International Rider Bella Fricker gives an Insight to Endurance Horse Riding
We are delighted to welcome Bella Fricker as a guest blogger! Bella is a seasoned endurance rider with an impressive track record of competing at the international level. Her extensive experience includes representing Great Britain at two Nations Cups, training and competing with numerous horses and travelling the world to race at the highest levels. She brings a wealth of knowledge about endurance riding, horse care, training and the unique bond between horse and rider.
Stay tuned as Bella shares her journey, advice and insider tips on everything endurance-related!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your journey with horses began?
Sure! So I’ve been horsey all my life – I was literally led around the garden on my grandmother's Anglo-Arab at 6 months old. However, my parents themselves aren’t horsey so it’s my Granny we have to blame for my horse obsession.
I’ve never not ridden and although we didn’t have our own ponies at home until we were teenagers, my Granny very kindly paid for us to have lessons at the local riding school. She felt it was best for us to learn to ride on as many different types of horses and ponies as possible. I’m really grateful for that experience as I really did learn to ride anything and everything.
I do distinctly remember at just 11 years of age being put on the freshly backed and straight off the track ones – basically all the horses that everyone else was too scared to ride! I had that young person ability to be fearless and somehow quite a lot of stickability too! At 13 I finally got my very own Arab at home and that’s when I started doing endurance alongside Granny. By 15 I was competing internationally and had done my first CEI1* competition.
How many horses do you currently own or ride, and what are their names and personalities like?
Currently I own four horses. Chip, who is now 16, has been my top horse for a long time and together we have represented GBR at two Nations Cups. We sadly never did make it to a senior championship however as Covid and some injuries meant we missed out.
I have two younger horses that I am hopeful will get me there one day though. A 6 year old called Raine who will (all being well) start her Novice season this year (this is rides up to 40km) and also my homebred 3 year old Zest who I will patiently wait for a little longer! I also own Zest’s mother Fern who is a failed ex-racehorse. Sadly she is just a field ornament now but she is the alpha mare in the herd and helps keep the young ones in check.
For readers unfamiliar with it, what is endurance riding, and what makes it unique compared to other equestrian sports?
The simplest explanation is that it’s a (very) long ride with vet checks! Soundness and horse welfare is the fundamental aspect of the sport and so we have pretty stringent vet checks both before, during and after the ride. The competitive distances start from just 20km right up to 160km. At the entry level and up to the mid-level of the sport it’s a time trial with your horse’s final heart rate in conjunction with your average speed being taken into account for a placing. At 80km + (50miles) you can also enter race rides – which are what they say on the tin – a race! It’s a mass start and it’s first past the post (+ passing the final vetting) that determines the winner.
When and how did you first get involved in endurance riding?
I started when I was 13 years old as my Granny had always been into the sport. Truthfully I wanted to get into dressage as a teenager but with Arabs and part-bred Arabs at home the journey was rather pre-destined.
I’ve always been pretty sporty myself so I really enjoyed the challenge of getting myself and my horse fit to do endurance riding. I also loved that fact that no one was watching me (unlike in an arena) and that it was all quite an adventure. I was so lucky to have my grandparents supporting me and travelling me around the country to compete.
By 19 I was working as a professional endurance rider and I was getting paid to ride all day – what a dream job! I’ve been so lucky to compete in over 10 countries around the world and I’ve now competed over 30 horses across the levels too.
In your opinion, which horse breeds are best suited for endurance riding, and why?
Ultimately any breed can actually do endurance. It’s surprising to a lot of people actually but Connemaras and ISH have been our national champions on more than one occasion! The challenge with the natives or the heavier set horses however is in the hotter months as they are just not quite so efficient at dissipating heat vs their lightweight counterparts.
At international level it is Arabs and part-bred Arabs that dominate the sport. They are genetically superior for the sport, not only with their wiry and determined dispositions, but also their higher bone density, large lung capacity, efficient gaits and also fundamentally their muscle fibres. They are very tough little horses and if you want to be competitive at top level then having some Arab blood if not all Arab blood is going to be paramount.
What are the top five essential pieces of horse tack or equipment for endurance riding, and what makes them indispensable?
1. A well fitting saddle! You don’t actually need a specialist saddle for endurance riding - just one that fits your and your horse is really really key for the long hours you spend in it! I’ve done up to 120km in a day in a dressage saddle! I do now use an endurance saddle as it’s lighter weight but certainly when you are starting out you’ll be fine in your existing tack.
2. Breathable clothing. Comfort is a common theme here in my list of essentials. Breathable clothing is so important for time spent in the saddle. There’s nothing worse than getting really sweaty and uncomfortable. It can also lead to chaffing so wearing proper sporty/breathable riding tights and off the shelf sports tops works a treat.
