Homecare 101: Pole Work!
What is it?
When using poles for homecare traditionally you will need jump poles and pole risers or cavalettis. However, you can be creative and use logs, drainage pipes or fence posts - anything safe for the horse to step up and over.
When to use poles?
● To increase ROM
● To increase strength in the flexor and extensor chain of muscles in the horse (build the topline).
● To improve proprioception.
How to use poles?
You can step poles up in a variety of ways depending on what your purpose is for using the poles. Always start with 1 pole and then move to 3. Never have 2 poles as the horse could then see this as an obstacle to jump.
Create even spaced poles for strength and increasing ROM and when the intention is to move over poles in faster gaits.
Trot poles are 4 ft apart (one stretchy human stride).
Canter poles are 6 ft apart. Adjust to the specific horse after watching them navigate the poles
Create random spacing and random heights to train proprioception - walk through.
Create fans and circles to increase flexibility and ROM.
Add risers on one end of the pole and then increase difficulty by adding risers to both sides of poles are alternating ends of poles.
