A follow on/side thread...

[AutumnDays]

Following the laminitis surge thread, the general consensus was the old calories in outweighs calories out, meaning fat horses hard to manage. I noticed a few people mentioned they had non ridden horses who they were watching hawk like, and they walk them out in hand. Out of curiosity, how far, and how often do you do this? Me and mine are all non ridden for various reasons, and I am now in a position where coming to terms with that means looking forward at what we can do, not what we can't, so I'm hoping you lovely H&H people would be willing to share some insight to inspire me to work out a plan and get out of my wallowing

 

[Patterdale]

There’s no limit is there? There’s a woman been walking round the UK with a donkey who carries all her gear on a pack.
The world is your oyster, go as far as you like

ETA why not try a set track, like Mary Towneley loop? You’d do it in 3-4 days and meet lots of people and see lots of stuff along the way?

 

[SantaVera]

I have three non ridden. One of them goes out for inhand hacks. But not at the moment,the horse flies are too busy bad

 

[Sprogladite01]

At the moment I'm taking my roly-poly welshie hand walking fairly as and when due to the heat and health problems. But the plan is to do short walks initially and build up - once the ground is a bit softer I'll be doing 15 minute walks in the field (now it's been cut for hay) on the days we don't go out with a friend, which is currently once or twice a week for a 30-40 minute walk, plus a walk over ground poles once a week in the school my lovely neighbour lets us use (loosely). So right now, we aim to do 3 walks a week (approx 1.5 hours) but I plan to build this up as although it's stopping him from putting any on, he isn't losing any so clearly needs more.

I also have an instructor coming to teach him how to lunge but this is still TBC as she's on holiday at the moment he's also going to be going onto a track (instead of strip grazing) now my hay has been cut and I have finally caved and purchased a flexible filly thinline muzzle for him!

 

[AutumnDays]

Thank you for your replies all 3 of us are starting from scratch really, we are a bunch of broken misfits! We'd be starting small and working up, just wondered what an average walkies was for people who do it regularly to have something small to aim for. Also need to work out if either one at a time or all of us together is the easier way! To be fair, they are very good in hand, having done lots of in hand education with the youngster before we both broke!

 

[AutumnDays]

he's also going to be going onto a track (instead of strip grazing)

I've put mine onto a track system and it is making a difference to their movement and weight

 

[SEL]

Thank you for your replies all 3 of us are starting from scratch really, we are a bunch of broken misfits! We'd be starting small and working up, just wondered what an average walkies was for people who do it regularly to have something small to aim for. Also need to work out if either one at a time or all of us together is the easier way! To be fair, they are very good in hand, having done lots of in hand education with the youngster before we both broke!

I have a regular pre-work 2 mile walk in hand route. Its one that avoids the rat run morning traffic by the first 1/2 mile being a bridlepath and the second 1/2 mile being through a dead end village. Its out and back which is a shame but otherwise I spent most of the time squeezing us into gateways to avoid idiots.

She could do longer and really she needs to do longer but I have 3 horses and a job to fit in.

I have a track system set up for their paddocks although its a part-track at the moment because the grass growth got away from me so they are being strip grazed into where the track would normally be eaten down by now.

 

[AutumnDays]

I have a regular pre-work 2 mile walk in hand route. Its one that avoids the rat run morning traffic by the first 1/2 mile being a bridlepath and the second 1/2 mile being through a dead end village. Its out and back which is a shame but otherwise I spent most of the time squeezing us into gateways to avoid idiots.

She could do longer and really she needs to do longer but I have 3 horses and a job to fit in.

I have a track system set up for their paddocks although its a part-track at the moment because the grass growth got away from me so they are being strip grazed into where the track would normally be eaten down by now.

That sounds like a doable aim. Same as you with regards to traffic dodging and fitting in work. Thank you

 

[SEL]

That sounds like a doable aim. Same as you with regards to traffic dodging and fitting in work. Thank you

I meet the same set of regular dog walkers in the morning. I think the Appy now believes she's just a large dog!

 

[AutumnDays]

I meet the same set of regular dog walkers in the morning. I think the Appy now believes she's just a large dog!

I did a lot with my appy as a baby while walking the dog, I don't think she's realised she's a horse since! Nice to know it's not just mine!