Improve your horse’s straightness and rhythm with veterinary physiotherapist Sammy Finnemore’s polework pattern.
Polework can be a really valuable form of physiotherapy for your horse. As a horse owner it’s important to have an understanding of your horse’s biomechanics and use targeted exercises to encourage him to work in a way that promotes correct movement and allows him to work truly over his back.
This develops a fit, supple, loose and flexible horse. Polework is a simple yet key strategy in achieving this.
Each of the grids in this six-part series will help you to achieve a different training goal.
For the full diagram of the routes on this first grid, see issue 462. Keep an eye out in upcoming issues for the following diagrams, with essential hints and tips.
The grids may look complicated, but they’re suitable for horses of all levels. If you don’t have enough poles to build the full grid, work with what you’ve got by building a smaller version or replicating just one part of the grid at a time.
The video below shows two riders tackling this polework exercise, as Sammy explains the benefits for you and your horse.
If you’d like more polework exercises, don’t miss the rest of the series in upcoming issues of Your Horse.
