How many poles do I need? 

Each exercises has a different number of poles, but generally speaking you won’t need more than 10. Poles are represented in the diagrams as solid black lines.

What length of poles are required? 

You can use any length of poles that you have available.

Do I do the polework from the ground exercises in hand or on a lunge line? 

The groundwork exercises are generally best done in hand but you are welcome to try them on a lunge line. 

Are these exercises for walk, trot or canter? 

It is usually a good idea to start in walk, build up to trot and then canter. Just don’t forget to adjust the distances accordingly. 

For more on this check out our Polework Distances page. 

Where do I start each exercise?

You can start each exercises wherever you would like. We have placed a horse on the diagrams to suggest a good starting point but you are welcome to start wherever you would like.

What route do I take?

We have laid out a suggested route for each exercise, but you are welcome to play around and see what you can find. We enjoy putting out one of the bigger exercises in the arena and then seeing how many variations of pattern we can come up with!

What size circles should I use? 

This will depend on the size of your arena. Bigger circles are easier for your horse, so it is generally advised to start on larger circles.