Horse walker do's and dont's

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Flowerofthefen

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For the first time I'm at a yard that has a lovely horse walker. I didn't use it last year, and I'm not yet decided if I will use it this year, but it would serve a purpose to save me time!!
I would always choose turn out over using the walker but I may try it on the odd day when it's just too wet to turn out. I messaged my ridden horses old owners to ask if they ever had him on a walker. They didn't as back then they didn't have one but said he most definitely would have been on one in Ireland. He came over as a 4yo. My main worry is that he also came over from Ireland as a 4yo with a fear of doorways!! I'm hoping that it wasn't a walker incident that caused it but I will never know. We negotiate doorways backwards and this works well for us. I think it's why I'm a bit hesitant to try it. Are there any do's and months or tips from anyone please? Thank you
 
Flowerofthefen said:
My main worry is that he also came over from Ireland as a 4yo with a fear of doorways!! I'm hoping that it wasn't a walker incident that caused it but I will never know. We negotiate doorways backwards and this works well for us.
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I don't like walkers either tbh but considering this particular circumstance I wouldn't bother. They come with enough risks if a horse panics as it is.

If it's to wet to turn out and you don't want to ride then do in hand work in the arena. The horse will get a great deal more from that than plodding on the walker. The brain engagement from turnout and exercise is more important than getting the legs moving and a walker does nothing for that.
 
I would.

I don’t think they’re the worst thing in the world. It may not be the ideal solution but they serve a purpose and is a far better alternative than having him stood in his stable all day.

I’d try it, if it doesn’t work then I wouldn’t push, but if you’re limited for other options to get him a change of scenery then I think even ten minutes on a walker would do him good if he takes to it.
 
I would, we have one on our yard, I only use it in the worst of the winter months when turn out is restricted and they go into pens. I use it as well as riding, not instead of, he may go on it on his days off for a leg stretch, or sometimes whilst I muck out in the morning, then ridden at night. Probably use it 3 times a week

I am not a fan of lots of circles but for 9months of the year when I have enough daylight I do a lot of hacking so over the year it balances out.

I also feel that movement is important to horses, so when turnout is restricted it is another tool in my box
 
Nicnac said:
When you say too wet to turn out is that yard not allowing turn out?
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I can turnout as and when I want but I'm not in for messing up my fields for the sake of a few days in. This particular horse absolutely hates winter turnout so I'm lucky if I can get him out until lunchtime. There is absolutely no point in turning him out in heavy ish rain, he just hates it!
 
smolmaus said:
I don't like walkers either tbh but considering this particular circumstance I wouldn't bother. They come with enough risks if a horse panics as it is.

If it's to wet to turn out and you don't want to ride then do in hand work in the arena. The horse will get a great deal more from that than plodding on the walker. The brain engagement from turnout and exercise is more important than getting the legs moving and a walker does nothing for that.
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I do plenty of inhand in the arena, it was just an idea to put him on the walker whilst I muck out etc.
 
If you are still backing your horse through doorways I would think very carefully about attempting to put him on a walker, especially a covered one which is even more claustrophobic than an open one. I had a lot to do with a big Irish horse with a door issue, not owned but involved with travelling and competing him, he never improved with his going through a gap problem, we did know he had an accident in Ireland. When he moved to another yard with a walker he had a nasty incident on it as he panicked.

Walkers are useful for warm up and warm down, leg stretch whilst mucking out, dry off after a bath etc, I would love one ! but used purely for exercise I think is wrong. A vet I know said all walkers should be oval so the horse is walking in a straight line for part of the distance being covered, that makes a lot of sense for joint health.
 
AdorableAlice said:
If you are still backing your horse through doorways I would think very carefully about attempting to put him on a walker, especially a covered one which is even more claustrophobic than an open one. I had a lot to do with a big Irish horse with a door issue, not owned but involved with travelling and competing him, he never improved with his going through a gap problem, we did know he had an accident in Ireland. When he moved to another yard with a walker he had a nasty incident on it as he panicked.

Walkers are useful for warm up and warm down, leg stretch whilst mucking out, dry off after a bath etc, I would love one ! but used purely for exercise I think is wrong. A vet I know said all walkers should be oval so the horse is walking in a straight line for part of the distance being covered, that makes a lot of sense for joint health.
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Was only thinking about short periods but not sure it's worth the risk.
 
I keep my horses on a big competition yard where we do use the walker - they go on in the morning while being mucked out and to warm up / dry off after riding if needs be. I know some people hate them but sometimes it is unavoidable, with many horses to ride and less time to turn out / bring in / wash off and then ride if the rider is riding upwards of 8 in a day.
Most horses get used to them quickly, especially with a few other quiet ones already trucking around. many of ours would go straight to it in the morning if we opened their stable doors as thats the routine.
HOWEVER the putting them on and off is the dangerous bit.
One who doesn't like doorways could be an issue- I've seen people knocked flying when a horse spooked and rushed out through the door as it was opened to get them off.
Saying that, if he loads into a lorry or trailer but it is just stable doors it might be ok, their wee brains are funny things.
 
I think a horse that is scared of doorways is going to really struggle to load onto a walker- they have to go in and turn straight away, a bit like loading onto a 3.5t lorry, so I guess if he does that ok he might be fine?
I don’t like them, but I realized I am in the fortunate position of being able to provide my horses with the freedom, forage and friends they require all winter.
 
I used to work on a yard which had a walker so we were forever putting horses on and off. If your horse has an issue with doorways then tbh I'd practice, practice, practice with it all turned off before you even think about putting him on it. I used to hate putting new horses on it in case something went wrong - even though they always went on with experienced ones. I've hit the emergency stop button when a horse has decided to turn round, when a horse has stopped and decided to kick the sh1t out of the one behind and when one just started rearing. Stopping it is one thing - you've then got to negotiate 4 horses off the flipping thing and guarantee the one having a wobbly is not the one by the gate!
 
As a general comment I have no great aversion to horse walkers if used in a complimentary way, rather than solely relied upon as a long term replacement to ridden exercise and/or turnout.

No doubt, using what is essentially an oversized hamster wheel, does introduce an added level off risk, so I’d assess the use based on the individual horse and their temperament / reaction to things.

Based on that, a horse you have to currently back through doorways, would be one I wouldn’t risk on a walker yet. You should continue to work on being able to lead through narrow spaces and being confined in a safe way before considering a walker.

I had a horse injured on a walker through a very negligent yard choosing inappropriate companions and ordering on the walker. Be very mindful of who is in front and behind, for biting/kicking attempts.
 
I loved having a walker. Brilliant while mucking out and also great on the days where you tried to ride fresh young sport horses and their backs came up. I would just get off and stick them on the walker at walk/jog speed and then get back on again after 20 mins. Other days I would have 2/3 to school at night time so would be tacked up and stuck on the walker and pulled off to be schooled then popped back on to cool down. They would be turned around and the size and surface is vital. Ideally its stone dust/small gravel as much better for joints as allows twist and ideally not too small.

I don't have one now but i did use it when I had one with a lot of young sport horses.

I wouldn't use it with a horse which panicked or was worried.....
 
Don’t tie your horse to the panel wearing a chifney would be my advice (yes honestly saw someone do that 😬)
I definitely think they have their place and uses. I dislike people using them instead of turnout regularly.
I used to take my horses to work sometimes and put them on the walker while I did evening stables. I didn’t usually do evenings but would cover if someone else couldn’t but it meant no time to ride so worked well.
One would have been on before I had him, the other definitely not. So the first time I put the experienced horse on first and the other in behind, just incase he did decide he was worried. All fine.
 
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