Choose your own arena etiquette adventure

[Sussexbythesea]

As a YO of a very small yard with a 20x40 I do not really like horses being lunged while someone is riding, I think it unfair on the rider to be limited to basically one end, I certainly would not allow a horse to be jumping and feel on a busier yard with two arenas I would insist on the one being lunged doing so outside or the owner can get on and ride if they want to stay dry, in fact if I set up a new yard I would have a luge arena and that would be the only place it was allowed.

Out if interest regarding your “lunge arena” what size would it be? We have a 60x30 school and it’s not at all busy so rare for there ever to be a clash that can’t be avoided. I tend to use the whole of the 60x30 arena and work my way around rather than stay on one spot. I also set up trotting and/or canter poles and occasionally a jump. I’d hate to be limited to a small lunge pen or arena. I tend to lunge when I’m feeling wimpy and I’m still able to work my horse without boring him to tears or overly straining joints on a small circle.

I wouldn’t lunge in a small arena if someone else was already riding especially if there was an outdoor alternative. It would be better if there was a clear rule over this issue, to save arguments.

 

[bouncing_ball]

We can’t lunge in our 25x60 unlit outdoor. Can lunge in 15x35 lit indoor

 

[doodle]

I wouldn’t want to ride when someone was lunging and would leave the school if someone came in to lunge.

 

[The-Bookworm]

I am a bit late to this but this is my thoughts.
Y could do A or C
X could do A or C

I have someone come in and ride whilst I have been lunging. It doesn't bother me. People don't generally because mine prongs and pings.
But for the sake of twenty minutes I would be outside. What's the big deal?

 

[The-Bookworm]

It gets interesting if you have parelli people on the yard

Why, they are using a smaller circle mostly aren't they?

 

[Caol Ila]

Aye, had I any sense I would have bailed, as I didn't really fancy working on a 20m circle. But I was feeling a bit bloody-minded and didn't want to give up my dry schooling session after only 10-15 minutes because someone wanted to use half the arena to lunge her horse over a couple jumps. I'm the first to admit it wasn't the most rational of responses, and I would have had a nicer ride -- albeit a damp and windy one -- if I'd gone on a hack or into the outdoor.

 

[Xtra]

Why, they are using a smaller circle mostly aren't they?

I was at the OPs current yard and someone was flinging an inflatable gymball at their horse will I was riding in some desensitising move. sadly mine was just to sensitive lol

 

[Caol Ila]

That wouldn't bother me because my horse is already desensitized to gym balls, lol.

Whinging aside, most of the liveries seem a bit better behaved than at my last yard. No one has tried to crash into me, careening over fences on a mostly-out of control horse and shouting, "Don't worry! She [the horse] will just avoid you" when I suggested she should at least call out her jump lines. In the meantime, I was pinned in a corner with nowhere to go while said horse had to slam on the brakes and leap sideways to avoid me. So, yes, the horse did in fact choose to avoid a collision, but also, just no.

 

[Xtra]

It was a long long time ago so I am guessing its all changed client wise up there. I only recognised the "new" indoor from some pics you posted.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I can see why many yards do not allow lunging. Lunging in a tight consistent circle doesn’t get in the way of other arena users as much, but is very bad for the arena surface and is not great for the horse’s joints. Lunging ‘large’ using the whole arena like I do in my home 40m x 20m arena is much kinder for the surface, is also better for the horse, but is not compatible with sharing with others.

Easier just to ban lunging than to expect folk to exercise common sense.

 

[Red-1]

I have not yet found a 'lunge pen' that I am happy to use. I usually lunge large, circle, then are again. Sometimes use 2 reins so we can do fig. 8s or even run through a test.

Even if I were circle-lungeing, most lunge circles are too small and get a defined track around the edge. When we lunge on figures it is easier to teach the horse not to either dump the shoulder to the inside or motorbike. By not using the outside track all the time, the surface is saved.

A 30m X 30m lunge pen would be ideal for straight lines and curves.

But, in answer to your question, if the first person (X?) was to ask, that is OK as long as they are OK with a no. I don't think lunge-jumping with another horse is OK. I think it is OK to say no if you are riding. That said, I have been at some training years where lungeing with riders is the one thing, and then everyone simply gets on with it or gets wet.

