retired eventer
Member
Can anyone give me the pros and cons re a horse walker or is it pretty much personal preference ? I'm guessing some people will say don't go near one and others will say can't do without it ?? Views much appreciated.
Horse Walker opinions
- Thread starter retired eventer
- Start date
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
Having had the use of one this last winter for the 1st time ever, it was a very interesting exercise.
I would say go for the biggest one you can, so that the constant turning is as large a circle as possible. Get the footing right - the one I was using has fairly elderly matting which was wearing smooth in the middle and having fresh horses slip if they spooked was alarming.
I used it on days when I was short of time, just to get them out of their stable, and most days, when I was mucking out - I would put 4 on for the time it took to muck 6 out (the other 2 weren't going on).
I was astonished at the level of fitness it put on them - I can see that walking positively for an hour, as well as their normal exercise, would have an effect, but I was surprised at how much.
It is very easy to get lazy and use it instead of, rather than as well as, exercise, particularly in the winter.
Downside - I couldn't use it on windy days, as the motor wasn't up to fighting the wind, and it would blow back on the horses. I also didn't like using it on wet days - walking in enforced circles in the driving rain didn't seem like an enjoyable experience to me!
I would be wary using it with horses with soundness issues - it would put a lot of strain on joints - and I made sure that they went alternate direction each day (it wasn't big enough for them to turn round)
I would say go for the biggest one you can, so that the constant turning is as large a circle as possible. Get the footing right - the one I was using has fairly elderly matting which was wearing smooth in the middle and having fresh horses slip if they spooked was alarming.
I used it on days when I was short of time, just to get them out of their stable, and most days, when I was mucking out - I would put 4 on for the time it took to muck 6 out (the other 2 weren't going on).
I was astonished at the level of fitness it put on them - I can see that walking positively for an hour, as well as their normal exercise, would have an effect, but I was surprised at how much.
It is very easy to get lazy and use it instead of, rather than as well as, exercise, particularly in the winter.
Downside - I couldn't use it on windy days, as the motor wasn't up to fighting the wind, and it would blow back on the horses. I also didn't like using it on wet days - walking in enforced circles in the driving rain didn't seem like an enjoyable experience to me!
I would be wary using it with horses with soundness issues - it would put a lot of strain on joints - and I made sure that they went alternate direction each day (it wasn't big enough for them to turn round)
be positive
Well-Known Member
I suppose it depends on your other facilities and requirements, if I was running a hunter livery or rehab yard then I would probably have one in preference to some other facilities as they are labour saving and useful to get some extra hours exercise into the horses without paying staff and the walker would soon pay for itself.
I would however have one at the bottom of my wish list of must haves, I think people tend to use them because they can, horses end up hardly ever hacking, they do not replace turning out but often do, they get used as it is easy to pop them on while you muck out and there is no mud to deal with afterwards, from the horses point of view it must be mind numbingly boring plodding endlessly round in circles and people say they find schooling boring but at least they get to use their bodies and brains.
I think some are better than others, the small circular ones cannot be good for their joints if used regularly, in fact none are probably good for joints, I would rather have a decent sized sandpit where they can get a bit of exercise and a roll if turnout is not an option, in an ideal world everyone would have a track system for hacking, an indoor and outdoor school, several sandpits and lovely mud free paddocks so horses could always have plenty of proper varied work whatever the weather, but most of us do not have access to the perfect yard.
I would however have one at the bottom of my wish list of must haves, I think people tend to use them because they can, horses end up hardly ever hacking, they do not replace turning out but often do, they get used as it is easy to pop them on while you muck out and there is no mud to deal with afterwards, from the horses point of view it must be mind numbingly boring plodding endlessly round in circles and people say they find schooling boring but at least they get to use their bodies and brains.
I think some are better than others, the small circular ones cannot be good for their joints if used regularly, in fact none are probably good for joints, I would rather have a decent sized sandpit where they can get a bit of exercise and a roll if turnout is not an option, in an ideal world everyone would have a track system for hacking, an indoor and outdoor school, several sandpits and lovely mud free paddocks so horses could always have plenty of proper varied work whatever the weather, but most of us do not have access to the perfect yard.
