Breamore Endurance 20k Foundation Novice 4th May 2025
Friends of Meon Riding Club Team

Report from Sam Painter Wessex Riding Club

Do you love getting out in the countryside enjoying your horse? Have you ever thought about endurance riding?

On 4th May I took part in my first graded 20k Endurance ride with Endurance GB.

About a month ago an email went out to the Area from Corinne Staples (Meon Riding Club) looking for anyone interested in endurance riding and being part of their riding club team.

In the run up to the event Corinne was brilliant at sorting us all out and providing lots of information to prepare us. She reassured us newbies, especially when a few of us were unsure if our horses were fit enough for 20k and only 3 weeks to prepare.

The event was held at Tenantry Farm so a nice local ride for me.
The organisers and volunteers we all so welcoming and happy to answer any questions we had as soon as we arrived.

We got parked up, met up with some of the team and went to the Secretary to sign in and collect our numbers.
We then set about getting all our gear ready for tacking up after our first vetting and water for our return.

The first vetting involves taking their heart rate, checking their backs and a trot up to make sure they are sound and healthy to complete the ride.
With vettings passed you then have 30mins to get tacked up, on and go.

I was very lucky to have company from Sara & Tango (Meon) and Jodie & Reuben (New Forest). Our horses got on really well and paced well together.
They also didn’t pay any attention at Ronnie throwing his excited shapes during the first 15mins of the ride. My poor watch got confused logging 46kmph at one point which must have been me being flung around like a rag doll 🤣🤣

Our horses were grateful to get home in a good time of 1hr 49mins (11kmph) but the fun isn’t over there. You have 30mins from finishing to get untacked, your horse cooled and heart rate lowered as much as possible before your final vetting.

At the final vetting they again check heart rate, their backs for any pain and a quick trot up. All passed ✔️

So all 3 newbies managed to achieve a grade 3 (graded 1-4 with 1 being the highest). Ronnie was just 1 beat per min off a grade 2 😊

We had the best day with great weather, company and amazing scenery and now can’t wait until our next ride.

Some good results from the team overall with Corinne getting a 1st and Jo Knight 2nd so fingers crossed it puts the team in a good place for champs opportunity.

If any of this has got you interested then what are you waiting for? Get involved 😊 There is no commitment to having to do every ride as the team can be made up of any 6 riding club members so you can do the rides you want.