Train with horse walkers – this is how to do it!

A horse walker is a commonly used and simple tool to provide your horses with sufficient exercise. When a horse stays in the stable all day or even in the pasture, it doesn’t naturally move enough. When you make the horse exerciser part of your daily routine, the horse stays fit and healthy. In practice, we think that there are several reasons why you should use a horse walker:
It provides a horse with enough exercise, even when it’s not possible to run freely due to diverse circumstances.
– Horses can be trained extra with a horse walker.
Because a horse gets in better shape by using a horse walker, there is a significantly reduced chance of the horse getting injured.
When the horse is injured, the horse walker can be a controlled environment to let horses take the first steps.

Walking to the horsewalker

Does your horse get sufficient exercise all year through?

In this ebook you can read how you can ensure that your horse is in shape throughout the year.

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Why should you use a horse walker?

Now that we know more about the reasons for using a horse walker, let’s look at the benefits of horse walkers. In general, using a horse walker saves you time and gives your horse extra exercise, a true win-win situation. In addition, commonly mentioned benefits include:
– The horse walker serves as a tool for warming up and cooling down.
– Efficiency: you can train multiple horses at the same time.
– Improvement of the horses’ fitness and endurance.
– It helps recovering injured horses.

Benefits of the horsewalker for the horse’s health (by body part):

Training with a horse walker has positive effects on the horse’s body parts. From organs to

  • Bones: Strengthens bones, providing better defense against pathogenic and cancer cells.
  • Back: Better development of the muscles in the back.
  • Muscles: Keeps muscle cells healthier by improving blood flow and slowing down aging.
  • Lungs: Increases blood flow, improving oxygen supply and carbon dioxide removal.
  • Heart: strengthens heart muscles, improving efficiency, heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Brain: Increases blood flow, resulting in greater alertness and intellect.
  • Reflexes: Faster and better reflexes in the event of a misstep or impending fall.
  • Colic: Highly effective for prevention and healing.
Track roof for horse exerciser with round fencing

How to prevent injuries within the horse walker.

To prevent potential accidents, we recommend training stallions only with other stallions or geldings. However, it is allowed to train geldings together with mares and younger horses in the horse walker. For these horses, it is useful to start with training sessions that do not exceed 30 minutes and gradually increase the duration of the sessions.

We advise using a good Equitrack flooring to protect the horses from leg and hoof problems. The horse walker floor is an essential component and is just as important as the type of horse walker you choose.

How to get a horse used to the horse walker

We would like to offer you some advice on how to use the horse walker for the first time. Please note that these are only general recommendations and cannot be considered as the only way to use the horse walker. The trainer should monitor the horse’s reactions and adjust the training to the condition of each horse in the horse walker.

It is advisable to turn off the electric shock device during the first use of the horse walker. In the beginning, it is best to lead the horse with a rope. Walk alongside the horse for at least two rounds so that the horse becomes familiar with the machine, its dimensions, and the training method. When the horse feels comfortable with the walker, you can change the direction of rotation. This will help the horse learn what is happening. Take your time and continue walking with the horse for at least two more rounds. If possible, we recommend letting a horse that is already used to the horse walker serve as a role model for younger horses. The experienced horse can calm and lead the younger horses.

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Results over time using a horsewalker

After using the horse walker for some time, you will notice the following visible benefits of training. Due to the extra movement the horse gets, you can see the following results over time:

  • Character: Focused pace training, sometimes pushing horses to their limits.
  • Leg quality: Short and intense stimulation (interval training) improves bone tissue.
  • Coordination: Varied movements by applying different speeds.
  • Flexibility: Reduced stiffness.
  • Reflexes: Significant improvement in reflexes, reducing the risk of injury.

Frequent exercise in a horse walker combined with optimal nutrition can achieve the following:

Fewer health problems.
Significantly fewer leg and hoof problems.
Better muscle development, especially for the back muscles.
Improved flexibility and reflexes.
Considerably fewer injuries.
Less risk of ataxia (a disorder of the nervous system).
60% less chance of osteochondrosis dissecans.
Less risk of arthritis.

If you want to learn more about what the Molenkoning horse walker can do for you and your horses, please contact us or request our brochure.

Horse walker training programs with a controlling panel

A horse walker can be manually operated, but also by a programmed computer box. This computer makes it possible to set pace and trot frequencies and lap times. This can create personalized training programs that can improve the results of the training for your horse(s).

History of the horse walker:

The horse walker has been an important part of every horse stable since the mid-20th century. Regular training with your horses can have many benefits. Many breeders also discovered this at the time. Because there were no major manufacturers of horse walkers, many farmers made them themselves, using various materials they could find around and on the farm.
Today, horse walkers are an important part of all boarding stables, trading stables, stud farms, and also for private individuals at home.