Long reining is an even more advanced skill, and it is vanishingly rare to find a trainer that really can use this very fine art properly. I've only ever seen it done well in Spain & Portugal, or Vienna.
Well yes, more advanced work in hand is a dying art but really, basic lunging is not rocket science. Don't get into the mindset of it being hard, it should be easy to pop on a lunge cavesson/bridle and lunge rein, pick up a lunge whip, form a triangle of horse, lunge rein, yourself, whip, position yourself facing the horses quarters with the whip pointing slightly behind him and then send him forward with the voice and whip. Do it on a small circle in walk first so you and the horse have the idea that he goes forward away from you and the whip and responds to your voice. Be clear and calm in your commands. Once you can do it on a small circle, you will be able to enlarge the circle and increase the pace by keeping the forward momentum and letting out the lunge rein slowly. Make sure the horse is always going forward from you and the whip and the lunge rein is taut and voila, you are lunging! If the horse is following you around you have got these fundamentals wrong, you need to reposition yourself so you can drive him away from you back out to the circle. If he is turning in and following you, you are ahead of him and it will never work. If the small circle first, slowly moving it out on a taut lunge line doesn't work, get an experienced person to show you and explain how your positioning is wrong. Good luck.
