Ideas for excercises in walk

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251libby

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After 3 weeks off due to lameness, I have been advised by my vet so start riding again starting tonight woop woop! Hoping that the anti inflamatries have sorted out the problem and praying that it's nothing more serious (the lameness was only very slight) Vet though she may have just knocked herself.
So we have been told we MUST walk for two weeks, which is easier said than done when you have a bouncy welsh D!
So I need ideas to occupy her mind while we walk, I'm not brave enough to hack out for a few days as all open fields round here
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so it's got to be things we can do in the school.

Thanks in advance, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this problem.
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You defs aren't the only one! Friend of mine has ISH who is currently off due to a sprain!

Hmmm this is a tricky one --- poles set out in school. Perhaps like a maze if you can't walk her over them. Was going to suggest dragging 'spooky' things in to get her to walk past...but then realised that may make her bomb away off...which wouldn't be good!

Other than that I think hacking is the best thing to keep their minds occupied :S !!

Or you could not ride and take her into the school on a long line and work on getting her to walk when you do, halt when you do, back up when you do (if she doesn't do this already that is!) You could weave in and out of barrels/ cones etc. Perhaps get her halting inbetween cones/jump wings etc. More and more things are coming as Im thinking of this!

Or maybe you could walk her out inhand?

Good luck anyways! I'm sure you'll find something to keep her amused!
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Im in the same boat chestnut_mare, my Fell is on strict walk only exercise, but she needs 2 hrs a day...field work isnt a good idea (she bolted Friday!) so Im practicing dressage tests in walk only...just pretending the trot, canter etc...would this help you? xx
 

Thanks both of you!
Rosehip liking the dressage test idea, and it will help to engrave them on my mind for when we do them for real!

cathy she's not spooky at all just wizzy, the sort that will walk past anything so think I will use your idea of a 'spooky' walk. Hacking is def a no no for at least a couple of days as when her feet touch the spot we normally canter there will be alot of sideways jogging :S Will also try the inhand stuff - if we can get the school to ourselves which is a bit of a rarity!
 
Try walking in a spiral - improves accuracy and your aids.
You could try long reining with two lunge lines. If you're into dressage practise getting a perfect square halt and your horse's outline at walk.
 
Reinback, shoulder in & leg yield?

If you do not know what caused her lameness I would suggest not doing any tight turns for the first few days or too much circling :-)
 
Love the dressage test idea!! May have to borrow that one, mine just coming back into work after 3 months off with lammi, bolts and bucks on a lunge and gets bored just walking round in circles!! I can hack but now that the darker nights are drawing in (doom) thats a brilliant idea!
 
you could set up cones and slalom through them.....practice walk halt transitions....loops down the long side see how many you can fit in.....lots of direction changes....collect the walk then ask to move forward (obviously dont ask too much!!)

you could do some work in hand over scary things....then when she is cool with that you can try riding over them...halting on them....
 
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