Is something better than nothing exercise?

[Lintel]

Although I have been trying my best to get time with the Hipo to aid the weight loss some days there is just hardly a moment! Those days I have been lunging for 20 mins, roughly 5 minutes walk, 10 minutes trot and 5 minutes of trot/canter transitions. Is this a waste of time? Or is something better than nothing?

Should I tack up properly and ride for 15-20 mins instead? I only lunge with his canvesson and lunge line so it takes seconds to get ready but to ride would take longer to tack up.

 

[First Frost]

Lunging done properly is harder work for the horse than the equivalent time schooling under saddle. But that is proper lunging not spinning around on the end a rope. Work on transitions, move him around the school, including asking for a bigger trot down the long sides of the school. Definitely worth it in opinion.

 

[Lois Lame]

Work on transitions, move him around the school, including asking for a bigger trot down the long sides of the school. Definitely worth it in opinion.

I think that's a great idea.

I worry at the thought of lunging for exercise because what comes to mind is just circles. Makes me feel sorry for the horse. But using the whole school would be excellent. And definitely worth it.

 

[J&S]

Plus using poles and small jumps for athleticism.

 

[canteron]

I think that's a great idea.

I worry at the thought of lunging for exercise because what comes to mind is just circles. Makes me feel sorry for the horse. But using the whole school would be excellent. And definitely worth it.

And gets you fit too at the same time ?

 

[SOS]

As others have said, lunging can be very hard work for a horse in good and bad ways. They were never designed to spin in a circle but if you need to exercise them that way make it as beneficial as possible and more mentally stimulating for you both

- Use the whole arena, walking up and down to spend less time on a tight circle.
-Aim to do a minimum of 50 quality transitions a session, every time your horse goes up a pace or down they normally have to engage their core.
-Do transitions within the pace as you would riding. Get them to a slow, shortened trot and then send forward.
-Use poles but not excessively. Poles in walk are most beneficial, and don’t under estimate how hard work they can be for a horse.
-Make sure, and if not learn, to lunge so that your horse is carrying itself correctly during the session. Lunging with a horse inclined towards you like a motorbike is not good for the horse.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Are you able to look at your daily schedule and see if you are cramming in too much? A twenty minute ride might do your head space a lot of good on busy days, otherwise a spot of lunging just becomes another chore to tick off. Have a hug, and I hope you can find a bit more time.

 

[Lintel]

Thanks all sorry just managing to catch up with replies!
That's a good point with the lunging, we have no proper school as such so it is in the field and or the rubber hard/softstanding area which is narrow at one end and wider at the other so we tend to do small circles/large circles and extension of gates up the straights. Will definitely try to pop in more transitions and will consider investing in some more poles as I have moved them all into the track paddocks to make them lift there feet or pop over them.
@canteron absolutely I feel like I have a harder workout than him at times!
@Highmileagecob thank you so much, unfortunately having a little one is much more time consuming that I had ever imagined.. hindsight!!

 

[Lois Lame]

... having a little one is much more time consuming that I had ever imagined.. hindsight!!

Yes. No one can prepare you for what it's like, no matter what they say.


Regarding transitions, I think it's easy to dismiss them (not that anyone has). They are harder work IMO than just 'going along'. I say this because of my own experience out walking. If I make a transition (halt, for instance) it takes more effort to do that (and then set off at walk again) than to just keep marching.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Have you thought about lunging with 2 lines / long reining in your space? I find it very useful. You can do all sorts of patterns, changes of pace, transitions, & you do as much as the pony, so it burns calories for both parties.

 

[MissTyc]

Something is definitely better than nothing. I can't remember the reference, maybe someone else will, but there was some research done on ponies with IR and they found that even ten minutes of power walking daily significantly improved things for those ponies as compared to not walking. Is he the type of horse you can jump on bareback just switch things up a bit? Long reining = great fun and more useful than lunging in my opinion. I find with the long reins you can actually get good at things like lateral work and very precise transitions, etc, whereas on the lunge it gets all a bit circular

 

[Squeak]

Is it worth looking at sharers? Just thinking it might help you from a stress and time point of view as well as a bit of extra cash.

I know it wasn't at all what you were asking I just so know that feeling of cramming in too much and the stress that goes with it. To answer your original question, I would agree that something is better than nothing but also as we're coming in to winter, time off is always an option if you need it.

 

[Lintel]

@Dave's Mam @MissTyc
Yes!! Long reining is something that hadn't even crossed my mind and we could get mich sharper transitions! Will refresh our memory at that tonight thank you! - definitely the type you can jump on bareback, I could probably do alot more bareback- would also be very beneficial to my core!
@Squeak - it was something OH wasn't too receptive too as he is kept in our "back garden" so to speak however we reasoned and I popped up an advert but have had little response as unfortunately all I can really offer is on road hacking which understandably not everyone is comfortable with. Thank you though!

 

[Leandy]

20 minutes lunging, working properly and correctly is quite hard work so definitely worth it. I would worry about the strain though if you are lunging every day. I wouldn't lunge more than a couple of times a week and do more varied exercise the other days.

For real weight loss purposes though you need to feed less. This is the most important thing especially if you are struggling to fit in the work.

 

[Lintel]

@Leandy - oh lord no... I would be bored stiffness if I lunged everyday, at most it is three times a week but general once or twice if I can't find the time to ride. Would love to feed less. .. but sadly and perhaps luckily for my bank balance he is a very good doer! No hard feed at all, he has been getting a soaked ration of hay with his buddy at night though as his field track is bare! He has dropped a couple of dress sizes(girth holes) though thankfully the past month, roll on winter though I say!

 

[fidleyspromise]

I put up a loose pen using electric posts and tape and loose schooled my pony - it meant I could make it bigger than a lunging circle and horse could trot. One stays fairly close to me. The other used the full pen meaning she could trot big as either she'd need to trot small to stay with me on lunge line or I'd need to run. I found it fun. we played with change if direction and transitions.
Not sure if this is something you can add/do.

 

[Kaylum]

Loose schooling is brilliant. Its what I did instead of lunging.

 

[Lintel]

Great thanks for the ideas @Kaylum @fidleyspromise