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The horsewalker has been an important element in every farm since the middle of the 20th century. We guess that a lot of breeders realised the benefits of having their horses exercised. As there were no manufacturers making them on a regular basis, many of these farmers decided to make one by their own. Often they were made of anything lying around the farm.

Nowadays, horse exercisers are an essential element on yards of all equestrian disciplines. There are several reasons for using a horse walker. To give a horse the fresh air and moving freedom when he doesn't have the facilities to go in the fields for example. But it can also be seen as an extra training for the animal. A horse that has a good stamina is far less likely to get injured. 

Molenkoning walkers can benefit the health, physical condition and competences of your horses. Hoof problems are a typical consequence of horses being kept by humans. Most deformities of the foot (and other parts) are related to a shortage of exercise. In their natural habitat horses walk about 16 hours a day, to scrape out a meagre living. That is why equines need more than one hour a day exercise.

Benefits of the horse exerciser:

• Warm up and cool down of the equine athlete
• Exercise multiple horses at the same time
• Free moving exercise (no lunging on lounge line)
• Improves the equine condition and stamina
• Rehabilitation of injured horses

• Bones: 
  • Strengthens, thus better defence against pathogens and cancer cells
• Back: 
  • Better development of the back muscles
• Muscles: 
  • Keeps muscle cells healthier by better blood saturation, and slows down aging
• Lungs: 
  • Increases blood saturation and so improves oxygen supply and removal of carbon dioxide
• Heart: 
  • Strengthens the heart muscles, resulting in higher efficiency, lower pulse rate and blood pressure
• Brain: 
  • Increases blood saturation, resulting in improved alertness, brightness, and intellect
• Reflexes: 
  • Faster, improved correction in the case of a false step or imminent fall
• Colic: 
  • Highly effective for prevention and cure

A horse walker can be controlled by a Molenkoning computer, which allows the horse coach to design training sessions ad hoc for every equine, to maximize the results of the exercise.

Optimal observable benefits:

• Character: focused tempo training, whereby horses sometimes are pushed to their limits
• Quality of the legs: short and intense stimulation (interval training) improves the bone tissue
• Coordination: varying movements by applying different speeds
• Suppleness: less stiffness
• Reflexes: great improvement thus considerably less risk of injury

Frequent exercise in a horse trainer added to an optimal nutrition can achieve:

• Fewer health problems
• Significantly fewer leg and hoof problems
• Better muscle development, especially the back muscles
• Improved suppleness and reflexes
• Significantly fewer injuries
• Less risk of ataxic defects (free walk)
• 60% less risk of osteochondrosis dissecans
• Less risk of arthritis

We would like to offer you some advices of how to introduce your horses for first time inside the horse exerciser. Please take into consideration that these are only general recommendations and can not be taken as unique leading system. The horse coach should observe the reactions and adapt the training session to the physical condition of every horse trained in a horse walker. 

Previously it is advisable to turn off the electrical power to the electric fence. The best way of introducing is to lead the horse in the beginning with a rope, while someone else operates the control box. Keep inside walking together with the horse for at least two rounds, helping the horse to get use of the machine, the dimensions and of the new training dynamic. When the horse feels confidence, stop the machine and set up on the computer a direction change. Assisting the horse to make the turn is important, take the time and keep on going for another two more rounds. At this point, when possible, we recommend leaving the horse inside and introducing another experienced horse inside the horse walker. Ideally leave a space free in between both horses, and re-start the machine. This experienced horse will calm down and lead the inexperienced horse. 

To avoid possible accidents caused for excited horses, we would advice to train the stallions only with other stallions or geldings. However, geldings allow working together with mares and young horses. With these ones it is convenient to start with training sessions no longer than 30 minutes and then build up their training time. 

We always advice a good footing as Equitrackto protect the equines from leg and hoof problems, especially when working with barefoot horses. 

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