Using a horse walker...tips please

[madhector]

Right we now have a lovely indoor horse walker at the new yard at work (unfortuntly not at home

) I have never had one before so its all new to me. I have got all the horses one and used to it and all were fine apart from one idiot who managed to walk round backwards. I have had lots of conflicting advise as far as horse walkers go, so could do with some clarification.

1. Do you turn them round and work both ways each day or swap from one day to the next?

2. Tack on? Is this wise?! Thoughts please?

3. How long should they be on for? most of ours work afterwards but a few don't get worked every day.

Any other useful tips appreciated

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

We put ours on for about 10-15 each way.

You can put them on with tack on, although I prob wouldnt.

 

[SpottedCat]

1. Depends entirely on how I feel. Sometimes I turn them half way, sometimes I just alternate directions.

2. Not wise to my mind because of all the possible things which could get caught in the mesh. That said lots of people do an I have never seen anything actually get caught, I just worry about anything more than a headcollar.

3. I tend to stick to a max of 30mins when I use it, but will do that twice a day if he can't go out. Usually use it for cooling/drying off though TBH so he stays on for as long as it takes me to do the other stuff I need to do or dry, whichever is longer!

 

[Weezy]

1) We go one way one day then the other way the next - one lady does turn them everytime she uses it.

2) I don't ever put on with tack as it is only used by me for exercise on non riding days. Others do put on with tack, reins and stirrups secured.

3) I put on for varying times - from 10 mins to an hour depending on what I am doing - P has her own way of telling us she has had enough - she stands still and stops it

 

[Super_Kat]

1. I alternate th direction they walk on (right one day left the next).

2. I personally wouldn't but I know of people who do.

3. Mine usually go on while I muck out (1/2 hour to 45 minutes)

 

[madhector]

Thanks everyone, very helpful, a few of ours seem ok with changing direction but the bigger ones struggle so would be easier to swap from day to day.

 

[lucym]

we dont have one (i can only dream!!) but when i was at mary kings she had one, and they did 15mins one way, then all taken off, swapped direction and then back on. they had no tack on, just boots, and it was used mainly for the ones that hadnt worked, or those that had only hacked and not schooled.

 

[madhector]

It is great in this weather, I can see it becoming one of those things that you cant remember how you coped without it!

 

[Gorgeous George]

we have one on my yard and they go a different way every other day. At the moment the horses can't go out because the fields are flooded so they get 30-45 mins in the morning and the same in the a'noon. If George is in and I want to muck out I put him on and he seems to enjoy it! I would never put him on with tack on, although I do leave his headcollar on and rug if it is v cold.

 

[Bossanova]

Half time one direction, 1/2 the other direction. Dont see any benefit in doing 1 one day, the other the next!!
I think theyre best left naked but a couple of our liveries like them to work in side reins.
Maximum of 1 1/4 hours

 

[kerilli]

i used to do 1/2 one direction, half the next. even the big horses learn to lean back on their hocks and pivot to make themselves shorter!
no tack, ever, in case they get caught up.
if they're daft though, a headcollar and leadrope tied loosely to string near the gate in front of them for the first 10 mins/until they get the idea, but always under full supervision.
i had to electric-tape across the gate behind the really clever horse...

he then worked out that he could grab the gate ahead of him with his teeth instead, and still stop the whole thing.
i found that mares will walk around all day on it (managed to forget one mare was on it once, she did about 3 hours!) while the geldings are far quicker to get cheesed off. max of an hour was what i did.
always always have someone stay within earshot - some horrific injuries happen on walkers, you need someone close enough to stop it instantly if one tries to do a houdini on it.

 

[Seahorse]

Our would go on twice a day so we would have them clockwise in the morning and anti clockwise in the afternoon.
If they only went on once a day I would swap directions everyday.

Ours went on for 20 mins 2 times a day if they were worked and 45mins twice a day if they weren't ridden.
The oldies went on for 10-15 mins before they were ridden to loosen them up.