Ideas for exercising pony that can't be ridden or lunged

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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Definitely can't be lunged as he goes lame on a circle. He can however do in hand stuff so just looking for ways of keeping him fit and giving him something to do.

So far I've thought of......

In hand walking (good for me also)
Trec type things
Horse agility type things
Pole work
Clicker training
Physio sessions - he's had physio at WHW and loves carrot stretches. Luckily I have a friend who's an equine physio so session is already booked.

Any other ideas much appreciated xxxx
 
Long reining?

The other thing would be training him to pull a little cart but suspect that would not be possible with whatever is wrong that he can't be ridden or lunged?
 
He's got spavins and when lunged was lame all round. He was booked in to have further tests but in the meantime they stopped lunging and lameness improved immediately xx
 
However exercise with spavins should and does get them to fuse, so yes it means working them whilst they show lameness, could you do the bute route, even if you gave him 1 every other day it wont hurt him but can take the edge off, as this type of lameness is known to be the horses problem i understand it is okay to carry on unless it gets worse. Riding a lame horse when you dont know the problem is a different story.

My cob has bone spavin in both hinds, and when i first got him he was lame in exercise but the vet told me to continue lots of walking which is what he would do if he was in the field, he is now sound and doesnt come out stiff from the box, took a good 18 months, so we are guessing the bones in the hocks have fused.

Good luck but agree long reining. Makes them walk out beter than leading.
 
That's interesting thanks, he's lived out all year at WHW so has had plenty of field exercise.

I have never long reined so any tips/pointers pls xx
 
I would really recommend long reining. I'm a recent convert and have been doing it with my 3yo. It's wonderful learning something totally new and it keeps your horses brain ticking over.

If you want to learn, try asking some local instructors for lessons, sadly it seems a bit of a dying art, but there are still a few who can teach you. It's lots of fun too!

Good luck :)
 
Long rein. If you haven't tried before maybe get someone to walk at his head at first. Make sure you use a roller or saddle and thread the lunge lines through the d-rings or stirrups so they don't drag on the floor. With that you don't have to do circles and if he gets good enough you can go out of the yard doing it. Most of them get used to it pretty quick and if he was backed when you bought him he may well have already done it
 
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