Alternatives to long reining please :-)

[islandspirit]

My vet has advised me to long rein my horse for a few weeks until my saddle is checked. I'm not allowed in the school or on small circles due to him not using his left hind properly. He isn't lame but the vet feels lunging would not be right in this case. The problem is that he is 17.2 and I can't see where I am going! Plus, unless someone comes with me, I struggle to keep him going forwards. Any ideas as to what I could do as an alternative or hints and tips to make the long reining easier when I'm on my own.

 

[Count Oggy]

If he doesn't object to the feeling of the long line around his hind quarters, long rein from the side. You don't have to be right up next to him, though you can be if you want to work closely with him. Once you become proficient with the reins, you can work from one side , then the other so you can change the bend, or you can stay where you are and get him to change the rein around you. I probably am not explaining myself very well. Check out youtube for some good (and bad) videos. But long reining doesn't just have to mean driving the horse from behind.

 

[Count Oggy]

If you have problems keeping him going, how about using a driving whip. These are shorter and easier to handle than a lunge whip. I don't have an arena BTW so long rein on a quiet road.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Dont know whether this helps. I long rein my TB, he is only 15.3 but if Im behind him I cant see where Im going either. I stand just to one side of him and flip the rein furthest away, over his back so that they both lie down one side, by adjusting the length of the rein in my hands I can maintain a nice straight line and he can see me out of the corner of his eye so knows Im still there. He responds very well to my voice, I use the normal lunging voice commands along with "come round" when Im asking him to turn. We dont have a school so I use the paddock where we school or just walk around the outside of his field. He wears a bridle and lunge roller with the long lines through the rings on the side. I long line rather than lunge when the ground is wet, doesnt churn it up so much and he doesnt slip (unshod behind). Also, I get more exercise!!