3. Hoof pick. I’m afraid to admit I’ve been caught out more than once! Whether your horse is shod, barefoot or booted (no rules in endurance for how you present your horse’s feet), you really need to have a hoof pick to hand in case of a lodged stone. Soundness is the fundamental success factor in the sport and you could just save your ride if you can flick the stone out quickly and before too much bruising occurs!
4. Buckets. Can a gal really ever have too many buckets?! I know it sounds so basic but you do need to have a few more buckets than the average equestrian sport just because of the amount of water you may get through on a hot day to help cooling (and not to mention for your horse to drink too)! I also like to take isotonic water (water with electrolytes in) as well as flavoured water. I choose molasses but you can use apple juice, blackcurrant squash – anything your horse particularly likes. And not forgetting plain water of course - so that’s three buckets just for drinking!
5. Stethoscope or Heart Rate (HR) monitor. I’d like to stress that you really do NOT need to be able to measure your horses heart rate when you are starting out at endurance and you can absolutely manage without one. However, it will make your life a bit easier if you can assess your horse’s HR so that you can decide when to present to the vet at the end of the rides but also so that you can practice taking your horse’s HR at home and get used to know what’s normal for them in terms of recovery and also basal.
What do you love most about being an equestrian and competing in endurance riding?
About being an equestrian firstly, it’s the bond we share with out horses. I use positive reinforcement training as a principle with mine and I spend a lot of time doing groundwork and training from the ground – not to mention stretches and massaging etc. etc. so I really do like to think that we have a good connection. Then on top of that, we spend a lot of time together training – lots of super long rides and we face so many obstacles out on route that we overcome together – it really does build a strong bond. On the rides specifically, it’s getting out to explore new terrains and doing that with your best friend!
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an equestrian, especially in endurance riding, and how do you overcome them?
The biggest challenges personally have been injury and a lack of horsepower. Firstly, there is of course an element of expectation to get injured horse riding – accidents do happen! However, I really have had my fair share of them and at the more extreme end of the scale too. I nearly lost my leg in 2021 when a normal fall resulted in being trod on and detaching my calf muscle – I could see my bone!. It took four surgeries and reconstruction to put my leg back together. I’ve been left with nerve damage and a hollow in my calf where the muscle once was. I’ve also broken a lot of bones and pretty much every year I’m out of action for at least 6 weeks ☹
The other challenge is around horse power. At the top of the sport, you really only want to be racing two to three times a year. This is to account for rest time after the big races. Therefore, to be competitive and out regularly you ideally want to be running two, if not three horses simultaneously – and let’s not forget having the younger ones qualifying and running up through the ranks. Feasibly, I can’t afford to own this many horses nor could I probably afford all the entry fees! You therefore have to be realistic about what you can achieve and how much you can do with each horse.
I very sadly lost my up and coming gelding to colic in 2023 and so I’ve started again with another baby. All being well, Raine will be starting her novice season in 2025 but it means I’ve got a bit of a gap with my top horse winding down (he’s 16) and waiting for the young ones to grow up. As a rider myself, I can’t compete at the level I want to compete at and it’s hard to stay in touch with the top of the sport when you simply don’t have the horsepower. In an ideal world, having horse’s spread out with 3-4 year age gaps would be absolutely perfect in my mind!
Do you have any tips or advice for someone who is interested in trying endurance riding for the first time?
My first tip is to attend a pleasure ride that’s run by Endurance GB. You’ll get to experience the venue and see how it all works without the pressure of it being a competitive class or with too many rules in place. You’ll also get the opportunity to ask lots of questions and perhaps meet some other endurance riders who may well take you under their wing. As a rule, endurance riders are so incredibly friendly!
Once you’ve established the aim of the game with a few pleasure rides then get yourself entered into some graded endurance rides (GERs). I promise once you start you’ll get bitten by the bug!
Make sure your tack fits really well and that you’re wearing comfortable (tried and tested by you and your horse) attire so that you don’t get any rubs/chaffs on the day!
Also join some of the local endurance groups on Facebook as they are very friendly communities that will absolutely answer any questions you may have.
Hope to see you out there!
Summary
Endurance riding prioritises the welfare of the horse above all else. Success in the sport requires dedication, patience, and a deep understanding of both horse and rider. If jumping or fancy footwork like dressage isn't you (or your horse's) thing, endurance riding offers a rewarding alternative. Why not start by tacking up and heading out on a long hack to enjoy the beautiful surroundings? Who knows, you might just discover your new favourite riding discipline!
Head over to Instagram to continue following Bella's endurance riding journey!
