This information-packed international bestseller should be on every endurance and competitive trail rider's shelf.To spend hour after hour on the back of a horse is a dream come true for many riders. To ride for miles-25, 50, or even 100-on a fit horse, is an extremely satisfying experience, whether done in competition or just for pleasure. This thrill does not come easily however; it requires immense dedication from the rider and a lot of hard work from the horse.No other equestrian sports demand such a continuous training effort as do endurance and competitive distance riding. To reach the highest level of the sports-competing in a 100-mile ride-requires years of careful conditioning. Even a 25-mile ride demands close attention to every nuance of a horse's being-during the many miles of work beforehand and during the competition itself. It is the horse's welfare that must come above all else.