Welcome to Endurance

Endurance is a long-distance competition against the clocktesting the speed and endurance of a horse and challenging the rider over their effective use of pace, thorough knowledge of their horse’s capabilities and ability to cross all kinds of terrain. Although the rides are timed, the emphasis is on finishing in good condition rather than coming in first.

Endurance started as a sport in the United States, where the US cavalry tested its horses on a five-day, 300-mile (483km) ride, with each horse carrying over 200lbs (91kg). It did not become a competitive sport until the 1950s, when Wendell Robie traced the Pony Express route from Nevada to California in under 24 hours.

Each rider must safely manage the stamina and fitness of their horse and each course is divided into phases – in principle at least every 40km – with a compulsory halt for a veterinary inspection, or ‘vet gate’, after each. Each horse must be presented for inspection within a set time of reaching each ‘vet gate’, which determines whether it is fit to continue.

Arabian horses dominate the Endurance discipline though the most successful rider to date is Spain’s Maria Alvarez Ponton on her French-born gelding Nobby.

The premier Endurance rides are the FEI World Equestrian Games™, staged every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle; the FEI World Endurance Championships, held in every Olympic year; and the biannual FEI European Endurance Championships.

Latest Department Updates

  • 27 Mar 2018
    Endurance-FEI Endurance Conference 7-8 April Dubai
     
     
    An Endurance Conference aimed at National Federations and related associations will be held in Dubai 7-8 April 2018. The two day conference will focus on rules with animated panel discussions held amongst presentations on rules modifications and a proposed Endurance Strategic Plan for the future. The conference will also delve into the conclusions from the 2017 Endurance Forum held in Spain, Risk Assessment and the Global Endurance Injury Studies.  
     
    Should you require more information, please send an email to olga.nikolaou@fei.org
     
  • 27 Mar 2018
    Endurance - FEI Athletes Representative Election

    As you may know, this is an election year for the FEI Athlete Representatives in all the FEI disciplines. We have recently reached out to all the eligible athletes and we would like to enlist the community to help us encourage and motivate eligible athletes to come forward and nominate themselves.

    The FEI Athlete representative carries a four year term (non-renewable) and is a member of the FEI Discipline Committee and also member of the FEI Athletes Committee with all the other athlete representatives. This position is a really important and vital role providing a voice to your community within the global decision making process.

    We have a dedicated page on InsideFEI with all the relevant information around elections.

    Timeline & Deadlines

    1 May, 23:59 CEST         Deadline to submit Application

    8 May                            Names and supporting documents of Candidates for the Athlete Representative positions will be published

    29 July                          Online voting process opens on inside.fei.org (see eligibility criteria above)

    23 September                Online voting process closes

    Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Julie.schlaefli@fei.org

  • 21 Feb 2018
    Endurance - 2018 WEG Test Event

    The schedule for the Endurance Test Event in Tryon NC on the 27-28 April 2018 of the FEI World Equestrian Games is now published on our website on the following Link

  • 4 Dec 2017
    Endurance - Rules 2018

    Endurance - Rules 2018

    We would like to inform you that the 2018 Endurance Rules are now available in our website.
     
    You can also find them directly here below by clicking on the image below.
     

            

  • 27 Nov 2017
    Endurance - World Horse Welfare Annual Conference
     
    The annual conference of the World Horse Welfare will take place this year on Thursday 30th November at the Royal Geographical Society, London.
     
    This year’s topic is “Invisible Horses of the future” and will focus on what makes a suffering horse – or one that is likely to suffer – “invisible”.
    It will also explore the essential role of charities and the ongoing work to tackle the root causes of horses' invisibility.
     
    The event will be available on live streaming here .
     
  • 22 Nov 2017
    Endurance- FEI & Global Equine Injuries research agreement

    We are happy to anounce that the FEI has extended its Global Equine Injuries research agreement with the University of Glasgow for two years.

    The initial aim of this study was to provide regulatory changes to endurance rides focused on minimising the risk of equine injury. 

    For more details please read the Press release here .

  • 3 Nov 2017
    Endurance - Incorrect Behaviour Notification Card
     
     
     
     
    Please find an important letter that explains the correct use of the "Yellow warning card" and the use of the « Incorrect Behaviour Notification Card »: here.
     
    The Incorrect Behaviour Notification card can be found: here.
     
  • 27 Oct 2017
    Endurance - 2018 Schedule

    2018 Draft Schedules

    New and updated 2018 Draft Schedules are now available on our website and you are kindly requested to use them for your international events next year.

    Here are the direct links to the schedules for Endurance discipline and the email addresses of the FEI staff responsible for them:

     
    Click here for Endurance

    Person in charge : marc.chovelon@fei.org and/or olga.nikolaou@fei.org

     
    Should you need any further information and/or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the person in charge directly.

  • 13 Sep 2017
    Endurance - WEG Tryon 2018 Test Event Calendar

    We would like to inform you that the Test Events Calendar for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon is now published here.

    Send us your news, ideas & comments regarding Endurance: endurance.updates@fei.org

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