As a YO, I would be OK with lungeing in the arena, but not with horses who pile round digging up the surface. It would be presumed that lungeing does not happen with ridden sessions, but I would not ban it if both parties truly consented.

 

[pansymouse]

It gets interesting if you have parelli people on the yard

Well they wouldn't be the ones riding...

 

[tristar]

save up and buy your place and surface, and make a loud rude burping noise to all, and you know what to do with your first two digits

 

[The-Bookworm]

Aye, had I any sense I would have bailed, as I didn't really fancy working on a 20m circle. But I was feeling a bit bloody-minded and didn't want to give up my dry schooling session after only 10-15 minutes because someone wanted to use half the arena to lunge her horse over a couple jumps. I'm the first to admit it wasn't the most rational of responses, and I would have had a nicer ride -- albeit a damp and windy one -- if I'd gone on a hack or into the outdoor.

Then that's what you could have suggested.
If you say nothing, they won't know its not acceptable to you.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Why, they are using a smaller circle mostly aren't they?

In theory until they have a go at the at liberty bit then most horses I have seen just gallop around the arena.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Well they wouldn't be the ones riding...

True but the at liberty bit and the carrot stick being waved about is what worries me most!

 

[AUB]

I don't mind someone lunging while I ride, so it wouldn't be a problem for me, except for the part about poles/jumps.

We have a 20x40 indoor and there are some basic rules for the use of it:
- lunging is ok when there is a max of 2 riders in there
- no lunging on the track if you're not alone
- no lunging if someone has lessons
- poles, cavalettis and jumps can only be set up on thursdays.
- pick up poo
- pass each other left to left
etc

 

[Muddywellies]

I was once riding and someone came in and lunged. They cracked the lunge whip loud and it was absolutely game over - sent my horse doolally! I've never been aware of any situation where riding and lunging is safe. Maybe in a large arena it could be just about acceptable. But in so many cases, particularly this time of year, the horse sets off at the gallop on the lunge and the poor handler is just dragged all over the place and takes an age to settle it down. No, if I wanted to lunge I would always wait till the arena was free. Safety first

 

[Caol Ila]

True -- I wasn't happy being stuck on a 20m circle, but I felt awkward saying that. I mean, it isn't my arena, and it isn't for me to say who goes in there and does what (within reason.... free schooling would obviously not be kosher) and it doesn't feel like my place to stop people from going in. She wasn't stopping me from riding, after all. Hindsight being 20/20, I could have said, "my horse is 26 and I would really rather not work her on a circle" but it makes me sound like a selfish ass. Would you guys have said that?

Or look at this way.... Imagine someone starting a thread with, "I wanted to lunge my horse in the 20x40 indoor. It was chucking it down outside. One person was riding. My horse is really well-behaved on the lunge, but the rider told me I couldn't lunge while she was riding because she didn't want to ride on a 20m circle. Any decent rider should be able to keep their horse on a 20m circle, and I didn't have the time to wait 20 or 30 minutes. Was the rider being unreasonable?" I could see some of you saying yes.

 

[Leandy]

I would do C and C because I don't think it is generally safe for anyone to have people lunging and riding at the same time in a 20x40, although it might depend on circumstances ie if it was a complete monsoon/hail and lightening outside and this wasn't a regular occurence then it would be considerate for both to share even if it restricts them both a bit, but as a one off we all have to compromise sometimes in order to get along. I would think it unreasonable (and unsafe) to try to jump on the lunge whilst someone else is riding in a 20x40. At our yard, you are not allowed to lunge if someone is already riding, although sometimes we do if relevant parties agree, but at least the person riding first then has the option to say yes or no. It is selfish to insist on lunging when someone is riding if it is perfectly feasible to lunge outside (this depends what the rain is actually like...).

 

[ester]

I think the ideal would have been for her to ask, for you to request another 10 mins for old horse warm up.

Or people invest in good waterproofs ?.

IME it’s not practical to wait too long or expect people to wait too long to exercise their horses on an evening after work.

