Breaking/training horses

[Irishcobs]

How do you guys do it?
I know some on here don't like lunging young horses, I'm not sure if I can see the benefits, can anyone enlighten? What do you do instead? What do you do first? Do you make sure they are perfect on the ground before you would get on? And other questions I can't think of....
I know some people that put side reins on, not tight but tight enough so the horse feels a contact, to get them to except a feel on the reins. I'm not sure about this? Pro + cons anyone?

 

[Bossanova]

I lunge babies to teach them the basic commands and so that they can get a feel of the ack when theyre in motion. Will use loose side reins once theyre a bit more estblished to introduce 'contact'
Generally after a couple of weeks lunging we will introduce long reining. During this time the hors ewill also be being leant over to get used to the feel of weight on their back and movement at a different eye level.
All being well they'll be sat on and quickly progress to being ridden on the lunge in walk and trot before being set free after another week or so.

 

[Binkybex]

It depends on the horse, lunging is fine as long as you don't over do it and to be honest they probably won't be fit enough to do very much but it does get them concentrating and used to the tack. Then I go on to long reining and then back them with someone on the ground to lead us around for a bit and then go it alone

 

[ihatework]

I think it really depends on the horse.
I lunged mine 3 times and in that time he picked up 'walk on' 'trot' and 'whoah'. I would want to do as little lunging as possible so was happy to leave it at that. Day 4 we leant over him. Day 5 we sat on him. We then interspersed being led around with long reining for the next few days.
He is currently now only being longreined as I really think this is the most beneficial thing a youngster can do. We go for 20 minute longreins round offroad hacking and are doing polework and lots of transitions/seprpentines etc in the paddock.
He is only 3 though, next year he will probably do a bit more on the lunge, either loose or in a chambon, I'm not keen on side reins.

 

[siennamum]

I start on the ground and have them move forwards on the yard on a voice command, stop quietly stand still, move back and move quarters over. Then I do all these things on the lunge at a greater distance, then work on working forwards on the lunge attentively and mouthing compliance, I then do lots more work in long reins till they really are attentive, submissive, calm and enjoying their work.
Periodically I also do this with older horses and wouldn't really entertain taking on someones horse, or bringing on a youngster till it was able to manage all of this.
It amazes me the people with naughty horses who allow them to walk all overthem on the ground, or who won't respond to basic voice commands.

 

[isabella]

I hate working on the lung and have longreined all mine i teach voice commands then apply the aids to the voice,
obviously before even thinking about longreining they have to respect me on the ground and back up,lead etc