am i harming him?

[RubysGold]

i have a 3yo coloured cob.
I started lunging, just in walk and trot for maybe 10 minutes? With a roller on. We were doing it nearly every day for a month because the yard wouldn't let me turn him out.
We've moved yards and after a week to settle, we're now walking out down roads to see traffic.
Have since read that you shouldn't lunge babies, do you think ill have done him harm? :s

 

[be positive]

10 mins gentle lungeing will not have done any harm,its better than no exercise if he was not turned out, poor boy. Hope he is now getting out in a field each day and enjoying his walks.

 

[proctor]

No, he will be fine, at 3 years old and being a cob he will be pretty sturdy! It's not like he has the little spindly legs of an Arab or TB!!

 

[sykokat]

I wouldn't do it more that 2-3 times a week. He may be a cob but his joints etc are still growing and developing. Try some long reigning. Still educational but something different. Just bear in mind 20 mins controlled lunging is the equivalent of an hrs hack or schooling.

 

[babymare]

no it wouldnt have hurt him and given no turn out at least he was getting exercise. As above try long reining but short gentle lunging wont harm and hey I am a firm beliver of walking a youngster out and letting them see things early x

 

[RubysGold]

Thanks,
He is now turned out every day and is loving it
I was using lunging him to teach him to longrein, i taught him to lunge and then introduced a second line and moved behind him and then back to circle, and then behind him, so he could get used to it slowly.

 

[babymare]

well ruby you sound like you are doing great taking it slow and introducing long reining - refreshing to hear some one taking it slow and not looking for a quick fix and excellant he is now going out - good for you hun xxx

 

[TigerTail]

I wouldnt go OTT on lunging unless you are doing it with 2 reins and making sure their head carriage is correct, else they become one sided and stiff - same as you carrying a ahndbag on one shoulder all the time

Long lining off a dually/bitless bridle is much better, you can do the same sort of work but encourage the horse to stay balanced and not tilt its head outwards. Also means you can 'drive' with the longlines and do lots of hacks and see everything possible

 

[newbie_nix]

I know this is an older thread but it just came up in a search I was doing for long lining.

I also have a 3yr old and was previously lunging him lightly but, like the OP was worried it might do him more harm than good.

I then saw Monty Roberts discussing how long lining is much better and swapped over to double line lunging in a Dually.

Its early days with long lining but so far he seems really calm and a joy to handle in this way. The Dually is responsive but feels much kinder - I was worried I would jab him in the mouth if I used a bit and he started to have a youngster style strop. Yep am a total convert to double lines

 

[katastrophykat]

I dong understand how you'd longrein in a dually? Wouldn't you have to use large hand movements so the cord at the front slides across his nose until it gets to the ring then vice versa the other way? Unless you're working him right into the halter, into pressure on his nose and therefore less sliding about of the nylon cord? My three year old (now it's 2012...! Its odd not to say two year old!) would be less than impressed with this, he's longreining perfectly happily in a French link, having started him off in a straight bar. I don't worry about his mouth if he had a hissy fit as I am quick enough to get the reins forward but not chuck them at him a the last thing we need is a leg through a loop.

Are you intending on riding your horse in a dually?