Re: Dizzy in the round pen

["GESA BRINKS" <gesaeqfx@pe.net>]

I wouldnt ride my horse much in the round pen.  It is really hard on their
leg joints.  Horses really are not made for going in circles.  I lunge my
mule/horses only because I didnt have time to ride.  I try not to lunge very
often.  The round pen is more of a training tool than an exercise tool (no
flaming pleeze)  I see a lot  of leg  joint, shoulder and hip problems on
young horses.  Especially lunge line futurity babies.  The constant torque
of the turning really takes its toll on the joints.  Walk in a tight circle
for about 15 minutes and see how your knees, ankles and hips and lower back
feel.  Then imagine how they would feel with and extra 25 to 30 lbs. on your
back.  If you need to use the round pen to exercise your horse once in a
while, do it without being on his back.
When I lunge a young horse I try not to go more than 3 minutes per direction
at a time.  I reverse directions every 2 to 3 minutes.  On my older more fit
animals I let them go for 5 minutes per direction.  Just my 2 cents worth
gesa n clovis
-----Original Message-----
From: John J Lykes <SEEINGSPOTS@prodigy.net>
To: Ride Camp <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Wednesday, October 06, 1999 12:18 PM
Subject: RC: Dizzy in the round pen


>I've finally decided to use the round pen my husband built for me, but
don't
>think I have the hang of it.  It is 60 feet in diameter so fairly good
>sized.  I got on Buddy and walked around to warm him up and then we started
>trotting.  On the road he has this nice little working trot, but in here he
>was just a buzzing around.  I tried looking at his ears, looking at the
>ground, looking at the fence.  Someone had said I should watch his tail so
I
>tried that and was so dizzy by then I almost fell off.  I sense that
perhaps
>I am doing something wrong.  We're having a doozy of a winter predicted and
>I wanted to start doing something else to keep us occupied when we can't
get
>on the trails plus he is in pretty good shape and I'd like to keep him
>there.  Any suggestions will be appreciated.  If not suitable for ridecamp,
>please e me privately.
>
>Gay and little Buddy
>
>
>
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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=