Anyone Long rein for teaching Laterals e.t.c?

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asterid

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Just out of interest really. Does anyone use long reins either normal fashion or Vienna fashion for teaching laterals or anything else?

I personally like to teach stuff on the ground first then repeat on horseback. Some people think I am a little mental, so just wondering if anyone else is mental too?
 
How are you intending to teach leg and weight aids exactly? The ones you see are ridden then perform in long-reins. Good for getting basic forwardness and teaching piaffe etc but I don't see how you would start lateral work this way?
 
I like to teach 'over' from the ground as a voice command, which I think is useful, as part of the basic moving away from pressure work that I usually do. In my (admittedly very limited) experience, if the horse correctly understands that both legs man forwards they make the leap to 'one leg means over' without any fuss. Obviously balance and precision take time to come, but the basic idea of stepping across gets established quite quickly.

Although I think that ground work and long reining especially is very useful I'm not sure how I would go about teaching lateral work that way, beyond the basic steps across. With a more advanced horse, definitely, but until I can create impulsion at a word and collection with a feel I wouldn't know how to do it. OP I'd be really interested to know how.
 
I teach lateral moves from the ground first, my youngsters, start by lots long reining round farm tracks and roads etc then travers first, then shoulder in, simple leg yeiding progressing onto Half pass. I'm no professional and am lucky enough in that I buy mine as foals so have years to work on the ground work, backing process not rushed in 6 weeks etc. Anyway seems to work for me, the longreining out as youngsters also means they're not nappy, no probs hacking out on own etc but be intresting to hear what the pros and people competing at a higher level than me do.
 
Apoliges if some of this doesn't make sence but am suppose to be working (alwYs gets in way of horses but desperatly needed in order to keep them). I start with getting them responding to pressure eg pushing (eventualy just have to point) at chest to go back, hindquarters and shoulders move over etc etc. Then when on longreins useing a schooling whip or the outside longrein on the longside ask them to bring quarters in for travers, can gradualy refine it then when got the hang of it do the same with the shoulders for shoulder in. Feel a bit of a fraud posting as so many really good horsepeople on here so I won't be offended if you all think it's rubbish.
 
Im glad I am not the only one.

I do the same. Start by in hand asking for 'over'. I like to teach my horse to move whatever part of the body I ask for independantly first. Teach lateral flexion and back in hand too before long reins.

For the person who asked about moving without legs, the horse is already conditioned from in hand work, then on the long reins it is easy, use of rein and whip. I use my long reins either Veinna style or I stand at the rear end (I trust my horse) and work from close up.

At the moment we are at baby phase, so doing leg yields and shoulder in, but I am hoping to work up to travers so that I can then teach half pass.

I am no expert, just a humble horsey person. I asked as people at my yard think long reins are for driving horses. I pointed out that you can teach anything in long reins, didnt go down to well.
 
I'm finding this post really informative, I am going to be looking at long reining just as soon as OH's last 3 bullocks are out of the field opposite! I am lucky that I have a big 30 acre field with a track running through it so I can do quite a bit in there, but :eek: I have never long reined before! How easy is it to start them off on your own if you don't have anyone else around to help (ie hold their head) as all the people that I would normally pick on to come give a hand are pregnant or just dropped :D:D He is only 18 months so I was just going to so a few very simple bits with him at the weekends since I work 9-5, but need a bit of practical advice on how to go about it. Have been doing horses for years but NEVER long reined. Don't get me wrong, I am confident I can do it but some pointers from more experienced bods would be muchly appreciated :D:D:D

Sorry to hijack :D
 
Queenbee - if you can manage to borrow a horse that is already an old hand at ling reining then do. The basics aren't hard to master, particularly if you can lunge with two lines, but if you aren't used to it then holding the two lines feels a bit fiddly.

When i taught my horse (not as a youngster, long after he was backed, god knows how they backed him...) I started by leading him around, reminding him of all the voice commands, with him walking next to me on one line to start with. Then I attached the second and ran it over his back, let him get used to the sensation and took up a light contact. I was still walking more or less at his shoulder at this point. I then just gradually moved further away. By the end of the first session I was walking behind him but off to the side, with the outside line over his quarters, and practiced walking and halting.

I did it on my own, and this way meant that I started near his head and worked back, rather than starting by standing behind him. I don't know if it's the recommended way or not but it worked for us.

Before I tried the long reining I spent some time getting my horse used to having the line draped over him, and (he was older and already lunged with one line, was ridden etc) reminded him of all my voice commands, especially whoa!

Hope this helps!
 
Many thanks for that, he is very use to flappy stuff and long lines, I have done my best to make him pretty damn bomproof on that score. Very helpful advice Steorra. Thank you :)
 
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