Lunging - A Rehab Tool

When recovering from injury or surgery the journey back to ridden work can be tedious.

Lunging is just one of the tools we can use to help activate muscles, increase exercise tolerance and improve cardiovascular fitness without a rider on board.

BUT it must be implemented correctly.

On the lunge the horse must be relaxed, forward moving and encourage to stretch and lift through the spine, and bend correctly around the circle. There are various lunging aids that help create this desired outline, however research has shown that these are no more beneficial than simply using a bridle and lunge line (measured through Longissimus Doris activation) (Cottriall et al. 2009).I am cautious of applying external aids, (anecdotally) if the horse resists against them, it can create an undesirable bracing patterns on the cervical and thoracolumbar muscles and promote the opposite posture we are striving for.

Training aids aside, on the lunge we can ask for transitions between gaits and within the gaits and we can play with circle size to challenge lateral bend and inside spinal muscle activation. In horses with learnt pain behaviour with the rider on board this can be a nice way to quietly reintroduce a rider once pain has been addressed and the horse has graduated through the appropriate rehab and retraining progressions.

As always, therapeutic exercises should be implemented in consultation with your vet and rehab provider. I am available for face-to-face appointments weekly in mid-western NSW and monthly in the Upper Hunter.

Not from either of those areas? No sweat! I also offer virtual consultations. DM for more information.