could I back my horse without lunging?

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swintondesire

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I'm only asking this as In the future I plan to back my cob and I have been told that lunging can cause unessacy strain on joints and effect muscle development. I'm only planning to lightly back him at first and the year following reback him and introduce some work when he is more mentally mature.could I get away without lunging and just long reining and loose schooling for voice commands?
 
Lunging is only an 'unnecessary strain' if it's done on a horse who is TOO young - or it's badly done. For backing and teaching voice commands, it's an important tool but the most important part is done in walk and trot, it doesn't need to be more than 10 minutes at a time, and while you need a shorter lunge line with a backer, you can walk a nice BIG circle yourself so you have horse under fairly close control without pushing him onto too small a circle. If you lunge in a manege, you can also lunge right around the outside.
 
I backed my TB without ever lungeing her. Not that I particularly disagree with lungeing, it just didn't really work for her. I did lots of groundwork such as leading her around all sorts of obstacles, backing her up through an L shape of poles. I also walked her out on the roads and bridle tracks, alone and in company.
She was the easiest horse I've ever started and was hacking out for short rides on the
4th day after I backed her.
Lungeing isn't an obligatory part of backing. Do what feels best for you and your horse.
 
I don't think you do NEED to lunger no but, as said, it is a handy way of teaching the voice commands and I also think good for them to learn how to move with tack on without a rider.

I do not have facilities to lunge mine really, he is 3 now I got him aged 15mths having never properly backed a horse before. I wanted to do it myself as I figure really it's common sense more than anything else.

I have lunged mine about 3 times I think. The 1st time he didn't get the whole moving away from me thing and my sister walked with him. We progressed to him walking on his own and the last time I did it he managed to walk and trot. I did about 10 mins in total though so I don't think this causes any strain.

Was it necessary? I don't know. I am not sure it made that much difference but maybe did help him not to be so reliant on having a person beside him.

I have just today taken him on his 2nd ever (mini) hack and the change in him is remarkable really considering I actually don't do that much with him (first hack was last weekend and he's not had anything done with him since). I think you go with you gut to be honest. Personally I prefer to do the work when on board and maybe I am lucky mine didn't give a hoot about me getting on. I think that's down to trust though and building that trust up.
 
Exactly you've hit the nail on the head. He only needs to walk and trot to get the basics so I could long rein or stick to the edge of arena without small circles.lunging is only there if I wanted him to canter but I'm not in any rush to push him. Rather have him sane and sensible then a frazzled. He understands basic voice commands in hand but he relies on me next to him.
 
I think voice commands can be taught in hand and long reining just as well as they can lunging.

I backed my boy without lunging. We only started on lunge work after he'd started being ridden out.
 
I never lunged my arab as part of her backing process ... even now at 11 she wont lunge :rolleyes: neither of us particularly like it so we dont bother - not done her any harm ;)
 
We backed three of ours without lunging but we had done a lot of groundwork and also, with one of them, long reining first.

I agree with JG that lunging is an important tool and it improves the strength of the horse before he has to carry any weight, but even good lunging can cause damage if the surface of the manege is as bad as the one we have to use! The sand is deep, in places, and very uneven so it is a risk we prefer not to take.
 
I find it odd that people think lunging is detrimental, yet don't feel it's necessary to have a horse working properly before getting on. It's not just about voice command its about strengthening the back and other muscles as well. Thus making it less harmful than riding straight away. And as JG said, it's not long everyday. But this will build core muscle strength in a horse too. These are all important things for overall soundness for any horse but most importantly for a sport career too.

Done properly lunging is helpful and serves a purpose. Does it need to be done, no. I personally wouldn't skip basics no matter how good the horse was. But that's just me. And for the ones that handle it fine, the missed gradual progression can be a disaster.

Terri
 
You've had some comments off two very experienced people - far more experienced than me on this subject.

But I will say that I didn't lunge, but I did do a lot of Long Lining. Meant I could teach the basic aids, voice commands and directional aids before getting on board. I did a little lunging off two lines but only for very short bursts and only really to get the canter aid in there.

I was also very fit by the time I'd finished as I was running with him and also "hacked" him out on the long lines frequently before getting on. He was easy peasy to do and did more ground work than most. Neither lunging or loose schooling were allowed on the school surface, but as no one ever said long lining wasn't I did that instead.

It did mean that he found, serpentines, loops, and directional change really easy once I was on board though and I certainly don't feel he missed out. He was long lined in his tack, was doing as much as he would on the lunge, but with added direction change as well so certainly was building the muscle to carry a rider long before I got on.

So no I wouldn't say Lunging is essential, provided it's replaced by adaquate Long Lining. Although, lunging is less strenuous for the trainer! Running on sand, without using your arms to run is hard work ;)
 
I haven't lunged Chloe and am starting to hack her out, now. I taught her the voice commands for walk, trot and stand by ride and lead. She proved only this morning that she understands all of these perfectly! I do plan to do some long lining with her, but for us it's working ok with me leading her out at the moment, then getting on for the return journey, as she's a delicate flower, mentally. Walking alongside her is giving her that extra bit of confidence, along with some rewarding neck scratches when she passes something scary. :)
 
personally i have always known to lunge as part of the backing process, ideally to build him up before getting on but i was curious if i could do this another way? as long reining and like said above maybe short burst of lunging for the canter aid but i would like to keep working on a circle to a minimium if possible.
thanks everyone for the comments
 
i backed a 7 yr old without lunging, we did try but he just didn't get it, he would long rein happily around the paddock and up the track but try lunging the BHS way and he's just motorbike round you until everyone was dizzy!
 
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