14/02/2024
As usual, some good advice from PC Australia!
I often suggest walking exercises (either ridden or from the ground) for clients as they are beneficial for stretching the muscles, getting your horse fit and warming up/cooling down. Some exercises (for example, pole work) are also brilliant to develop your horse’s proprioception and get them thinking about where they are putting their feet - which is then very useful on rougher terrain or when jumping!
Here's 10 good reasons to walk a horse. You can probably think of more 😊
1. Horses were born to move around and graze. It is not acceptable to keep horses confined in yards or stables without providing lots of opportunities for movement (unless they are injured and a vet prescribes confinement.)
2. Leading your horse at the walk can improve your horse’s groundwork, a very useful training tool which is taught in the PCA certificate manuals. It also helps build trust.
3. Leading your horse at the walk on a ‘ride’ is good for your physical health too.
4. Walking helps make horses supple and strong. They are working but don’t tire as quickly as they would at faster paces. If your horse is coming back from injury or a long spell, it should be the basis of his return to work for several weeks.
5. There are many movements you can perfect at a walk before moving on to faster speeds. (eg turning around bending poles or drums, riding into corners, serpentines, working over poles on the ground).
6. Walking helps release tension in a tense horse. It allows for full contraction of the long back muscles in a contraction-relaxation cycle. The fine-tuned motor control that is possible at the walk can enable you to help your horse find more range of motion and joint flexion. For example arriving at Pony Club or a competition can be stressful so the best thing is to quietly walk your horse around until he settles.
7. Walking with friends and their horses helps your horse socialise and learn to work in groups without the stress of any activities. Tackling some rougher country with other horses and riders can help with your horse’s confidence and sure-footedness.
8. It is a great way to get a horse fit, especially if the terrain is undulating or hilly.
9. Walking is the best way to start warming up your horse before he starts work, and to cool him down afterwards. He should not be tied up after strenuous work until his heart rate returns to normal. Once the saddle is removed he should be washed down to remove sweat and then walked as long as needed.
10. Walking does not have to be boring. If you cannot walk along tracks or through paddocks, set up obstacles such as a working equitation/handy mount course * or do some polework *
* Both are Disciplines of the Month which can be found on the PCA website, with plenty of ideas to try.
https://ponyclubaustralia.com.au/sports/discipline-of-the-month/
