Introduction: How to Excercise Your Horse With Time Management
On a time crunch but have livestock that need exercise? I hope this helps!
Step 1: Planner
Check your calendar, planner, or phone for due dates or upcoming meetings. Decide if your have enough time to go outside and excercise your horse.
Step 2: Fence
Do you have time to walk a long ways to turn the fence off? Or risk bumping into it when you ride?
Step 3: Water
Is the water full or empty? If it's empty, do you have time to fill it up?
Step 4: Brushing
Is your horse dirty? It's suggested to brush down their coat before AND after rides. Do you have time to do this?
Step 5: Saddle
You may choose to ride bareback, by just hoping on and saving time, or if you're in no rush, put the saddle on for safety.
Step 6: Lunging
You don't HAVE to lunge your horse before you ride but it's better to. It will get the saddle fitting just right, they'll calm down, and it reminds them that YOU'RE in charge. If you don't have time, you can skip this step.
Lunging your horse is an excercise all in itself, while teaching it that you're in charge so if you're really stretching your time you can quit after this step instead of riding too.
Lunging your horse is an excercise all in itself, while teaching it that you're in charge so if you're really stretching your time you can quit after this step instead of riding too.
Step 7: Riding
If you've decided to continue after lunging then it's time to tighten the cinch and ride. The amount of time you ride all depends on how much time you can spare.
Here's a link out to a short video of me riding: http://youtu.be/s1eF7BHsdiU
Here's a link out to a short video of me riding: http://youtu.be/s1eF7BHsdiU
Step 8: De-Tack
Now you're done riding, you can take odd the tack (saddle and bridal) and be done, or finish and brush them down again. I hope whatever you do, you'll still have time to do everything else in your busy lives. Enjoy!