Inproving walk

ktj1891

ktj1891

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Basically my guy is only just coming into work so hes doing 20 mins walk and building up to 40 mins max work but no proper schooling.

For hacking out I am working him in an outline and making him walk out and purposefully so he is tracking up.

Any tips for what I can do in the school to help strengthen the walk and make sure he is using himself behind constantly?
 
Don't stay in walk too long without breaking it up. Walk is the easiest pace to ruin, & the hardest to improve. Even if unfit, I wouldn't do more than a few minutes walk without a few strides of trot to break it up, & some (but half as many as walk-trot transistions) walk-halt transistions. Schooling in walk is by far the hardest way, much easier to do as I said above, gradually increasing the amount of trot, then get them working properly in trot. And if they have built the correct muscles up in trot, they will find it easier to work correctly in walk. If doing even a few strides of trot every few minutes isn't an option, then I'd only work the horse long & low in walk till I could introduce trot.
 
Vet told me to work him in an outline he did mostly long and low today but it is hard when he's had nearly 2 months off.
 
Long and low is fine. Do not rush the pace if you watch a good walk the legs and under belly should form a triangle. It is very easy to ruin this. Practice working long and low then bring up into contact for a few steps then long and low again without losing the quality of the walk.
 
I agree with Littlelegs. I'm mainly a dressage rider and I don't hack any of mine in "an outline". Most of the time they walk out on a longish rein, if say a car is going past I will pick them up into a contact but only for a short time. I can't see any real benefit to hacking in an outline? Its transitions and hillwork on hacks that will help build up strength. I think hacking out should be used to maintain the freedom and natural rhythm in the walk, and if you can't trot, personally I would let the walk be quite relaxed.
 
Echo simple pole work. Also try riding some squares and walk-halt-walk transitions.
If your school is big enough do some circles of varying sizes including changes of rein. Think bubble bit shape!
 
I've been long reining mine as just starting back into work. Two lunge lines both driving from behind and then circles, serpentines and straight lines with then moving onto poles. I Like to see how my boy moves behind and yet have the same control as if was riding and driving forward. I've had the best long and low stretches he's ever done and no gadgets involved! :)
 
I agree with the long and low, if he has been out of work he needs to strengthen his muscles, I would most def not be asking for an outline, the walk is very easily ruined and if you ask for an outline before he has the strength to maintain it, all you will do is shorten the walk.
 
What would you suggest info over next month then til vet is back. Have to stick to walking with him. I'm not going to let him walk out like a giraffe hacking he's always been held in a soft lose frame anyways.
 
The most important thing is the horse is walking with purpose whether it in long and low position or on a completely loose rien and a working position the horse must march forward with purpose that is what matters.
When I do walking exercise out hacking ( and I do a lot of walking with my horses ) I move between all three postions but do by far the least in working postion.
 
Some interesting points. My boy has been off work due to toe dragging which has then also led onto condition issues. He has now put on a bit of weight to start gentle work to tick him over and to also see if his weight drops again and how much he toe drags.

Vet suggested months work before she comes back out starting with 20mins purposeful and working walking and build up to no more than 40 mins. He can also pessoa.

My guy is generally a pretty laid back lazy guy especially out hacking, however, as you can appreciate having over 6 weeks off hes now more lively. I can't really act on the advise of working him long and low and on a loose rein out hacking at this moment in time, its not very safe for anyone.

But my main question is, a lot of people say its very easy to ruin the walk. Therefore, if i push him to march on how do I know if I have pushed him out of his 'natural rhythm' and how do I ensure he is taking long steps rather than walking faster and taking short steps. I hacked out at the weekend and my friend said he was over tracking, so it appears he is working correctly?
 
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