Ideas to keep my gelding fit and doing something while I can't ride

[Cruisesmom]

2 weeks ago I fractred my leg in a non horse accident. I’m dying inside not being able to ride.We are in the thick of nasty not frozen mud land here in upstate New York. We are pretty much stuck to the indoor ring and limited turnout with safe footing for the forseeable future.

I have been lunging of course, but I need some ideas to keep my boy’s mind into work and keeping him fit. 17 Year old 2nd level saint.

I am limited to a walking boot, long distances and uneven footing are a no go. Any ideas other then lunging in side reins and working on transitions? He is really bored lol.

Thanks

[notlost]

I’m getting a TKR in January, and I’ve arranged for a friend to come and ride my horse three times a week while I’m unable to ride–up to three months. She’s competent, and I’m confident that when I’m come back, we’ll be approximately where he was when I left.

[Libby2563]

Longeing over poles would be a good workout that should help keep him interested too. IIWM I would also add backing (work up to backing up hills if you have safe footing for that) and in-hand stretching type stuff a few days a week, for core strength. Here’s a Hilary Clayton article with her top 5 stretches: https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thehorse/files/Q/stretches-for-healthy-horses.pdf. I think you are smart not to let a 17-year-old lose too much fitness.

For mental stimulation you could try some clicker training?

[SuzieQNutter]

Lunging is as fascinating as riding. That said I do not lunge for long. 15 minutes all up. I lunge without sidereins first. There is transitions within the gaits. Long and low to collected. Canter trot canter. Over trot poles. Over cavelletti. I start and finish in walk without side reins.

As your leg gets a bit better there is long reining and short reining.

[starsandsun]

Some of the in hand exercises that Jec Ballou recommends could be useful for his body and his mind, as well as some of the movements (?) in working equitation that you can practice on the ground. I find my horse is so mentally tired that even just 15 minutes is great for him.

[scislandsprite]

I agree with the lunging over cavaletti or small jumps, it keeps it interesting and sometimes I even build stuff like little bounces or one strides. Also you could attach long lines but stay on the lunge circle so you’re not walking around too much but still able to kind of ride from the ground? I hope your leg heals smoothly!

[Mondo]

Is there any opportunity for someone else to ride your horse while you are on the mend? I put an ad on a local Facebook page and got a great response, when I was 6 weeks recovering from hip replacement.

[Equibrit]

If you lunge with two long lines and surcingle you can have the horse cover the entire arena while you just go up and down the middle a bit, If you have voice commands down you can do a lot of what you do whilst riding. If no voice commands, then teach them.

[Ambitious_Kate]

Being able to effectively longe is fascinating and can be as complex and intricate as riding. You might want to invest in some longe lessons with someone who really knows groundwork. Having long lining, circingle, and good equipment ground training can really improve your horses fitness, and when they learn from the ground, it translates easily to the saddle for them. It’s much more than going around in a circle, and you’ll be glad to have it in your wheelhouse.