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A horse walker is a useful tool for horse owners who want their horses to get some exercise when they themselves don't have the opportunity to provide it. A horse walker has a circular shape in which the horses can walk or trot. But how do you determine the right size for a horse walker?
There are several factors to consider when determining the right size for your horse walker. In this article, we share the most important considerations.
How much space do you need on your property?
Firstly, it's important to estimate the space required for your horse walker. This is based on two questions.
- How many horses do you want to train simultaneously in the walker?
- What type of horse walker do you want to purchase?
- How much space is available on your property?
So, you need to consider the available space on your property. Allow a minimum of 10 meters for a small horse walker for three horses. If you don't have this space available, it may be wiser to lunge the horse in a small lunge circle.
Looking for the right diameter?
The most common diameter for horse walkers ranges from 10 to 25 meters. The larger the walker, the more horses you can train simultaneously. In the overview below, you can see how many horses you can train per diameter.
- 10 meters - 3 horses
- 12 meters - 4 horses
- 15 meters - 4 horses
- 16 meters - 5 horses
- 18 meters - 6 horses
- 20 meters - 8 horses
- 25 meters - 12 horses
Space for movement freedom in the horse walker
The horse walker must be large enough to give your horses sufficient room to move. This means that the diameter of the horse walker must be large enough to allow your largest horse to move comfortably. In general, it is recommended to choose a horse walker with a diameter of at least 10 meters. This is suitable for three horses at once.
Also, the horse walker should be large enough to allow the horses to get enough exercise. It's important that the horses get enough exercise to stay healthy, so the horse walker needs to be large enough to walk or trot at a comfortable pace. If the circle is too small, it will put more stress on the inner muscles. This can lead to injuries, as one side of the horse becomes overworked.
This issue can be solved by choosing a horse walker of the correct size. It's also important that the walker can rotate in both directions, so that muscles on both sides of the horse are trained evenly.
The importance of adequate space in your horse walker
Having sufficient space in the horse walker is also crucial for safety. If the horses are too close to each other in the walker, there's a higher risk of accidents. Horses can also tend to annoy each other if they are too close. The horse should be able to vary its speed and rhythm with ease - of course within the available space of the enclosure in which the animal is walking.
Determining distance and diameter of horse walker
Now that you know which diameter to maintain for your horse walker, it's time to look at the design and shape. With Molenkoning, you can opt for a standard model or choose a custom design. Read more about putting together your ideal horse walker in our blog. Curious about the benefits of a horse walker? Click on the button below.
