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Tonim
Silver Member
United Kingdom
430 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Feb 2011 : 12:07:04 PM
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I think they are great as long as they are used sensibly and they are well made (I've seen some that look very dodgy!).
My OH has a six horse walker with rubber bricks and a roof and it is a godsend. It's used alongside turnout and exercise as part of the horses daily routine. They only ever walk on it and they usually do 15 mins each direction. Like others have said it's brilliant for warming up or cooling down or for when they have been washed off, it is especially good for horses coming back from injury. It was invaluable when Hartley had the problem with his hock and it was on my vets recommendation that he went on it. Hartley always gave the impression that he enjoyed it as well, I think he liked the social side of it being with the other horses as he wasn't allowed to be turned out. Also he liked to push the partition in front of him to make it go faster! |
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lisa rachel
Gold Member
Wales
831 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2011 : 3:22:14 PM
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At the end of the day, it is obvious that many people find them useful and where walking exercise is necessary for rehab but no-one has the time for all the in hand work, like your vet Tonim I have found them a useful tool. However there cannot be any pretending that they acheive anything that couldn't be as well/better acheived by work in hand/lunge/long rein, what they do is free up the human to do other things while the horse has a legstretch on a circle.
For myself, mine live out (with access to shelter of course), so can leg stretch whenever they want, if I am with them, I would rather do in hand work so they can exercise their brains as well as their bodies. Thats just my personal view and circumstance I am not condemning walkers. I agree with Tonim that the safety of them depends on the design and the common sense of the human in charge, they certainly can be dangerous if badly designed/miused.
Cheers
Lisa |
lisa |
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kassha
Bronze Member
82 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2011 : 3:37:47 PM
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Hi Lisa,unfortunately it was Kalon that fell over in the walker(see previous post).
My friends son has just come to ride him for me today and he is still carrying his tail low and to one side but is also lame still.
He must be the most accident prone horse I have ever come across and will be the oldest novice ridden gelding!
I only used it to excercise whilst mucking out -they were never on there for longer than 10 mins either way.Thank goodness only my two on it but I shan't be using it in future.
I know lots of people wouldn't be without them but they are not for us. |
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Jess.And.Tiger
Silver Member
England
344 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2011 : 8:29:13 PM
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if onlyyyy *dreams*
I would love one... although I would love a menage even more :P
If I had a menage I think I would get up early every morning and lunge him before uni and plan my week of riding and jumping... I would love to be able to just ride when I want and do what ever I like whether it be lunging or jumping...
erghh its so hard without one and although I manage it is a pain... in the summer you can't ride early coz it's slippery, you can't ride late coz it's slippery, you can't ride middle of the day coz it's too hot- so you have to get your timing JUST right, and you can only do gentle schooling coz the grounds rock hard, and you can't jump coz they grounds to hard, can't do grid work coz it's all lumpy bumpy and on a slope haha!!! in the winter I just can't ride at all as I don't have hacking, the grounds to wet, or frozen and slippery and it's to dark hahah!!!
it's a painnnnnn... i would do ANYTHINGGGG for a menage!!!
hahaha we need to win the lottery!!! 
xxxx |
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Horsewalkers
