What Is Endurance Riding? Vet Checks, 160 km and the 2026 World Championship

Team USA heads to the 2026 Endurance Worlds

Endurance riding is a long-distance horse race over marked trails, where every horse must pass vet checks along the way to continue. On Oct. 13, 2026, US Equestrian named the five horse-and-rider combinations that will represent the United States at the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026. The ride will be held at Butheeb International Endurance Village, in the Al Khatim desert area of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The championship was originally awarded to AlUla, Saudi Arabia. On July 1 the FEI Board withdrew it, citing the regional geopolitical situation, and on July 28 it chose Butheeb from four new bids. Butheeb also hosted the 2022 championship, which was run in February 2023. The most recent edition, in September 2024, was held in Monpazier, France.

The US endurance team 2026

The team is unranked and listed alphabetically. Chef d'Equipe Jeffrey Stuart leads it.

• Heather Davis (Va.) and SM Mi Anay, a 2015 Arabian mare
• Heather Reynolds (Fla.) and Supersonic Zell, a 2012 Arabian gelding
• Kelsey Russell (Fla.) and Juno Im Gold, a 2015 Half-Arabian gelding
• Meg Sleeper (N.J.) and Belesema Sapphire, a 2012 Arabian mare
• Nicole Wertz (Calif.) and Little Sammy SV, a 2015 Arabian gelding

Key dates (UAE time)

• Dec. 18: first vet inspection
• Dec. 19: championship ride over 160 km, starting at 5:45 a.m. (8:45 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 18)
• Dec. 20: awards

The organizer's approved schedule sets the latest allowed finish-line crossing at 9:53 p.m. local time. That's a reminder that this is a full day in the saddle, from before dawn to after dark.

What is endurance riding?

Endurance riding is a long-distance race on horseback over marked trails, where every horse must pass veterinary checks along the way to be allowed to continue. The fastest horse that finishes and is judged fit to continue wins, but most riders are chasing something simpler: finishing with a healthy horse.

In the U.S., the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) has promoted the sport since 1972 under the motto "To finish is to win." Everyone who completes an AERC ride gets a completion award. In Spanish-speaking countries the sport is usually called raid or enduro ecuestre.

Distances vary by level:

• Entry-level rides: short introductory distances set by each national federation
• Limited distance (AERC): 25 to 35 miles (about 40 to 56 km)
• Endurance (AERC): 50 miles and up, including 100-mile (160 km) one-day rides
• FEI international (CEI): star levels run from about 100 km up to 160 km in a day
• Senior world championship: 160 km, the sport's benchmark distance

How a 160 km ride works: loops and vet gates

A championship course isn't one long trail. It is split into loops, usually five or six for 160 km, that start and finish at a central venue. FEI rules have required six loops for championships, and the 2023 Worlds at Butheeb was run in six stages.

At the end of each loop, the horse enters the vet gate. Its "time in" stops when it presents to the vet, not when it crosses the line, so crews race to cool the horse and bring its heart rate down fast. After passing, the horse gets a mandatory hold, often 40 minutes or more, to eat, drink and rest.

The endurance riding vet check, step by step

Under the FEI's 2020 rule overhaul, horses had 15 minutes to reach 64 bpm at loop vet gates and 20 minutes at the finish. Butheeb's 2026 schedule lists the final inspection within 20 minutes of arrival.

Failing any check means "failed to qualify" (FTQ), and the horse is out. A horse can cross the line first and still lose everything at the final vet check. At big FEI rides, the top finishers also compete for a Best Condition award, judged after the race on the horse's soundness and recovery.

Want to practice vital signs?

Knowing your own horse's resting pulse, breathing rate and gut sounds is the foundation of endurance. Our horse first aid kit and vital signs guide walks you through it, and Health Basics covers what's normal.

Why Arabians dominate endurance

Look at almost any endurance results list and you'll see Arabians and Arabian crosses. Four of the five U.S. horses are purebred Arabians, and the fifth is Half-Arabian.

The reasons are physical:

• Muscle type: Arabians carry a higher share of slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant muscle fibers than sprinters like Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds.
• Heat: A lean frame and desert origins help them shed heat, which matters on a 160 km day.
• Fast recovery: Their heart rates tend to drop quickly, and that's what gets you through vet gates.
• Efficiency: They are light, sure-footed and economical at the trot and canter.

Other tough breeds compete too, including mustangs, Criollos and Akhal-Tekes, the ancient Turkmen breed known for stamina. Read more in our Akhal-Teke guide and the breeds hub.

Welfare debates and FEI rule changes

Endurance has faced serious welfare criticism. In the 2010s, horse deaths, doping cases and very fast rides on flat, groomed desert tracks drew scrutiny, especially in the FEI's Middle East region. The FEI suspended the UAE federation in 2015 for rule breaches.

In 2018 the FEI set up an Endurance Temporary Committee, and a rule overhaul took effect in 2020. Key changes included:

• Speed penalties for horses that repeatedly fail vet checks at high average speeds
• Mandatory rest periods tied to distance, over a month after a full 160 km ride
• Limits on crew members and on where crews can help on course
• Higher minimum horse ages, with 9 years for senior championships
• Rotation of officials and unannounced governance advisors at rides

The rules have been revised since, with a new edition in force from 2024 and further updates from Jan. 1, 2026. Critics and supporters still debate whether elite desert racing matches the sport's "to finish is to win" roots, so expect welfare to be part of December's coverage.

How families can try endurance riding

You don't need an Arabian or a passport to start. Most grassroots riders do endurance on the horse they already have, at a pace that keeps the horse healthy.

In the U.S.: AERC

AERC's advice for newcomers is simple:

1. Volunteer at a local ride. Helping at the vet check is a good way to see how it works.
2. Get your horse fit. Build up miles over weeks and months, mostly at the walk and trot.
3. Find a mentor and read AERC's educational material.
4. Enter a limited distance ride (25–35 miles). Horses must be at least 48 months old, and LD horses must meet the pulse criteria (usually 60 bpm) within 30 minutes of finishing.

Kids ride too. AERC juniors (under 16 on the first day of the ride season) must wear an approved helmet and, with limited exceptions, ride with an adult sponsor. Fees and camping costs vary by ride, so check each ride flyer.

In Latin America

Endurance is run through national equestrian federations. Raid is especially popular in Uruguay, which sent five combinations to the 2023 Worlds at Butheeb. Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico also hold national and FEI rides; start by contacting your national federation or a local endurance club.

Your first-ride checklist

• Vet check before training starts, including hooves and teeth
• Shoes or hoof protection checked by your farrier
• A saddle that fits after hours of work (see tack and equipment)
• Electrolyte and feeding plan approved by your vet
• Helmet for every rider (see safety)
• A crew member, water buckets, sponges and a stethoscope or heart rate monitor
• Know your horse's normal resting pulse before ride day

What to watch Dec. 18–20

• First vet inspection (Dec. 18): every horse must pass before it can start.
• Ride day (Dec. 19): follow loop times and vet gate results, not just the leaders. Completion rates at hot, fast championships can be low.
• Team scoring: the best results among each nation's combinations count toward team standings.
• Best Condition: judged after the finish for the top finishers.
• Awards (Dec. 20).

We won't predict medals. A 160 km ride is decided at the vet gate as much as on the trail. For more sports explained, see what is eventing and our disciplines hub.