Ground work with 3 year old

[bmd]

I have a rising 3 year old gypsy cob (3 on the 14th September) and I am in no rush to hurry his education as I know cobs are late developers - he is being sent away to be backed next summer.

I have had him 3 weeks now and last week I bitted him in a loose ring French link and he has taken to it so well I just want to do a bit more with him before winter comes and I stop e.g lunging and long reining. Although this isn’t new to me as I’ve done this hundreds of time with my own pony, this is completely new to me doing it to a young horse.
I would appreciate advice and tips on how to start lunging and what is the best to use (lunge cavesson or bridle) and also long reining.

 

[windand rain]

Never lunge a youngster ond only long rein in straight lines would be my advice. Use two reins to a head collar or cavesson and have someone at the head. walk around the field in long straight lines making big sweeping turns the head soldier slowly drops back to the one holding the reins until the horse is walking confidently in front on its own.

 

[Cortez]

Never lunge a young horse for more than 15 minutes would be my advice, and vary the circle so that he's not going round and round, and make it big. I don't long rein unbroken horses unless they are going to be driving horses. Cobs don't develop any later than other horses.

 

[Polos Mum]

I don't long rein unbroken horses unless they are going to be driving horses.

Can I ask why? I was thinking of doing some with my youngster in preference to lunging - from a headcollar not a bridle

 

[Louby]

My now 4 yr old spent last Summer being walked out in hand, she met cars, wheelie bins, road signs, lawn mowers etc etc etc and its done her the world of good. I went in the school occasionally, learnt her to walk and trot in hand, put cones, poles out and walked her around and over them, introduced a bridle and roller and did lunge her very lightly, as in 5 mins but on a massive circle, using the whole school, so not really circles as such. Im useless at long reining but did get some help and she was long reined in the school and around the streets with me at her head too. This was done a few weeks before she went to be backed at 4. Since then we have lightly hacked and touching wood, she has been an absolute star.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I do lots of groundwork with youngsters. Teaching them to lead properly, yield in any direction, back up in straight lines and circles, stand still ("park"). I also desensitive them to all the tools you might use later on - lines, flags, whips etc. I bit and saddle them. I like long-reining too - get them used to the big wide world without having to deal with a rider, get them used to taking direction from behind and through the bit. I think it builds confidence. There are loads of resources you can use: The Fearless Horse, From Birth to Backing (Richard Maxwell), 101 groundwork exercises (Rio Barrett). It's fun too as well as providing a good foundation.

 

[Cortez]

Can I ask why? I was thinking of doing some with my youngster in preference to lunging - from a headcollar not a bridle

Because "plough reining" AKA long lining, is nothing like actual riding in the way that it uses the horse's mouth. Steering involves much more than just the reins, and if the lines are passed through any rings, or the stirrups, as is generally done, there is a pulley effect which exponentially increases the amount of force ending up in the horse's mouth. Even if you are using a headcollar, the way the reins work and the lack of whole-body influence will be completely different to the ridden requirement.

Lunging, on the other hand, is excellent training and preparation for how the horse's balance and muscling will have to adapt to the rider.

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

I like to teach lunging by getting someone to walk the horse in a circle to start with so they understand the response required from voice commands. I also agree that short sessions on a big circle are best for youngsters.

 

[paddy555]

I don't lunge but do miles of long reining. I do it to get the horse used to everything he will meet out riding and all situations such as his companion trotting off and leaving him, taking the lead, going behind, dealing with tractors, traffic, bogs, streams, going past horses/cows charging down field fences, through herds of animals and everything else I am going to want to ride over. I find it invaluable and the 4yo when I come to get on rides out as he has long reined. I suppose it depends on what you want the horse to do ridden. If he is going no further than an arena then possibly it is of limited value. I want to ride out so it is invaluable to me.