Endurance is a demanding discipline for both
horse and rider. An endurance race can be anywhere from ten to hundreds of miles. It often includes
rough terrain, water, hills, and natural obstacles.
One of the most popular breeds for endurance is the Arabian, because it was bred to travel long
distances with little water or rest.
Conditioning is extremely important to endurance horses - it is not only unfair to ask an unfit horse
to travel a long distance, it is dangerous. Horses can die from heatstroke or physical problems
as easily as humans, so the endurance horse must be conditioned carefully to be in peak physical
shape, carry just the right amount of weight without being too thin or too heavy, and have tremendous
stamina.
The endurance rider must also be very fit -
especially in longer races, the rider usually dismounts and travels next to or behind the horse,
so the rider must be prepared to walk or run long distances as well.
Although there is no standard for endurance gear, tack is usually very lightweight, often synthetic.
Riders usually wear lightweight protective clothing, and carry as little extra material as possible.
The horse must be bold and brave in order to travel out of sight of other horses, through unfamilar
and potentially dangerous terrain. It must also be well trained, since the rider may not always be
holding or leading the horse, and may in fact let the horse loose to pick its own way through
obstacles. Age is not as limiting a factor in endurance races as in other disciplines, since older
horses can still be conditioned well to race.
Endurance is a demanding discipline for both
horse and rider. An endurance race can be anywhere from ten to hundreds of miles. It often includes
rough terrain, water, hills, and natural obstacles. 
The endurance rider must also be very fit -
especially in longer races, the rider usually dismounts and travels next to or behind the horse,
so the rider must be prepared to walk or run long distances as well.