Top 10 breeds for endurance or competitive trail riding
When looking for the perfect horse breed to take you all the way to the top, you should consider a horse with excellent stamina and strength, strong and clean bone structure, very strong hooves, proper functioning pulmonary and vascular systems, slow twitch muscle fibers, quick basal metabolism, and a willing and calm disposition.
Regardless of the breed, your horse should be willing and eager, but calm. There's nothing worse than fighting your horse for hours on end! He also must have huge heart & lungs. The framework of the horse must be strong enough to withstand the stresses of long-term exertion. Also, correct leg conformation is a necessity. Good and smooth movement for endurance is a must have. Size does matter, there are more endurance horses disadvantaged by being too big, than those that are too small.
Speed is also a great advantage. However the horse need not be super fast to begin with, speed can be built on top of stamina as the endurance horse develops over the years. Muscle type is more important, though. Too much fast twitch muscle will leave the horse in the lurch and tiring as the distances increase. You need mainly slow twitch muscle that can function aerobically. With all this said, here's the list:
Arabians usually have dense, strong bone, and good hoof walls. They are especially noted for their endurance, and the superiority of the breed in Endurance riding competition demonstrates that well-bred Arabians are strong, sound horses with superior stamina. At international FEI-sponsored endurance events, Arabians and half-Arabians are the dominant performers in distance competition. Only horses with a naturally good disposition were allowed to reproduce, with the result that Arabians today have a good temperament that, among other examples, makes them one of the few breeds where the United States Equestrian Federation rules allow children to exhibit stallions in nearly all show ring classes, including those limited to riders under 18.
The Boerperd horse is a modern equine breed indigenous to South Africa, having a robust and appealing temperament. The endurance and loveable nature of the Boerperd make it a perfect endurance companion. They are cold blooded and strong, with a thick neck and deep chest. They are the perfect all-arounder.
14 to 16 hands
750 to 1000 lbs
The facial profile is straight or slightly Roman, and the ears are medium-sized and curving inward so that the tips meet; also, the Marwari horse can rotate its ears 180º. The neck is arched and carried high, running into pronounced withers, with a deep chest and muscular, broad, and angular shoulders. Marwaris generally have a long back and sloping croup. The legs tend to be slender and the hooves small but well-formed. Members of the breed are hardy and easy keepers, but they can also be of tenacious and unpredictable temperaments.
The Criollo, or Crioulo, is the native horse of Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. with a reputation for long-distance endurance linked to a low basal metabolism. The breed, known for its hardiness and stamina, is popular in its home countries. The breed is famous for their endurance capabilities and ability to live in harsh conditions, as their homeland has both extreme heat and cold weather. They are frugal eaters, thriving on little grass. They have good resistance to disease and are long-lived horses.
The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred, part-Arabian horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is the result of a Thoroughbred being crossed with an Arabian. They have a long neck, prominent withers, a compact and strong body, a deep chest, and solid bone, resulting in stamina and speed.
Height:14.2 and 16 hands
Weight: 450 kg/1000 pounds
The Spanish Mustang is a warmblood horse known for being extremely intelligent. They are also known for their stamina and hardiness and long-distance abilities.
As a cold-blooded equine, like their European ancestors, they have a gentle disposition and tend to be larger than their hot-blooded and warm-blooded peers. Their easygoing demeanor makes them great for children.
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight: 450 kg/1000 pounds
Regardless of the breed, your horse should be willing and eager, but calm. There's nothing worse than fighting your horse for hours on end! He also must have huge heart & lungs. The framework of the horse must be strong enough to withstand the stresses of long-term exertion. Also, correct leg conformation is a necessity. Good and smooth movement for endurance is a must have. Size does matter, there are more endurance horses disadvantaged by being too big, than those that are too small.
