will lunging my horse once a week make any difference?

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maisie1988

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hey!!

so ive been told my horse needs lunging and riding.. so build up his top line and muscle as he dips either side his withers and has muscle wastage.

this is all new for me... learning lol!!

so im going to go to a local yard where the lady there is hapy to teach me how to lunge correctly etc...

i can then hire the school to lunge him once i know how. if i hire it once a week, due to cost and time for me... will this help at all or not really?

i know idealy more regular but will this atleast help? i then ride only twice a week now due to darker earlier and work and my 2 year old daughter. but will this be enough to help until next summer and then i can do more??

any advice be great!! :)

thank you
 
my yard i can go to is one mile up the road, as we only have stables and grazing where i am... so ill lead him to the yard to lunge once a week and then hack out twice a week, unless terrible weather reduces it even more!!

:)
 
It can't make it any worse, but, I shouldn't think once a week would make a huge difference either I'm afraid!

Could you find a sharer or someone to do if you want to work on building him up? For conditioning work, if it's going to mostly slow long ad low work to start with anyway, you could solely do it in his field if not too slippy and just in walk for the time being. :)


Failing that, I'd use the day to just ride him instead and then when it gets lighter and you have time to get him in a more full on routine, lunge him 2-3 times a week, even if it's just 10 minute session before you ride etc. :)
 
ok thank you, so wont do much lol...

a sharer is a good idea, but i want the bond with him lolol... maybe your right just enjoy hacking for now then when its lighter in the evenings do more. i cant lunge in the fields really now as very slippy, but come dryer months again i could do that, quite a good idea... i would be able to lunge for bit several times a week then. my daughter has a hour nap in afternoon so after work i pick her up and time doing the horse with her nap ol, makes it easier... so then i could just lunge him in the field for 15 mins.. could do that most days really.

well roll on summer i think, just worry that riding him will make his back sore so was looking for other ideas and just thought lunging, i duno!!

thank you for your ideas!! :)
 
I reckon every little helps:)

Lots of walk trot transitions and get horse moving forwards through back end to help build muscle and top line. Might need to be built up slowly depending on what he has been doing.
 
Dear OP
If done properly, in my view, there is nothing quite like lunging for getting them going and improving them in all sorts of ways.
I have spent the last 6 months lunging my 5 year old. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Im thrilled to bits with him.
 
Have you had his saddle checked? My lad's back went like that when his old saddle started pinching his wither. Also, you could try trotting work in the school, (suggestion do this on the long sides)and when doing rising trot, let him lower his head and stretch his neck, give him some rein, and rise every two instead of one, in rising trot.. it's good for stretching his neck and back, helping to build muscle up..
 
Get his saddle checked, it sounds like this is the reason for the muscle wastage.

If you are riding twice a week in a saddle that doesn't fit, then lunging once a week isn't going to help whatsoever.

Spend the money you are going to spend on hiring the school on a saddle fitter instead.
 
I lunge mine as part of their weeks work.

By lunging correctly you can help your horse in many ways. One part of their work without any weight on his back. It can help you see how he is moving and also teaches them to work from the voice.

I lunge mine with a lunging system that help them to use their back properly.

I think lunging can help and it also allows you to do 20 mins work that could take you an hour if ridden.
 
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