Getting Started
Essential information for keeping your endurance horse
fit, sound, and ready to compete.
Here are some pointers on where to start and what's involved to help you on your journey to become an open endurance rider. An open endurance rider is someone who has successfully completed 2 x Intermediate rides (usually 40km) and 3 x Endurance rides (usually 80km).
Open endurance riders are able to enter any ride distance and ride the 80km + distances without a minimum time limit (presuming they are riding an open endurance horse). By following these four steps, you will earn your Open Rider Status and the freedom to compete at any distance.
Happy horse and rider."To Complete is to Win"
The Trainer
To start out with you can enter Introductory and Intermediate rides (between 10-60km) on day membership - this means there are no costs involved bar your ride entry fee. To find out what rides you might like to attend, have a look at the Ride Calendar. You can take your own horse or you can ask the ride organiser club if they may know someone that would have a horse you can ride. Don't feel shy about asking questions - just email or call any contact on this website and we will all be happy to answer your questions and help you along.
Note: 20km intro rides do not count towards the qualification process, but they are a great way to dip your toes into the sport. You don't have to do a 20km ride before you can enter a 40km ride. If you’ve been training similar distances at home, are riding an experienced endurance horse, or feel both you and your horse are ready, you can enter a 40km Intermediate ride as your first ride.
Tip: You can do this as a Day Member or a Full Member.
Join QERA
Once you have successfully completed 2 x 40km Intermediate Rides you will be able to enter 80km rides - but to do this you must be a member of your state division if you are not already. Memberships are completed through AERA Online.
You should become familiar with our rulebook, available in the "Members" section of our website. If you have been riding your own horse you will need to arrange a logbook for it. This will allow your horse to enter rides of 80km and higher. The logbook application forms can be found here.
The Novice Rider
This is the most critical learning phase. You must complete three (3) Endurance rides (80km – 120km) at Novice Time. Novice Time is usually around 3 hours for a 40km leg. The Novice Time will be anounced during pre-ride talk. The Head Vet, Chief Steward and Course Manager will determine Novice Time taking account terrain and weather conditions.
Now is not the time to think about your position in the field or what place you are going to come, but it's when you learn about your horse - what it feels like when it's travelling well or gets tired, what you should be doing throughout the ride to remain healthy and sound, what other riders are doing and how they are riding in the different terrains. Learn as much as you can and talk to as many people as you can.
At around the 60km mark in your first 80km ride, you may hit an invisible wall, and feel like you can't go on. Push yourself through it and keep going, you'll make it!
The Open Rider
Congratulations! Once you have successfully completed 3 x 80km rides at novice pace you are deemed experienced enough to manage the horses that you ride at any speed, and enter distances of 160km and higher.
The AERA Online system will flag your 3 x successful completions of 80km events, and you will automatically be upgraded to Open rider status on your record. You will also receive an email notifying you of the upgrade.