Speed is also a great advantage. However the horse need not be super fast to begin with, speed can be built on top of stamina as the endurance horse develops over the years. Muscle type is more important, though. Too much fast twitch muscle will leave the horse in the lurch and tiring as the distances increase. You need mainly slow twitch muscle that can function aerobically. With all this said, here's the list:
1. Arabian
Height: 14.1 to 15.1 hands
Weight: 450 kg/1000 poundsArabians usually have dense, strong bone, and good hoof walls. They are especially noted for their endurance, and the superiority of the breed in Endurance riding competition demonstrates that well-bred Arabians are strong, sound horses with superior stamina. At international FEI-sponsored endurance events, Arabians and half-Arabians are the dominant performers in distance competition. Only horses with a naturally good disposition were allowed to reproduce, with the result that Arabians today have a good temperament that, among other examples, makes them one of the few breeds where the United States Equestrian Federation rules allow children to exhibit stallions in nearly all show ring classes, including those limited to riders under 18.
2. Boerperd
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight:
The Boerperd horse is a modern equine breed indigenous to South Africa, having a robust and appealing temperament. The endurance and loveable nature of the Boerperd make it a perfect endurance companion. They are cold blooded and strong, with a thick neck and deep chest. They are the perfect all-arounder.
3. Marwari
750 to 1000 lbs
The facial profile is straight or slightly Roman, and the ears are medium-sized and curving inward so that the tips meet; also, the Marwari horse can rotate its ears 180º. The neck is arched and carried high, running into pronounced withers, with a deep chest and muscular, broad, and angular shoulders. Marwaris generally have a long back and sloping croup. The legs tend to be slender and the hooves small but well-formed. Members of the breed are hardy and easy keepers, but they can also be of tenacious and unpredictable temperaments.
4. Criollo
Height: 14 to 15 hands
*Weight: 450 kg/1000 poundsThe Criollo, or Crioulo, is the native horse of Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. with a reputation for long-distance endurance linked to a low basal metabolism. The breed, known for its hardiness and stamina, is popular in its home countries. The breed is famous for their endurance capabilities and ability to live in harsh conditions, as their homeland has both extreme heat and cold weather. They are frugal eaters, thriving on little grass. They have good resistance to disease and are long-lived horses.
5. Anglo-Arabian
Height: 15.2–16.3 hands
Weight: 450 kg/1000 poundsThe Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred, part-Arabian horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is the result of a Thoroughbred being crossed with an Arabian. They have a long neck, prominent withers, a compact and strong body, a deep chest, and solid bone, resulting in stamina and speed.
6. Akhal-Teke
Weight: 450 kg/1000 pounds
One of the rarest horse breeds, they were bred for speed, beauty, size, and strength. The Akhal-Teke comes from a country where resource – food and water – are scarce. The breed naturally developed to survive in these conditions, making them an incredible Endurance horse. In 1935, a group of Turmen riders rode 2500 miles in 84 days. The trip included a three-day, 235 mile, crossing of a desert without water. The breed is known for extremely thin skin, which may have something to do with its desert habitat. The Akhal-Teke’s trot is not the typical two-beat rhythm of other breeds. Instead, they step down with each foot individually – alternating between having just one foot on the ground, to two diagonal feet on the ground. This creates a smoother trot.
7. Spanish Mustang
Height: 13.2 to 15 hands
Weight: 290 to 500 kg/650 to 1,100 poundsThe Spanish Mustang is a warmblood horse known for being extremely intelligent. They are also known for their stamina and hardiness and long-distance abilities.
8. Rocky Mountain Horse
Height: 14.2 to 16 hands
Weight: 450 kg/925 poundsAs a cold-blooded equine, like their European ancestors, they have a gentle disposition and tend to be larger than their hot-blooded and warm-blooded peers. Their easygoing demeanor makes them great for children.
9. Missouri Fox Trotter
Weight: 450 kg/1000 pounds
It was developed in the Ozark Mountains by settlers in the early 19th century, and quickly developed into a gaited breed appreciated for its stock horse abilities, stamina and smooth gaits. The Missouri Fox Trotter is not a high stepping horse, but an extremely sure-footed one, making it perfect for endurance. He is capable of performing various tasks very well. The most common ones are endurance riding, general riding, and work.
Missouri Fox Trotters are used extensively by trail riders, who appreciate their gaits, stamina, gentle disposition, and weight-carrying abilities.
10. Arab- Cross
For a hardy, healthy horse, a good option is to cross-breed an arab with any other horse on this list!
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