# Long-reining exercises?



## Sparkles (29 April 2009)

My mare's coming back into work after being off for just under the past year due to injury. She's had mctimony etc and needs one more session or so before she can start being ridden again however can start doing work long reining etc.Been long reining her near enough everynight and she's a lot happier and working nicely etc. However, now she's back into general walk/trot work and used to doing what she's asked again [lol], I need to start sprucing it up a little other than just walk, trot, halt etc. I need to work on building her back muscles up again, which the lady said to get her strecthing down and using caveleti\slightly raised trot poles to encourage her to do this. I've longreining her round our fields as well as doing school movements etc. She can leg yeild/quarters in etc on them though obviously not ready to start them yet! 
Does anyone know any other good long reining exercises to do which would help build up her up again? [Bear in mind she's had a year off and only does 15\20 mins walk and trot in her sessions atm, has had a prolongued back issue and her joints were also found to have stiffness in them, her shoulders especially.]


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## Ezme (29 April 2009)

Serpentines are fun, good suppling and gets your brain engaged too! as many or as few loops as you want big and small in walk and trot (eventually canter) also good for working on accuracy or use them to lengthen/shorten the pace (lengthen on straight, collect on half circle part)

Otherwise sounds like your doing all you can giving horse's situation.


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## air78 (29 April 2009)

Agree with Ezme..... that's the beauty of long lining rather than lunging, it shouldn't be boring because you can do loads of changes of direction, serpentines, tear drops, figure 8's etc etc Doing lots of turns/ bends will help her to engage her back as well. You could try laying poles on the ground to do figure 8's over as if you were jumping, or do some fan shaped poles in a corner


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## Sparkles (29 April 2009)

Yeah we usually do all different school movements\figures etc, just any I do do with her atm has to be on a large scale as she can't really be worked on a tight angles and stuff atm...everythings big lol. 20m serpentines, 30m circles and huuge squares lol....fab way for me to get in shape too at least! Beats going to the gym.

Thanks


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## Tharg (30 April 2009)

Any tips on long reining?

   I had a go a few months ago and want to do it again, again this time I won't be in a 'deep' arena.

   How do you keep it if the horse has a fast walk?


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