as they build experience:

• Novice Riding Membership — your starting point. Novice riders have a maximum speed limit and can’t enter rides over 120km.
• Endurance Riding Membership — once you’ve completed 2 training rides and 240km of affiliated endurance rides, you can upgrade. This lifts the speed restriction (if you’re also riding a qualified Endurance horse) and requires purchasing a riding bib.

3. Qualifying Your Horse

Your horse needs a logbook before it can enter an Endurance ride (Introductory and Intermediate rides can use a Vet Card instead). Apply via the Logbook Application form, sent to the Logbook Registrar with the appropriate fee.

• Microchipping is compulsory for new horses entering the sport (a vet must do this and sign the logbook). Clearly visible brands are an accepted alternative if a horse isn’t microchipped.
• Novice Horse — hasn’t yet completed 240km of affiliated endurance rides; must be 5+ years old with a full mouth of permanent teeth; capped at 120km rides.
• Endurance Horse — has completed 240km of affiliated endurance rides (minimum 3 rides, over at least 90 days, max 4 rides per 90-day window). An Endurance horse that hasn’t started a ride in 13 months reverts to riding as a Novice horse until it completes one.

4. Entering a Ride

Pre-nomination is compulsory — contact the Ride Organiser (RO) listed on the ride calendar at least 2 weeks ahead (or as they specify) to let them know you’re coming, and let them know too if your plans change.

5. Preparing for Ride Day

Most Intermediate and Endurance rides require checking in the afternoon before (usually Saturday), camping overnight with your horse, with the ride itself on Sunday morning. Many Introductory rides let you arrive and leave same-day. Either way, here’s what to bring:

6. On the Day

Arriving: find the Secretary’s Office / Entry tent if you’re not sure where to camp. Set up your yards and get organised before the next day’s riding so you’re not hunting for gear between legs.

Entry: hand over your entry and waiver forms, membership card, and logbook at the Ride Secretary/Entry tent. You’ll get a ride number — wear it as your outermost garment for the whole ride.

Pre-ride vetting: present your horse unsaddled, without bandages/boots/rugs, logbook in hand. A TPR Steward or vet checks temperature, pulse and respiration, then the other logbook parameters, then trots your horse out on a loose rein. It’s worth practising taking your horse’s temperature and pulse at home beforehand.

Pre-ride talk: compulsory if you’re a novice rider or on a novice horse (everyone else should go too). Covers the course, hazards, start/cut-off times, and marking — ask questions here, the Chief Steward is there to help.

Ride start: call your ride number to staff before heading out — they’ll repeat it back to confirm. New to the sport, or riding a young/nervous horse? It’s fine to start 5–10 minutes after the official time to let the main pack move off first (you must still start within 15 minutes of the official time — let ride staff know if you’re doing this).

7. Vetting & Strapping

There are three vet-check formats used across rides:

• Standard vetting — an hour’s hold at the ride base; you present your horse 30 minutes after arrival.
• Standard vetting with early presentation — present earlier than 30 minutes if you’re confident your horse will meet the heart-rate parameter (one shot only at getting it right; the one-hour hold still applies).
• Vet gate into hold (VGIH) — present whenever you believe your horse’s heart rate will pass; you’re still “in riding time” until you call it. One re-presentation is allowed if the first attempt doesn’t meet the parameter — fail twice and you’re eliminated.

Each Leg: Arrival to Departure

Announce your arrival at the timing desk (you may weigh in here). You’ll get a time slip showing when to present at the vet ring — keep it safe and dry. In the 30 minutes before vetting, strap your horse to cool it down, clean its legs and girth, and let it relax; scrape water off quickly once you wash it down, and offer water and hay. Arrive at the vet ring 5 minutes early.

Heart rate needs to be 55bpm or under on the first leg, 60bpm or under on later legs. Passing gets you through to the metabolic and lameness checks (trotted out on a loose rein). Once through, get your gear ready for the next leg — check your time slip for your out time, and call your number for clearance before riding out. Withdrawing before your out time doesn’t need another vet check; withdrawing after it does.

8. Finishing Up

The final vet check works the same way, except the pulse threshold is 60bpm or under. The vet checks “fit to continue” — meaning your horse is in a state where it could go and do the leg again. Pass, and you’ve completed the ride.

If your horse doesn’t pass, that’s a “vet out.” It happens to everyone at some stage in this sport — take it with good grace, it’s part of long-distance riding. Afterwards, let your horse eat, drink and relax before heading home, and stick around for the presentation ceremony to thank the organisers, sponsors and volunteers.

9. Glossary

RO

Ride Organiser — runs the event you’re entering.

TPR

Temperature, Pulse, Respiration — the core vet-check measurements.

VGIH

Vet Gate Into Hold — a vetting format where you choose when to present (see Section 7).

PIC

Property Identification Code — needed for ride entry and health declaration forms.

Logbook

Your horse’s official record, required for Endurance rides and used to track qualification progress.

Bib

The numbered garment upgraded riders must purchase and wear.

Vet out

Elimination from a ride because your horse didn’t pass a vet check.

bpm

Beats per minute — the unit for your horse’s heart-rate parameter at each vet check.

10. Getting Involved

There are plenty of ways to be part of VERA, whether you want to ride, help out, run a ride, vet at a ride, or support the club as a sponsor or supplier. Pick the one that fits you: