Lunging how often and how long to see some muscle tone?

CobSunshine

CobSunshine

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Evening all,

managed to fence off a section of my horses field today with white curtain tape and plastic poles to create a menarge :)

Instead of napping off on the grass like he usually does - he respected the space really well and lunged for 15 minutes. Left me with a very sweaty horse yet he seemed to relish in the work!

He's gone from 550 to 460 kg over the winter so isn't too overweight now, but he's lacking muscle definition and tone.

How often a week would I need to lunge to see some muscle added to his frame? and how long each session?
 
If he is sweating after 15 minutes then he isn't fit enough to do this much yet.
Personally not a great fan of lunging due to the strain put on the limbs, and the fact that not many people have any idea how to lunge effectively, I would do once a week if you must but just 10 minutes or so for now mostly in walk and work on walk/trot trot/walk transitions.
 
Yes i agree on the fitness thing!!!

Although i quite like lungein to see how the horse is going / improving.
Once a week if he is this unfit but whatever you do, don't just trot / canter round and round!

If you do lots transitions and encourage long low work it will help him.

Pessoa (USED PROPERLY in long low position), Bungee, Chambon are all good to encourage long and low but always warm up without the gadget and cool off without it afterwards.

How about do occasional lunging but focus on your schooling (again long and low, working from behind and pushing up nicely under the saddle / working through his back) even just walk and trot.
If you do that then hopefully you can just lunge and see the great improvement your schooling has done.

PS hacking schooling is just as good - I do lots schooling on roads, not in schools (seeing as you mention you had to use some field for it!)
 
underdog said:
Yes i agree on the fitness thing!!!

Although i quite like lungein to see how the horse is going / improving.
Once a week if he is this unfit but whatever you do, don't just trot / canter round and round!

If you do lots transitions and encourage long low work it will help him.

Pessoa (USED PROPERLY in long low position), Bungee, Chambon are all good to encourage long and low but always warm up without the gadget and cool off without it afterwards.

How about do occasional lunging but focus on your schooling (again long and low, working from behind and pushing up nicely under the saddle / working through his back) even just walk and trot.
If you do that then hopefully you can just lunge and see the great improvement your schooling has done.

PS hacking schooling is just as good - I do lots schooling on roads, not in schools (seeing as you mention you had to use some field for it!)
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Agree with all of this!

I do like to lunge. Above all, it does help you to see from the ground, how your horse is going and where the weaknesses are. I don't see that lungeing done correctly is anymore strenuous than a schooling session. Although I don't seem to get round to doing it as often as I should! I think it very much depends how much work your horse is up to doing from onboard. Pessoa for shortperiods with lots of transitions (once established with Pessoa in place) works wonders for topline
 
Gotta admit i'd not heard that one - altho 30min lunge equalling 1hr school i have heard but then i guess it depends if hacking / schooling involves poddling along chattin with a mate or an intensive workout lol

Anyway - reason for replyin being that yes that may be so but definitely shouldn't become a replacement for the hour schooling / half hour hack, just an addition!!! :)
 
Going to look into the Pessoa :)

I was concerned about the comment that if he sweats after 15 minutes hes too unfit to do it :(

But after his 3rd time lunging yesterday for 15 minutes he didn't seem as sweaty as the first time. He really put some effort into it as well.

Does he look too sweaty here for 15 mins work? I really want to keep it up (along with hacking) to help him lose some weight.



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Hey,

From looking at the pictures, you're horse is very hairy, so I would say he definitely hasnt sweated too much.
I wouldnt be too sensetive with him, and would lunge him maybe four times a week for ten mins a time, but not tens min constant trotting or cantering, but just getting him to listen and trot in a nice steady rhythm, doing some transitions. You will notice the difference in a couple of weeks.
Even on days you want to ride or hack, it wouldnt hurt to lunge for ten mins earlier or later in the day.
Aslong as he isnt running round like a lunatic and sweating himself up them I'm sure he'll be fine to do that. It really isnt that much work, but makes a big difference. Also to behaviour aswell.
 
I find lunging really useful for my girl, especially as it also gives me the opportunity to watch how she moves as well as just feeling when I ride her! I don't like to lunge alot though as I am wary of the extra strain always being on the turn puts on their legs. We have a lunge pen which is ace, but I do prefer to lunge in the school or a larger area so that I can use the straight lines as well as a break from turning. If you have a section in your field then I think that would be ace as you can do a sort of rounded oblong shape which I think takes some of the strain off. I never lunge more than once a week for about 20 mins (she is pretty fit at the mo so this doesn't usually cause her to sweat up, we use it more of a time to work on transitions from the voice or pop a couple of poles in to liven it up rather than a heavy work out, if that makes sense?!), and more usually once every week and a half to two weeks.
 
We're Pessoa-ing two of ours twice a week at the moment, working on getting some muscle built up. Lots of transitions (don't canter on the Pessoa until horse is used to it and working well).

We work elliptically, so lots of walking up and down the school to get straight sections (a good work-out!).
 
I am lunging my TB 3 or 4 times a week for half an hour at a time (he has 10 minutes 'loose' to settle so only really 20 minutes of 'proper' work).

The Section A is just coming back into work so she is getting built up gradually, she gets lunged approximately 4 times a week and is up to 5 minutes on each rein now.
 
I've lunged 2x a day before. Never more than 20 minute sessions though - hard work + 10minute warm up cool down.

The most important thing about lungeing is making sure the horse works from the quarters as in riding. Doesn't matter what you use, this is the most important factor.

If you put on all the gadgets but horse still pulls himself along, then any effect will be slow and probably incorrect.

Also, take into account shear and lateral forces when lunging - not too fast and not too crooked or you get strain in all the wrong places.
 
BlueCakes said:
Hey,

From looking at the pictures, you're horse is very hairy, so I would say he definitely hasnt sweated too much.
I wouldnt be too sensetive with him, and would lunge him maybe four times a week for ten mins a time, but not tens min constant trotting or cantering, but just getting him to listen and trot in a nice steady rhythm, doing some transitions. You will notice the difference in a couple of weeks.
Even on days you want to ride or hack, it wouldnt hurt to lunge for ten mins earlier or later in the day.
Aslong as he isnt running round like a lunatic and sweating himself up them I'm sure he'll be fine to do that. It really isnt that much work, but makes a big difference. Also to behaviour aswell.
Click to expand...

yes i aggree with all the above unless he lives out, you should clip him. the more you do the quicker he will get fit but dont push it.
 
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