Week 24 2020 Ride Report
I realized over the last couple of weeks that while our weekly trail rides were improving Elf’s conditioning, his top line just isn’t where I’d like it to be. This is likely a result of both less riding this spring during Pandemic craziness and less ring work as the weather and bugs have gotten worse. My first thought was to add back more flatwork, but the reality is that at 17, Elf’s tolerance for bugs and heat haven’t improved. Combined with his allergies seeming to impact him a bit more this summer than in previous years, I decided to fall back on a tool that I know works for him quickly – a lunging aid.
Mostly known as the Pessoa Lunging System, I’ve worked with similar set ups for years with a number of different trainers and horses. From polos and bands, the general idea is to increase the horse’s body awareness and encourage them to utilize their core while stretching over their back. Elf has worked in one before under a trainer’s guidance, long lined, and knows how to stretch into contact so is a good candidate for this kind of work. The most significant bonus is that it takes my timing out of the equation, so I can focus on keeping him forward and stretching. It also is a lot of work, so 10 – 20 minutes is a solid workout, letting me improve his fitness with less worry about overheating.
The plan is to start with 10 minutes every other day of walk and work up over about 6 weeks to 25 minutes walk/trot/canter to increase fitness and improve his top line while minimizing stress.
Saturday, June 6
While Elf has been in a lunging system before, it’s been a while. My priority today was a positive and easy experience. We did five minutes each direction with the lunging system as loose as it goes. Besides being exceptionally lazy, it went as smoothly as possible.
We’re also dealing with bane of my summer existence – rain rot. The hot, humid and rainy early summer here in the Carolina’s means bugs and skin irritation for my sensitive skinned chestnut. Each time he works (currently every other day), the affected areas are washed, dried and medicated with Equiderma Skin Lotion.
Monday, June 8
Man. Some days feel like I don’t stop running from start to finish – but I’m committed to this mini-topline rehab.
Between end of school year stuff for my son & my work/workout, I ended up out at the barn in the middle of the day. I did change things up a bit today and warmed Elf up with a little trot without the lunging system before hooking up. I also had him do a little trot to finish up, as well. That definitely made a difference in how much energy was in his lunging system walk work (and without me pushing).
Bath + towel dry + Equiderma to finish and a lovely roll in the dirt finished up our day!
Thursday, June 11
I’d originally planned on a MWF schedule for Elf’s lunging, but Wednesday was 95 degrees with high humidity. I opted to wait a day in hopes that Thursday’s rain cooled things down, which it did.
This third session was the first time I saw a real difference in how Elf is working. We did a few laps of trot in either direction before attaching the lunging system. Then, 3 minutes of walking, 1 min of trot and 3 minutes of walking in each direction before another few laps of trot to finish.
Today, he was more forward and very relaxed from the start. He also had a softer and more active mouth, with noticeably more licking than normal to along with the relaxation. It’s possible that he simply recognized the routine this time around. I’m hopeful, though, that as we build up time we’re also seeing the desired strengthening in his back!
After 1 week, I’m feeling optimistic about the impact of our lunging system program and a little anxious to get back in the saddle. We’re supposed to have a small break in the temps early next week which sounds like the perfect opportunity to add in a little saddle time!
