ENDURANCE RIDING
WHAT DOES THE JOB INVOLVE?
This is a very popular sport in Australia and each year thousands of horses and riders compete in approximately 100 events that cover distances from 80km to 400km.
Arabian horses are most commonly used for endurance due to their stamina, stockiness and surefootedness. Most Endurance studs breed and break in their own Arabs so you’ll learn some horse training and about how to handle young horses from the ground and from their backs.
Endurance is a great rural Aussie sport, often crossing paths with other country equine disciplines such as polocrosse, camp drafting and rodeo.
When in competition, you’ll help transport horses to race meet points and prepare them for their long distance ride. Before each ride, horses are inspected by equine vets. There are certain check points along the route where horses are inspected again to ensure their fitness and health. You’ll need to assist at these checkpoints and help the vets and owners.
There will be typical jobs such as mucking out, feeding up, moving horses from stables to paddocks, checking waters, changing rugs, tacking up for rides, loading horse onto trucks and assisting vets and farriers.
It is likely that you will be asked to ride often to help keep the fitness levels of the Arabs in check, horse riding is common in endurance jobs. You may also be asked to ride youngsters and those that have just been broken so you must be confident in doing this.
As a lot of studs breed their own horses, you may be handling stallions, foals, breakers and broodmares and learning a lot about how these young green horses become endurance champions.
Be prepared to work for a small family business which means you may be asked to help with other jobs on the farm, likely domestic duties and maybe childcare. Get really involved in country life and enjoy living with a rural Aussie family.
Work hours:
You’ll work 5-6 days a week and sometimes more depending on events that may run over the weekend. Be prepared for travelling distances in the truck as you drive to race meet points and check points along the endurance routes.
Locations:
There are endurance studs all over Australia. It is particularly popular in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales in fairly rural spots.
Typical length of job:
Most of these jobs last approximately 3-6 months which is the maximum time that working holiday visa holders are allowed to work for one employer.
Season:
Endurance runs throughout the year and horses need to be brought into work and fitness on the off-season. For this reason the jobs on offer can be slightly more longer term than other seasonal horse industries.
Living conditions:
You’ll most likely be living in workers accommodation near the stables, in a cottage or outbuilding, or in a room in the house of the employer. Endurance studs are often run by one rural family so it is likely you’ll be welcomed to become part of their lives, helping out with other animals and jobs on the farm, domestic chores and school runs. Food is usually provided as part of your wage.
Who does this suit?
Working as an endurance groom is great for people who like to do lots of riding for long periods of time.
You’ll need to be confident with the prospect of riding young, green horses that need training to get quiet and fit for endurance racing. This is a great way to see large parts of rural Australia, and in a lot of cases, get to spend time as part of a real country Aussie family.
On smaller studs you may be the only groom, but you will meet lots of other Aussies competing in this event. There may be times when phone signal is sketchy and you must be prepared to live in fairly rural, basic conditions.
A great Australian country sport and a chance to meet the real horse people in Australia. Fantastic for people who love spirited Arabs - for all their good and bad qualities.