Endurance … and other life lessons

From jelly babies to chestnut chaos – Tamsin Doar discovers endurance riding with The Sass Queen and Sam Mowatt of The Piddle Ride

With the days growing longer and the weather warming up, many of us horse fanatics are looking forward to filling our time with equestrian escapades. My fiery welsh cob, aptly nicknamed The Sass Queen, is always up for a challenge. She loves tackling everything head on – including the world, her dinner, my pleas to ‘just slow down a bit’ – so we’re always looking for something new and exciting to try. Having previously crewed for riders at The Golden Horseshoe (the UK’s oldest competitive endurance ride), we thought we might try our hand (and hoof) at endurance riding. And who better to ask for top tips than Sam Mowatt, organiser of the Piddle National Ride.
Sam has been involved in endurance for more than 20 years: ‘I really love the sense of community and camaraderie. Going to events feels like coming home.’
This is something that really struck me when I crewed, too – just how friendly and welcoming everyone was, taking me under their wing whenever I looked a bit clueless.
As an endurance novice I only knew I had to be at certain points around the ride to help those I was supporting (sloshing horses with water and lobbing jelly babies at riders brought me a big thumbs up).

Endurance riding is a unique equestrian sport that tests the stamina, training, and partnership between horse and rider over long distances. Unlike traditional show disciplines, endurance riding focuses on navigating varied terrain – perhaps forest tracks, open moorland or coastal paths – within a set time frame, all while prioritising the horse’s welfare. At Graded (affiliated) rides there are pre- and post- ride vet inspections. Pre-ride, your steed gets a once-over, has their heart rate taken (it needs to be 64bpm or under), and then trots up to prove they’re moving freely. There’s also a quick hoof MOT just before you present to the vet – courtesy of the on-site farrier – checking that the feet and whatever’s on them are up to scratch for the distance ahead. Shoes, boots or bare feet – it’s all allowed, as long as the horse is comfortable and the kit’s up to the job.
I can only be grateful that they don’t evaluate the runners – there’s no way I’d trot up sound! Riders then have 30 minutes to start their ride, and throughout the route there are specific points where your crew – often a helpful friend or long-suffering partner – can meet you to help keep both horse and rider hydrated and fuelled. Longer routes include another mid-way vet check.
When you pass the finishing line you have 30 minutes to cool off and present for the final vetting. Grades are awarded based on speed and final heart rate: fit horses who complete at good speeds and have low heart rates at the final vetting will be rewarded with higher grades. Competitions are typically divided into three categories:
Pleasure Rides (PRs): Non-competitive rides, usually up to 34km. They offer a relaxed opportunity to enjoy time with your horse and friends. When held alongside Graded or Competitive Endurance Rides, horses are trotted up before and after the ride. Horses must be at least four years old, and the completion speed should be between 8 to 12km/h.
Graded Endurance Rides (GERs): These rides range from 20 to 160km and require the horse to pass a veterinary check before and after the ride. Longer distances are split into loops, with additional vet checks between loops. Horses are graded based on their speed and heart rate, with awards given accordingly.
Competitive Endurance Rides (CERs): These are for advanced horse and rider combinations, covering distances of 80km or more. All competitors start together, and the first horse to cross the finish line, having passed all vet checks, is the winner. Minimum speed is 10km/h, with no maximum speed.
While pure and part-bred Arabs dominate the longer distances of endurance, any fit and healthy horse can compete easily up to 65km and beyond.

Spare keys
‘There’s something for everyone in endurance,’ says Sam. ‘You can set your own personal goals at each level, and the beauty of it is there’s no rigid ladder you have to climb like in other affiliated disciplines. You can stay at whatever level suits you, for as long as you like.’
She also stresses how crucial a good crew is: ‘Without one, you’re basically riding solo. And my top tip is that most of us use big laundry detergent bottles for sloshing – they’re ideal.’
If The Sass Queen and I hope to dip our toe into the endurance waters we’re going to have to put some extra washes on: who knew it could take so long to go through one bottle?!
And Sam’s final nugget of advice? ‘Always bring a spare set of car keys. It’s shockingly easy (and common) to lock yours in the car – trust me …’

I’ve also learnt over the years to leave whatever you require for your post-competition routine in your trailer. A friend once finished her ride, hot, tired and with the clock ticking to get her horse cooled and vetted – only to discover her crew (along with the car, and all her kit) were still down the local pub, basking in the sunshine over a well-earned pint. Glorious weather for spectators: less so when you’re trying to sponge down a steaming horse with nothing but your sleeve…
The Piddle National Ride will be held this year on 28th and 29th June. ‘Like all events it can feel a monumental effort to organise,’ says Sam. ‘It just wouldn’t be possible without the kind help of volunteers, which is actually a great way to get involved with endurance even if you’re not riding. Whether it’s manning road-crossings to vet writing, it takes a small army for each ride. All volunteers are supplied with refreshments, though!’
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m easily sold if I’m provided with food! ‘We also try to curate relationships with local landowners,’ she says. ‘And with permission, we team up with the Trail Riders Fellowship to check parts of the routes beforehand.’

So if riding something with a penchant for polos isn’t your thing, and you prefer to stick to two wheels, there really is something for everyone! ‘It’s not just about the ride days,’ says Sam. ‘We also get stuck into path-clearing when hedgerows and foliage start taking over. It helps keep the bridleways clear – not just for us, but for the whole local equestrian community. Where we can, we really try to give something back to the area. That local connection matters. Competitors come from near and far, and that footfall genuinely supports local businesses. Thanks to our sponsors – Equine Products UK, Jackson-Stops Estate Agents and CJ Equine Services – we’re able to cover event costs and still make a donation to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. It’s a real community effort.’
Thankfully, The Sass Queen has never launched me skyward with quite enough drama to warrant an airlift. But joking aside, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a vital service – and let’s be honest, equestrians probably account for more than our fair share of callouts. It’s a cause close to the saddle for many of us.
The Piddle Ride sounds like something that is right up our street, so if you happen to come across a chestnut blur rampaging around the countryside, refusing to yield to any of her rider’s requests, you’ll know that The Sass Queen is in full-training mode. I can only say watch this space – maybe we’ll even be able to provide a post-ride write up on our next adventure.

Details of the Piddle Ride can be found on EnduranceGB.co.uk The deadline to sign up is midnight 23rd June.