BORODIN
Well-Known Member
We had a 6 horse one on a busy hunting yard and it was an absolute godsend - i don't think we could have managed without it!
don't have one now but only have the 2 horses here and have never thought ohhh wish i had the walker
depends on your circumstances really
don't have one now but only have the 2 horses here and have never thought ohhh wish i had the walker
depends on your circumstances really
Lanky Loll
Well-Known Member
A godsend in the winter! We alternate direction as its too easy to just keep them going the same way and build up uneven muscle. Ours is on a concrete base which isn't ideal as it can be too slippery in freezing weather, a neighbour has hers on a compacted gravel base with rubber/sand on top and that appears to work well.
Ditchjumper2
Well-Known Member
I think they are great for hunters. I have one horse who goes away to go on the walker twice a day for two weeks. He comes back and goes autumn hunting once or twice a week and we go from there. May sound far from ideal but for this horse it is ideal. He did four weeks last year as we were away and was too fit...honest. The others I ride out but he goes on the walker as not the easiest.
retired eventer
Member
Many thanks for all your comments - very helpful indeed 
I have a slight (at the moment) weight problem with my horse and am currently unable to give much exercise other than in-hand walking out and lungeing 2/3 times a week on a surface (don't like to do more than that). She's out 24/7 on restricted grazing. For my current situation, whilst not being ideal, the horse walker may be the best option - that or pay someone else to ride my horse....
Could leave her in her corale with a field shelter and a soaked haynet for say 8 hours a day but feel she will just go out and eat her socks off all night so nothing gained except to make her bit grumpy.
I have a slight (at the moment) weight problem with my horse and am currently unable to give much exercise other than in-hand walking out and lungeing 2/3 times a week on a surface (don't like to do more than that). She's out 24/7 on restricted grazing. For my current situation, whilst not being ideal, the horse walker may be the best option - that or pay someone else to ride my horse....Could leave her in her corale with a field shelter and a soaked haynet for say 8 hours a day but feel she will just go out and eat her socks off all night so nothing gained except to make her bit grumpy.
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Meowy Catkin
Meow!
None of my horses will ever go on a circular walker. The constant turning is so bad for their legs IMO. The big oval walkers with two straight sides are much better, but i would still prefer proper straight line road work.
I knew a yard which over relied their circular walker. The percentage of the horses at the yard with tendon leg trouble was huge. Coincidence? Maybe?
I knew a yard which over relied their circular walker. The percentage of the horses at the yard with tendon leg trouble was huge. Coincidence? Maybe?
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
I only used one with my warmblood mare with separation issues, I used to put her on the Walker so I could put my gelding in the field because if she saw him leave she used to go nuts, and to honest it worked she only went on for about 15 minutes though and she seemed to quite enjoy it and sometimes used to try and have a trot round luckily it had a rubber floor and a roof and when she came back to her stable she was settled, my Arab hated it I tried him a few times and he just looked terrified and traumatised afterwards so I didn't bother using it for him.
I must say at that particular yard many people would use it instead of riding so some were on it for quite some time, and many that was the only time they came out of the stable in the winter as so many didn't turn there horses out at all for months, I think they have a purpose but some people use them totally the wrong way.
I must say at that particular yard many people would use it instead of riding so some were on it for quite some time, and many that was the only time they came out of the stable in the winter as so many didn't turn there horses out at all for months, I think they have a purpose but some people use them totally the wrong way.
Kylara
Well-Known Member
I think they can be great for popping on for 15/20 minutes whilst mucking out. Not to be used instead of exercise though.
Luci07
Well-Known Member
Had one for the first time last winter and it was a god send when the weather got really bad. Ours is big enough for 4 horses and I time my horse. He has a maximum of 30 minutes which includes taking him off and changing direction halfway through. I used it when mucking out and as an extra aid to fitness, but I do agree, leaving your horse on there for a long time and doing nothing else is not going to really help them. It meant I could get more work into him when time was tight as well as he would normally do the walker and ridden work as well.