 

[EventingMum]

As a YO of a very small yard with a 20x40 I do not really like horses being lunged while someone is riding, I think it unfair on the rider to be limited to basically one end, I certainly would not allow a horse to be jumping and feel on a busier yard with two arenas I would insist on the one being lunged doing so outside or the owner can get on and ride if they want to stay dry, in fact if I set up a new yard I would have a luge arena and that would be the only place it was allowed.

I agree, it only takes the lunge horse to spook and there is the potential for an accident. I'm also precious about my expensive surface and don't want horses worked on a continual circle, I have a rule that, if lunging, horses need to be moved around the arena to prevent damage to the surface.

 

[ktj1891]

I have to deal with this often and it really frustrates me. Maybe I am wrong but it really does get my goat. I think riding should take priority in a school and people should be respectful of that. I would even shorten my ride so someone could lunge but trying to school in a 20 x 40m school with someone lunging as well is impossible in my opinion.

Y=C
X=C

 

[sportsmansB]

Yeah I'd rather know someone was waiting to lunge and condense the rest of my ride than have them come in and get in the way, and feel like I had to do things differently

I am a bit safety first, but the very thought of a lunged horse getting away from the lunger and galloping around the school with lunge rope trailing gives me bad nerves. Or having a broncing session while still attached to handler but adjacent to my horse. Perhaps because people often use lunging as an alternative to riding a fresh horse (or to tire them out before they get on- a tactic I wholeheartedly agree with where necessary, but not to be inflicted on others!) I don't really want to ride beside it.

 

[BlackRider]

Sadly in my many years of being on livery yards, and trying very hard to always treat people respectfully (as I'd want to be treated) there's always some that are just selfish.

IMO if someone is riding then you shouldn't go in and lunge, its different is someone is lunging and a rider chooses to go in.

Although - I'm a wimp and used to find it really hard to say no you can't come in.

 

[Muddywellies]

True -- I wasn't happy being stuck on a 20m circle, but I felt awkward saying that. I mean, it isn't my arena, and it isn't for me to say who goes in there and does what (within reason.... free schooling would obviously not be kosher) and it doesn't feel like my place to stop people from going in. She wasn't stopping me from riding, after all. Hindsight being 20/20, I could have said, "my horse is 26 and I would really rather not work her on a circle" but it makes me sound like a selfish ass. Would you guys have said that?

Or look at this way.... Imagine someone starting a thread with, "I wanted to lunge my horse in the 20x40 indoor. It was chucking it down outside. One person was riding. My horse is really well-behaved on the lunge, but the rider told me I couldn't lunge while she was riding because she didn't want to ride on a 20m circle. Any decent rider should be able to keep their horse on a 20m circle, and I didn't have the time to wait 20 or 30 minutes. Was the rider being unreasonable?" I could see some of you saying yes.

In nearly 30 years of horse ownership, numerous livery yards, a stint working in the industry and 1 lowly BHS certificate (so not qualified as such but sufficient experience) and I am a BD rider, its always been the rule that you just don't lunge and ride in the same space. You run the risk of being garotted if anything goes awry. Hence more and more people are instalking lunge pens. If I wanted to lunge I would never enter an arena till the current user had finished.

 

[milliepops]

IME it’s not practical to wait too long or expect people to wait too long to exercise their horses on an evening after work.

no, but the person could have cracked on straight away sharing the arena and not causing an issue, by riding their horse instead of lunging it. I think that would have been fine?

I have also come a cropper when someone has cracked a lunge whip while I've been riding in the same arena. Both of my current ridden horses are rather noise sensitive and it's not pleasant when they think they are getting a hiding that they don't deserve!

 

[ester]

oh, I didn't want to presume they could ride.

Cracking a lunge whip around other people is just rude!

 

[The-Bookworm]

In theory until they have a go at the at liberty bit then most horses I have seen just gallop around the arena.

But you wouldn't be sharing with a loose horse, regardless of what they are attempting to do with them.

 

[Pinkvboots]

But you wouldn't be sharing with a loose horse, regardless of what they are attempting to do with them.

Well obviously it's meant to be a fun scenario thread hence the silly reply