Long Reining Vs Ridden Exercise

[Wendy]

I have started long reining in the school a couple of times a week. I read that 20 minutes lungeing should be considered approximately equivalent exercise for the horse to a 1 hour hack and am interested to find out how long reining compares to ridden work in the school. I imagine ridden schooling would be harder work for the horse - simply because he has to carry the weight of the rider. Can anyone please explain if/how/why the horse works harder riderless?

[franklin]

Hi,
Re l/reining v ridden.
Yes the horse does have to cope with a lot when ridden usually the rider!. All I can tell you is that the horse works very well under the l/r, ( I use the Danish method) the handler can see what is going on and very quickly sort it out ,so the horse does not work incorecctly for any length of time, the added bonus that the rider does not upset the weight balance and therefore does not tire them selves or the horse out, the horse works all of the time including the initial stretching phase as well as the wind down time.
My Sam works for 20/25 a time doing various excercises (including bucking!) and is a very relaxed but a fully worked horse.
I was at Sylvia Staniers yesterday and 1 excercise was self balance at the trot making sure he pushed with his hind legs, after 3 sessions of 2-3 minutes with rest walk periods I can tell you that Sam was very happy to stand still whilst we discussed that movement!. He did not sweat but he worked every limb equally.
Long reining is not an entity on its own, it works in conjunction with lunging and ridden work, but personally I find it a huge help towards the finished product a light balance schooled horse, I wouldn't be without it.
Good luck mail me if I can help at all.
Jenny Franklin.