Lungeing question

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BiologyBrain

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With the popularity of round pens, I know lungeing has fallen into disfavor. I know that on ‘big’ horses the length of the lunge line is not sufficient to keep them from torquing (that’s probably not the correct word, but hey...) their knees/joints. However, with a pony or mini, wouldn’t the same size circle generate less of an effect on their joints because each of their strides is that much shorter than a ‘big’ horse?

For instance, say my 13-2HH mare takes 60 strides on a 30’ lunge-line circle (I’m making up the strides, I haven’t ever counted) at a ‘working’ trot (my definition of ‘working trot is tracking up or over striding without over extension of the knees—basically their comfortable stride). My 12-2HH gelding might take 70-80 strides on that same size circle at his ‘working’ trot. My yearling mini (I’m guessing her to be 38”) would probably need 90-100 strides at her ‘working’ trot on that same size circle.

I ask not because I intend to lunge my yearling, but because I just don’t understand. Has there been any research on the effects of lungeing on various sized horses? I also do not have a round pen, nor do I see one in my future (I actually don’t like them much). In general when I lunge I walk a pretty big circle that gets larger the faster the horse is going. By the time I canter a horse on the lunge (rarely), I’m probably walking/jogging at least a 15-20’ radius circle myself. I do lots of transitions and direction changes, so seldom do my horses execute more than 2 circles at a stretch before I transition or reverse them. The only time we do repetitive circles is when I’m lungeing my daughter as she rides the 13-2HH mare. Even then I try to change things up as often as I can.

Thanks!
 
Following! I have wondered the same thing. I am not a fan of lunging or round penning myself, but I would like to have knowledge of the studies that have been done.
 

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