Disuniting on the lunge - does it mean anything?

[Ziggy_]

Possibly a dumb question.

Under saddle, canter is my mare's best pace. She works in a nice outline in canter, can get both strike offs easily from walk or trot, can do 20m and 12m circles and a little counter canter.

On the lunge, however, she disunites constantly and usually bucks every couple of strides, changing legs behind then changing back again. I lunge on a big circle, and while she does get a bit faster on the lunge, she's not usually bombing around like an idiot. Just bucking.

Do you think it could be a symptom of something - a back problem for instance - or is it just her losing her balance when she's messing around?

 

[Annagain]

Disuniting can be a sign of a back problem but I don't see why it would only happen on the lunge.

Do you lunge in side reins or any gadget? Maybe if she hasn't really got a contact to work into she's not using her back end properly and so finding it difficult?

Maybe she's just letting off steam and doing what she knows she can't do with you on her back?

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

I agree it could indicate a back problem, but if he's totally fine when ridden, I wouldn't worry.

My horse has always been like that, precisely as you described, all of his life (got him when he was 4 and he is 9 now). He is working really well at Adv Med and I just learnt that when he is being lunged without anything he just chooses to do what he wants. Which is fine by me as I mainly use lunging to give him a break from work - almost like free schooling. He is much better when he has side reins on, which happens rarely as I'm not a big fan, or when I long rein.