Whether you’re a weekend hacker or a professional trainer, if polework is part of your horse’s training or rehabilitation routine, a new survey wants to hear from you.
Led by a respected international team of equine researchers, including Dr Vicki Walker, Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire, Professor Hilary Clayton, Dr Jo Winfield, Professor Jane Williams and Dr Rachel Murray, the survey aims to capture how polework is currently being used in real-world equine training. The insights gathered will help shape future research and support education around the benefits and best practices of this versatile training tool.
What is Polework?
Polework refers to exercises where horses are asked to navigate one or more poles, either on the ground or raised, arranged in a variety of patterns. These exercises can be used to improve coordination, suppleness, strength, and engagement, and are also commonly employed in rehabilitation programmes.
Why Take Part?
By sharing how you use polework with your horse, you’ll be contributing to a broader understanding of training methods and helping to ensure future research is based on real-life practice. The survey focuses on your experience with just one horse and takes no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Key Details:
- Open to all riders, owners, and trainers aged 18+
- No personal identifying information is required
- Your responses will be included in a research project approved by the Hartpury University Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 2025-149)
- Definitions and images are provided throughout the survey to support your responses
- You can withdraw within one week of completing the survey by contacting victoria.walker@hartpury.ac.uk
Take the survey now: https://uwe.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5i05P0WNAvWtEeq
Let’s put your polework practice to good use – help shape the future of equine training and rehabilitation by adding your voice today.
