Lungeing for 15 mins - wasting time? Beneficial?

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Patches

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When Patches nose started running I decided to lunge her for 10 mins or so once a day on the days I wasn't riding her at hack. Just to see how she coped, if she coughed etc and to get her lungs breathing deeply to help clear them.

Anyway I've decided to keep this up, only I'm lungeing on average for 16 mins, 8 mins each rein. Patches used to break free and tank off lungeing but she's really getting into it.

I was just wondering though, is such a short time lungeing on days I don't spend in the saddle (so twice a week on average) beneficial/worthwhile or is it not enough to make any difference to her muscling/shape or fitness?
 
DEFFO beneficial. I never lunge for longer than 20 mins anyway
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Well this is what I thought L.

Doesn't seem like long but the constant bending is hard work isn't it? Patches does get a bit clammy during lungeing and really enjoys a good old curry comb after walking to cool down for about 5 mins after lungeing. I also think of a good old curry comb as a sort of massage for them too. I also do her hind leg stretches as per Osteo's instructions.

Just doesn't seem like a long time when you're doing it. Would think she'd get bored stiff if she did much more.
 
Good thing!
Little short periods of lunge work are best- I lunge alot over the winter to make the most of any daylight, usually just for 15-20mins. A burl round des them good, and you can do a lot of work on balance, muscles etc. My mare's canter transitions are so much better noiw from just doing lots of up/down on the lunge over the winter.
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It's the canter transition I'm keen to work on. We've done quite a few tonight. I cheat though and run in a circle inside of her to make the circle larger, and therefore easier for her. Keeps me fit too!

I changed up and down from walk to trot, to canter, to walk, to canter blah blah numerous times as it gets her to engage better. She often strikes on the wrong leg. When she does this on a circle I tend to push her on as she's change lead knowing it's not comfortable. After a while she tends to strike off correctly instead of needing to change.

I love long reining normally but taking a lunge whip and a line across to the field is so much quicker than the roller etc as well.
 
Get on your exercise bike for 15 mins & tell us if you think it it feels like a waste of time afterwards!
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It's a good thing
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[ QUOTE ]
Get on your exercise bike for 15 mins & tell us if you think it it feels like a waste of time afterwards!
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It's a good thing
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[/ QUOTE ]


PMSL!!!! I never thought of it like that! I know how I feel after 20 mins or so on my stepper!

I'm pleased it's worthwhile. Was hoping you'd all tell me that it'd help to improve her fitness. Never been one for lungeing in all honesty. I'm usually a long reining fan. Will alternate between schooling, hacking, jumping, lungeing and long reining.
 
Keep at it- it works. Really starting to get some lovely canter work from her now, the transitions pay off. I use my voice alot too and did the running in circles bit to start with aswell- I hate feeling as if you are pulling against them on the lunge.
 
15 mins per day in trot is exacly how long my boy has been lunged for daily at the vets - apparently it is enough to give them a good clear out.
 
Oh Parsley, I'm really pleased you replied with that.

Thanks so much for the pm. My wireless connection dropped out when I went to reply and I completely forgot later on. Sorry. Patches nose seems much better today. Hardly anything there at all and nothing after working. No foul smell either. I bet anyone on the motorway would have wondered what on Earth I was doing shoving my nose up hers!
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Max I do is 20 minutes and that is with at 5 minutes walk to start and finish.

I do various transitions and also like to spiral in and out plus I use the whole school so don't stay on a circle and get them to circle each corner of the school, really get a move on down the long side etc.

I also found using a bungee and two reins very good on my TBs in the past and Chancer now gets a very short session with two reins though no bungee until he is older.

I prefer to free school Mr C though you would think he was on the end of a lunge as he is older and a big old boy so he is always using the whole school with a few 20 m circles.

Great exercise for me too as I am constantly on the move with them.
 
Oh I should have said, I do change the rein twice on each side. I just gave a total for how long she's lunged on each rein.
 
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