Three Ways to Get Your Horse Moving
Horses need to move. Preferably as often and as freely as possible. But did you know that many horses don't get their daily dose of exercise? This is true even when they spend the whole day in the paddock or meadow. We are pleased to explain the three ways in which you can ensure that your horse gets its daily number of steps.
The paddock or meadow as the ultimate activator; unfortunately not!
Many horse owners think: if I just put my horse outside enough, it will get enough exercise. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Your horse will move around a lot in the first few minutes and roll over with pleasure, but then it will almost stay in the same place. Not ideal, thus.
Horses also need to be stimulated to move enough. Being outdoors is of course very healthy and therefore essential. But when it comes to active movement, more is needed. Think of lunging, but better still, a good ride every day in the arena or fresh air. Only then is a horse really in motion.
Not enough exercise in the cold winter months
In the Netherlands, unfortunately, the sun does not shine every day. This makes it impossible or even unsafe to put the animal outside. It is therefore in the winter months that horses often move too little because people keep the animals in the stable more often. This makes the horse less fit and happy, but luckily there are ways to prevent this.
Getting moving with some technical help
Your horse gets the necessary exercise through riding and lunging, but not everyone has time for this every day. Fortunately, there are some tools to ensure that your horse gets enough exercise. Think for example of a walking machine or a treadmill. These two options have their pros and cons. Let's delve deeper into that.
Horses, exercise and a walking machine
The walking machine can be used for different purposes. For example, for a warm-up or cool down after training, but also as an extra workout while you, for example, muck out the stables. Where a horse usually stands still during the clearing out of stables, the animal can now stretch its legs while you are busy. In this way, you catch some extra moments of movement and your favourite quadruped will only be happier for it.
Horses, exercise and a treadmill
The treadmill can also provide extra exercise, but the device does have some points of attention. The horse treadmill is often used for the rehabilitation of horses or for training specific muscle groups. You can adjust the incline of a treadmill, which for example trains the hindquarters extra. It is important that you always stay next to the animal when using the treadmill, as the use of a treadmill is not without risks.
Conclusion: How does a horse move best?
We can be brief about this: a horse is always happy with more exercise. The animal is simply not made to stand in a stable for a long time. Especially in rainy Netherlands, going out into the meadow is not always a (safe) option. Some extra exercise with a tool like the walking machine can help keep your horse in top form. In this way, your horse stays in motion and you also save a considerable amount of time.
