Climbing rope to lunge line?

[Caol Ila]

I have two retired climbing ropes and I was wondering if there is any reason they can't be cut and repurposed as lunge lines? One is about 9.1mm, the other 10mm. Both single ropes. As I've always been a chickensh*t climber, neither have taken any major leader falls. Maybe one or two minor ones.

When they were new, they were more or less rated to take the weight of the horse if he took a leader fall. I'm retiring them because they are over 10 years old, and that's the safest thing to do. I'm not expecting the horse to take a factor 2 fall on one, though. If he does, we got bigger problems.

 

[little_critter]

I don’t imagine lunge lines go through the testing that climbing ropes do. I wouldn’t be surprised if the climbing rope was safer than the lunge lines.
My only thought is would the rope be a bit heavy as a lunge line?

 

[ycbm]

I think the rope burn you might get if the horse pulled away could be pretty bad, and trying to hold onto a thin rope would be difficult too, with an almost irresistible urge to wrap it around your hand to create grip. I would consider plaiting 3 strands, but I don't know what the weight would then be like?

.

 

[Parrotperson]

you could. I mean try and see off they're too heavy. You should ALWAYS wear good gloves to lunge in (plus a hat but people will think I'm old fashioned!) for safety. Never try not without gloves. An ordinary line line gives a lovely rope burn when neddy f**ts around so a rope will be horrible.

 

[Annagain]

I don’t think it would be unsafe in terms of pressure on it, maybe just difficult to hold onto if the horse got a bit lively.

 

[JGC]

We've got an old climbing rope that we're making into knotted headcollars for in hand work. It's a tiny bit thick, but still works. Also long dog leads so it's got a handle. I think safety wise it would be fine for lunging (as long as you have gloves on, but as the only time I lunged without gloves - for the vet - I nearly lost the tip of a finger, so I always do).

 

[Tarragon]

I used climbing rope to make my own rope halter (I loved making that fancy knot they have under the chin!)

 

[Caol Ila]

I used climbing rope to make my own rope halter (I loved making that fancy know they have under the chin!)

Tempted to try that. Any good instructions?

 

[Tarragon]

I just looked it up on YouTube. It did take quite a few attempts! It was good fun though, and you can make one that really fits your pony.

 

[All]

I could be wrong but I think the clip at the end of the lunge line is ment to break if it is pulled very hard ( similar to lead ropes)
I have done it with 13 mm ARB ropes I just spliced a eye on one end ( I still have a knot on the other end )

 

[I don’t like mondays]

As others have said, I think it would be better to have something that was specific to horses, that has been safety tested and would break in an emergency, esp the clip (eg if your horse got away from you and the lunge got tangled). I agree that rope burns could be nasty too

 

[little_critter]

As others have said, I think it would be better to have something that was specific to horses, that has been safety tested and would break in an emergency, esp the clip (eg if your horse got away from you and the lunge got tangled). I agree that rope burns could be nasty too

Are lunge lines designed to break then? It’s not something I’d heard of.
And I’ve (stupidly) had rope burn off a flat nylon lunge line. I usually wear gloves but must have skipped them that time.

 

[planete]

I use climbing rope as a long line for dog walking but I would not want a horse at the end of it. it is not kind to your hands when it is jerked at speed by 22 kg, never mind 500! It is very hard and unforgiving but it does not break which is the reason for using it with my dogs. It would not lend itself to giving subtle signals to a horse either, it gives a dead feel, forget sending vibrations down the line with it.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Are lunge lines designed to break then? It’s not something I’d heard of.
And I’ve (stupidly) had rope burn off a flat nylon lunge line. I usually wear gloves but must have skipped them that time.

It’s not something I’d thought of until someone said earlier up there thread; they must have something like that or have at least been safety tested. I hadn’t realised lead rope clips would break in an emergency but my horse has been in situations where the clip has thankfully broken (I had a so called loading expert who wasn’t good and tied my horse directly to a ring and when he panicked thank goodness the clip gave way- it was horrific)

yes I’ve had rope burns from a traditional lunge line before when I forgot my gloves

 

[Caol Ila]

You would have to tie it into a trigger clip anyway, which would probably break. But I’ve never come across a webbing one that broke.

I’ve found that climbing ropes feel pretty responsive. You need to feel what your partner’s doing when you can’t see or hear them. “Are you safe!!!!!!!!???????”

 

[Lyle]

I use yachting rope lead ropes/groundwork ropes. I like the feeling of round rope! I would absolutely use it. I wear gloves anyway so rope burn isn't an issue.

 

[Zuzan]

I've tried someone elses rope (sailing rope .. sheet) lunge and didn't like the feel compared to my cotton webbing one. NB sheet rope is braided and has a bit of "give" in it .. not sure if this is similar to climbing rope..

Another thought is that width of rope is quite a bit smaller than the rope lunge line I tried which I think was more like 20 - 25mm .. I would worry that not only is there a risk of rope burn but with that fine a line of actually severing or cutting into whatever extremity it is caught around.. and that could be a horse's fetlock too.. (thinking worst case scenarios)

I think this is one of the main reasons lunge lines are traditionally made of webbing as the risk of webbing cutting into either human or equine extremities are much less ..

 

[Cragrat]

My favourite long-reining ropes were yachting rope with a light clasp spliced on. I loved the feel and communication through them.

Then they got used to pull a quad out of some mud

 

[Zuzan]

You would have to tie it into a trigger clip anyway, which would probably break. But I’ve never come across a webbing one that broke.

I’ve found that climbing ropes feel pretty responsive. You need to feel what your partner’s doing when you can’t see or hear them. “Are you safe!!!!!!!!???????”

If you take the rope and the clip you want to a chandlers they'll splice the rope into an eye it..you can then thread the rope through the eye of the trigger clip and then through the eye of the rope .. my favourite lead rope is anchorplait that I had made up this way.