Free Lunging?

[SR3101]

So I tried to free lunge my boy the other day, and we spent the whole time trying to get him so that he didn’t just follow me 😂. He’s an angel to lunge once he’s got a few bucks out of his system and really listens to voice commands well. I’ve never free lunges before so I’m sure that it’s something that I’m doing, does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Cortez]

Apply lunge whip to bottom judiciously, keep him trotting and don't allow him to come in.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So I tried to free lunge my boy the other day, and we spent the whole time trying to get him so that he didn’t just follow me ��. He’s an angel to lunge once he’s got a few bucks out of his system and really listens to voice commands well. I’ve never free lunges before so I’m sure that it’s something that I’m doing, does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

When I started with my unbroken pony I used road cones in a 10 metre circle where I stood and got her to walk round me with someone leading her on the outside. Working regularly till handler walked round with her but not holding her via rope, and then working on to the handler walking away.

When we progressed to a 20 metre she came in I put lunge whip to her shoulder and said *out* at the same time as handler put her lead her out, once I was lunging solo, every time she came in or turned in when I waid whoa - I lead her back onto the circle facing sideways to me and said stand!!!!!. Gradually she stopped turning in. It is all about persistence and slowly doing it with the help of someone else at first.

 

[Mule]

I wouldn't be too quick to get him out of the habit of following you. It's far more useful than loose lunging.

 

[stormox]

I wouldn't be too quick to get him out of the habit of following you. It's far more useful than loose lunging.

It might be useful to have them follow you if you want them to but they also have to move out of your space and away from you when you ask them to. Nothing worse than having a horse in your space, and can be dangerous if they wont respect an 'away' request from you.

 

[BBP]

I made sure my horse understood all the voice commands, especially stand, both ridden and on traditional lunge. So then I would lunge him and when I lunge I would always halt him and send him forwards on the circle, rather than ever asking him to come in to me. So if I wanted to change the rein I would ask him verbally to stand and would then walk over to him, turn him and then return myself back to the centre of the circle with him standing still. When I wanted to free lunge I just took the lunge line off. Nothing else changed. Ask him to stand, walk back to centre of circle and ask him to walk on. Body positioning etc exactly the same as for lunging with a rope. I use a bit of clicker training to reinforce him staying out sometimes. I don’t do any lunging other than free lunging now as I’m clumsy with ropes and lunge whips! He is good on moving in and out on the circle, stretching down, doing transitions and even rein back. So it’s not a completely useless skill!