This is the second in a new series of articles in which we will investigate the quality aspect of training and how to maintain a healthy, sound, and happy equine athlete. While logging miles is important, the manner in which we do so is equally, if not more, crucial. The first article touched on the basics and "riding in the box," and in this insta...
We've got you covered! Loads of help available for you, something for everyone.You might just want to listen to a webinar one evening, or follow a number of them. But it could also be you want more structural help via one of the endurance coaching courses on our website. Let me start with what we have to offer webinar wise: Keep an eye on...
I'm thrilled to write another 4 articles for you (if you have missed the previous ones about "Fuel efficiency", "How to gauge the efforts of our horse in work", "Using your HR monitor when training" and "The fitness plateau", have a look at the older blogs on the website. The first of every year (art 1 and 5) are on the normal blog space, for ...
Have you followed the World Endurance Championships 2024? If you didn't, have a look at the different media available. A start in the dark in a huge thunderstorm and then 160 km of tough muddy conditions, really testing all combinations at this top level of our sport. Being a Dutchie in the UK, I supported 2 countries, cheering on both the Dut...
We have been working on this project for a while, and on Saturday 30th March, we began the first session of the Groen Equestrian 2024 Comparative Heart Rate Study in Banbury, Oxfordshire. As many of you have noticed, I am very interested in heart rates, particularly how various breeds of horses respond to the same workload and how we can provide be...
In the previous article, I told you about using your heartrate monitor when training. I hope you have found that helpful, and have started to use your heart monitor more. Not only to see when the HR drops low enough to vet, but also during training or other work to see how your horse responds to the intensity of the work you are asking it to do. In...
I'll let you think on that question for a moment, and while you are thinking about the type of equestrian you are, also think on whether you are happy being that type or if you perhaps want to be different? Many of you will be the "Passenger type" maybe even without realising you are...Or perhaps you know you are the passenger type a...
Making your training schedule can be hard: how much should you train, what rides to do, what about tapering, rest and other things you need to consider to compete your horse happy and healthy? Groen Equestrian can help. We have a lovely package to help you:3 recorded webinars and 2 30 minute face2face zoom sessions to give you the th...
In the previous blog, I told you about logging the distance, duration, average speed, and elevation of your training sessions. Adding indexes for climb and canter gives a selection of great parameters to compare training and see how you progress. But these numbers do not tell you anything about how your horse actually experiences the effort du...
This is an old piece (4 years ago to be precise) I wrote after being part of the Dutch team for the 2019 European Championships. It still resonates very much with me, especially now I have taken a little break from endurance until the youngsters are old enough to start. Watt and me will be doing other fun stuff in the mean time. Have a read, s...
In the previous article, I told you about the fuel efficiency of our horses, using a hybrid car analogy. Unfortunately, I won't be as anecdotal in this article but I'll try to illustrate where I can. So last time we learned that higher intensity work will use more of our horse's petrol: glycogen. And that glycogen is a depletable fuel source that c...
This is the first in a series of articles I wrote for the EGB endurance magazine in 2023. I have added it as a blog as well for you to enjoy and use. You can find all follow up articles in the Free GE Community, so have a look there for a lot of information. I (well, really hubby and me 😉 ) bought a new car. Our older (very fuel-efficient) diesel n...
What a year. What a horse!A total of 8 rides ( 9 ride days) and 460 km (the most she's ever done), nearly 9000m (!!) elevation including the Golden Horseshoe 80 km and Red Dragon 80 km! In 2022 I have solely focused on competing Asphodele Larzac, my small (but huge ) amber champagne part bred Arab mare. So why is she both small ...
This a perfect time to sign up for one of the 2 endurance coaching courses Groen Equestrian has to offer to get ready for you new upcoming endurance season. Yes 2 courses!Besides the year long course Endurance: Step by Step" we now also offer the 4 month (extension possible) course "Endurance: train smarter not harder"Have a look at this video in w...
Do you want a structured approach to doing endurance in a happy and healthy way? Every year I run an online endurance coaching program and with the new section on the website it is now possible to run the online endurance coaching on the website. The online coaching program has existed for about 10 years now. First in D...
STARTING WITH ENDURANCE When you become a (free) member of the groen Equestrian Endurance community (just sign up via this tab: Become a free member or log in if you have subscribed before) you can view a lot of free content:Information about Esther Groen and all her horsesIntro's for all the series in the libraryInformation about the "Enduran...
Now the schools have started again, the structure of "normal" life has started once more. And what better time for us to do some "studying" as well? In my coaching I often get asked about heartrate monitors, which one to use and how to use them. They can be a super tool to aid your training so that's why I will start with 2 webinars...
It is January in the UK, and many (as am I) are looking forward to the rides and competitions ahead. We all have an idea in our head what we want out of our season, but have we actually prepared for it? And if we have, have we really and honestly looked if our goal is feasible and what we should do (or sometimes even harder, what we have...
Through centuries and cultures, wintertime is seen as a period to reflect. To look back at the year behind you and to look forward to see what is potentially upcoming. Many of us had a few tough years, but we all hope next year will be a bit easier, or at least a little less unpredictable. Like many of you, I am reflecting as well. About last seaso...
Have you ever heard of the term "Social Licence"? I came across the term recently and I realised improving our social licence, as equestrians, but also as endurance riders is for a large part why I do what I do: I want riders to learn and know more, so they can become better ambassadors for our sport each day. But what is a "Social...
