August 2005

Longeing Exercises Build Muscle

Repeating transitions on the longe line can be used to develop strength.

In the transition from trot to walk and back to trot, the horse should reach well under himself with his hocks.

You can build muscle and condition on your horse by using lots of transitions both between and within gaits on the longe line.

This goes beyond the usual walk/trot/canter at the end of a 20-meter line. Your horse may need new cues, and you’ll need to refine your whip work. But it’s easy to teach your horse and packs a powerful workout in a relatively short period of time.

Here’s the basic drill for a 20-minute session: …