What age, is too old to lunge?

Brontie

Brontie

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 October 2007
Messages
5,058
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
Hey guys! I remember reading somewhere on here, somebody wanting to lunge an oldie and others advised against it. How old would you say is too old?
This summer will be at a yard, with a 29 Year old, I used to ride. Unfortunately i've grown so i'm far too big to ride her. However, as my knowledge has grown, i've worked out exactly how overweight she is. And i'll be damned if I let her carry on getting fat! So, Ideally i'm going to lunge, or hack her out in hand. So, How old do you think is too old to Lunge?

Thank you!

P.s! Any other tips for me to use to lose weight work wise? Will have to fitten her up and hopefully burn a bit off in a short time span. :) So exercises etc, is free schooling as strenuous as lunging? :)
 
I personally feel there is no age limit to lunging. Conditions and injuries will be the limiting factors, ie arthritis if any and how advanced it is, etc etc. Same as any other horse.

I would be more careful, simply because older horses are generally more susceptible (sp) to injury, their joints and tendons cannot take as much strain as when they are younger. But again, it depends on the horse. My old boy could lunge gently (walk and trot with side reins) into late twenties, didn't bother into his thirties as I didn't have weight issues etc, just took him for daily walks and long reined to keep him a little active. Yet another horse I know couldn't manage it past 22.

Walks in hand and long reining should be less stressful, but if she can manage it light lunging carefully will provide some variety.

Proceed, as always, with care, as I know you will :)
 
There was another thread re an elderly horse the other day. I'd be wary of strain on an older horse's joints and making sure you use very large circles if the horse can be lunged. You might want to try long-reining as an alternative. It really depends on the horse's condition.

It may be better to restrict her grazing as opposed to trying to exercise her over much.
 
Hi,

I'd say its totally dependant on the individual horse. If the horse hasnt been lunged or worked for a long time be careful and start with very big circles, for short periods of time. If she looks like she is struggling, i'd keep to in hand work.

Hope this helps
 
Rather than lunge, which puts a lot of strain on the joints, notably the outside legs, how about long-reining? It is a very useful way of getting a horse fit, it is the way horses are broken to driving and is increasingly popular with people who don't want to lunge, and it keeps you fit as well!

I long-reined an older horse with a tendon injury and he was so good, we used to go out round the block, a good couple of miles every day. I even did some trotting, but I did get some strange looks though.

You use a bridle and a roller, although a saddle would do, and the long reins pass through the rings at hand height, or through the stirrups but make sure the stirrups are either tied underneath the belly or run them up and do up the leathers (sorry, not good at explaining that bit).

Then get someone else to walk with the horse, and you walk behind. Gradually the person leading moves away, and you get the horse to walk in front of you. Not so close you can get kicked, not so far away that you drop the reins. Don't use two lunge reins, they are too long and you can get into all sorts of trouble. Use either long-reins or driving reins or adapt some old lunge reins. Or make your own!
 
I would say don't lunge at all as you are likely to cause a lot of damage. Take the horse out in hand for a gentle walk and put it in a starvation paddock where you can control it's grass intake. However do make sure that it is eating something all the time.
 
if you have a very sensible horse to ride and your road work is quiet then I'd probably ride and lead but ONLY if they are both safe, sound and I had another person with me incase of any probs. Just walk to save her joints but give her some variety, restrict grazing too a little and i'm sure it will come down :D
 
Thanks guys! Will certainly consider the Long Reining option! Will be restricting her grazing, as with some luck, i'll be turning her out in the school for the time i'm there. She's a nightmare to catch, so this will be easier for both of us, if she's in the school and that way, when I walk her out, I can give her a bit of grass? :)

Thank you!

Nick,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top