The distances in the Novice and Intermediate sections are about what you would normally cover in an afternooon's recreational ride. Although you would be expected to cover the distance, the speed is up to you and what you are comfortable with. We have as much variety in shape, size, weight, height, colour, and breed of horse as we have in the riders that compete on them. Any horse can compete in CTR as long as it is 4 years or older. When it comes to the longer distances, Arabs and Part Arabs seem to have the edge there, however, we have many other breeds that compete successfully and there is always the exception to any rule.
Age is no barrier or excuse.
There are sections for younger riders, none for the oldies, I'm afraid. The important thing is that you are able to stay on and ride for a couple of hours. This is a performance sport, so beauty and style are irrelevant, but it does help to be a balanced rider and I am sure your horse will appreciate it. Our club members are spread all over Canterbury and Banks Peninsula, consequently our rides are over a similar area. There is usually one to two hours to travel to a ride depending on where you live.