# Trot Poles



## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

I have been reading on here that a great way to help with balance, footing, and help building muscle is trotting over poles (correct me if I am wrong).

I set 3 poles up in the arena to lunge Thunder over today. I set them up so they were in 3 equal positions around the circle. We have never really done this exercise, so I had him walk over them first and then we did some walk/trot/whoa/ reverse. Several times he either kicked the poles or stepped on them, or tripped lol. There were times though when I noticed it was helping him "spring" up a bit more with lifting his feet. 

Question is.. am I doing this exercise correctly? Also, is it normal for a young/green horse to stumble over them at first and will he get better at it?


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## onetoomany (Dec 10, 2008)

I usually set them up all in a line, about 6 people steps apart instead of one placed a 1/3 of the way around a cirlce in your case. You can vary the length in between depending on your horse's stride. It is pretty normal for them to tick them and trip over them at first, just allow him to have his head and give him time to figure it out.


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## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

Trot poles are seriously my best friend at time! I have a horse in training that litterally drags his left hind every step. I place the trot poles usually two strides apart, and use only two or three. It really helps them concentrate, lift and bring not only their feet up but their belly. It can really help with horses that have bad backs.

Its really normal for him to stumble on them at first, and after a couple times of doing it ur horse should really improve, especially after that muscle is built to help the horse lift its feet farther off the ground. 
Sounds like ur doing everything right and like it was a good idea to try this since ur horse is hitting them he doesn't know how to pick those feet up yet.


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

Thanks so much guys!! Ya im really excited about it, he seemed to really be concentrating (he was getting bored with regular routine). And he is particular about dragging his feet as well, so it was nice seeing them lifting off the ground lol. Thanks again! and Ill try the straight line as well


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

The poles should be heavy enough that they don't roll when he's clumsy over them. I would try a straight line first to help him get the hang of it. Normal trot distance is 4'6" between poles, but find the spacing that helps him figure it out best to start with. Poles are great for getting them to pick up their feet and be more careful where they place them.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

Great thread, been wanting to know some things about this as well for my 3 year old! 

Thanks!


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

Ya there's some really helpful info here! im excited to try it again later this week.


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## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

haha good luck! Some of the horses I have in training have trouble just walking over them when ground driving them. It makes such a big difference on the horse.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Instead of using jumping poles, invest in some cavaletti or simply nail Xs to the end of your poles. This way you can first of all vary the height and second of all they will not roll, which can end up in an accident.
Then i would suggest that instead of putting them one at a time, start to put them down so that for two steps in a row he is trotting over them, then three, then four. This will be gradual but to get maximum benefit from trotting poles the horse needs to go through them in a row sequence. Once he is used to trotting through the poles in a normal stride, you can slightly lengthen and shorten the distances between them to increase his range of motion as well. Good luck!


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

oh thats a good idea thanks! i can't really do anything with the poles (logs really) because they belong to the barn and they are moved often. thanks again for the tip~


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

Another thing you can do is make a wheel shape with the poles. While working on trotting the poles you can work on bending as well.

I wouldn't start with cavaletti's until he gets ground trot poles.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Maybe you're not spacing them correctly. For walk/trot, it's 3 human steps apart (toe to heel). For cantering, it's 6 steps. 

A green horse might be clumsy going over them at first, even if they're set up right. In that case, it just needs practice.


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

oh see i did not know the steps thing. the person who called themselves a trainer a year ago that helped me had me walk 4 normal human steps and said that's all i needed. i spaced them one trot stride and only did 2 and he did a lot better and less tripping today. i love experimenting with them and he looks like he is actually thinking about what he's doing


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

Trot poles are your friend! if you can get a hold of one more make the last one a little farther out. That keeps them on their toes. The distance isn't written in stone, the idea is for them to learn where they're putting their feet. 

Putting them out a little farther apart and driving them into an extended trot over the poles could come after he's figured this out.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

free_sprtd said:


> oh see i did not know the steps thing. the person who called themselves a trainer a year ago that helped me had me walk 4 normal human steps and said that's all i needed. i spaced them one trot stride and only did 2 and he did a lot better and less tripping today. i love experimenting with them and he looks like he is actually thinking about what he's doing


 
Depends on the horses stride. As horses get conditioned, their stride will change - typically lengthen as they are able to stretch more.

If I am working a really 'trippy' horse, I will say STEP as they come to the trot pole. The cue will transfer to trail when you are heading over rough patches.


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

thanks guys!! im so glad I finally decided to use this tool, there's so many different things you can do to keep them thinking! and mls, i know about the step thing, but sadly i always forget to use it!! hahaha bad me!! ill work on saying it more often though  thanks again!


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

Keep your leg contact on as well.


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

Ya leg contact.....that's a whole other thing! lol He always seems to run through my leg pressure and completely ignore it. I'm trying some different things to help him get a little more sensitive to it. He is still very green, so I don't expect him to fully understand, but he is a brute! completely stubborn  to get him into a trot sometimes I really have to use my dressage whip )even though don't want to, and ive been told to get some humane spurs. he just has a lot of trouble on the left side. I know a lot of it ahs to do with the rider, so i am trying to be more aware of what my body is doing to send the signal to him. ALTHOUGH yesterday, after pushing him into the trot several times by close to the end of the session, he was following the circle pretty well and not cutting im, so it's really just time i suppose.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Some horses have longer strides than others, and you need to know what your horse can comfortable trot over. Or walk, or canter. If I were to ask you to trot over some poles that were placed too far apart, you would trip over them too. A great way to see if he can make it comfortably over the ground poles is lunge him just in front of the poles and you can see about where his legs land and can then make adjustments. His feet should land in between the two poles at any gait. Ground poles are a great exercise, and I really wish I had some at my barn.


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

oh thanks ricci that's a good tip, i didn't even think of that


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## EternalSun (Mar 29, 2009)

I just read somewhere (I think it was an older issue of Horse Illustrated) that poles should be 4.5 -5 ft apart for trotting and 9-12 ft apart for cantering with an average sized horse. I can't remember if this is in general or for helping to extend the gait, though....


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