Help! i'm the world's worst lunger... advice?

[Bowen4Horses]

So, i always thought i was ok at lunging, but now i think i've just been blessed with horses that were easy to lunge.

i lunged my new horse yesterday, as i'm getting more and more pregnant, but as he's so new, i want to keep working with him, instead of plonking someone else on him. so i was planning on alternating riding and lunging (riding is getting harder...)

Anyhoo... he's obviously used to lunging (in trot), as he immediately went into a nice circle and trotted. and kept trotting. non stop. i tried to get him into walk verbally, but he just won't walk. he just trots.

i put lunge whip down and walked towards him, shortening the rein, which just resulted in him spinning, changing rein... but carrying on trotting. this happened a few times. if i tried to point the whip at his shoulder to put him off coming inwards, he took it as a signal to go doolally and skip about like a wally.

also, he puts his nose almost to the floor (literally) the whole way round. i didn't put side reins on as i thought i should let him warm up a bit first... but, by the time he had 'warmed up', i was too exhausted to do anything other than sit on the mounting block and huff!

so, what can i do:
-to get downward transitions? and not just trot like a zombie?
-to stop him randomly changing rein himself?
-to stop his nose touching the floor the whole way round?

anyone know?!

 

[Pixxie]

well i can tell you why he puts his nose to the floor....thats down to the lovely miss vicky doing his side reins up so tight when she lunged him that his nose was being held at his chest and thats all they do when they lunge is trot them round and round and then get on.

and so im afraid from what i saw when i was there im not surprised and its going to be hard work to teach him to lunge properly

x

 

[hairymolly]

I like you always thought I could lunge, that is till I got my young mare, turns out my previous horses could lunge not me!!

When I first tried to lung new mare she was having great fun as Im pretty sure she was lunging me, she would run in/change direction and I just moved out the way.

Got my trainer out to help me. To stop him falling in walk a small circle in the direction you want the horse to go leading with the corresponding hip (left rain left hip). Dont get in front of shoulder, I like to stay about front of saddle. If he is feeling full of himself work by the rule if you stay out and keep going forward I dont care what you do. Once he has (hopefully settled) then you can start to work on transitions. Holding the stick up about 45 degrees seemed to help to stop my horse falling in.

Sorry dont know what to advise about the nose on the ground thing, hopefully this will improve with time.

 

[peanut]

[ QUOTE ]
I like you always thought I could lunge, that is till I got my young mare, turns out my previous horses could lunge not me!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too

My mare is expert at upward transitions just not downward.

Are there any lunging books that would help especially with my body position?

 

[mik]

For me putting his head down isnt a problem as it will stretch his neck and back and at least work him head to toe! If you increase impulsion his head should rise up.
Can you long rein? This is the easiest cure, pop a bridle on, then you can back up the voice aid with a rein aid, or get someone to come over and sit on him while you lunge and help teach him.
You can also use JUST an outside rein, pop the lunge rein on the inside of the bit, and when you tense the lunge pulling his head a little to you he will also receive and outside rein aid to slow down. It really depends what works for HIM until he understands what you want. trying different things seem to work for different horses..
Most importantly try body language, turn away, leading lunge shoulder towards him as if you are looking the other way so on the right rein right shoulder at his right and your left shoulder in the center of the circle, and dont walk with his movement but try to position yourself against it, this clearly tells him to slow down, although he may ignore it at first so when he isnt listening you go quiet, ignore him but give a sort of half halt on the actual lunge rein, persist making the rein aid bigger and using the voice firmly but no too often in a lowering tone.
Make sure you use your voice whenever you handle him, sometimes a few polos in you pocket a walk round in hand and clear praise when he halts for you, make him back up using the button on his shoulder as well and a sweety will help, then when you get him to slow on the lunge you can give him praise and a sweety. He needs to respect you on the ground, first.
Falling in use cones to define your circle or poles, outside reins again and walk towards him when he does it, he will react silly as you are in fact being dominant to him. He sounds like he is lacking in handling on the ground. Is he bolshy? make sure he respects your presence on the ground in all circumstances.
Hope somewhere in there you find an answer!!!!!!, good luck with the baby and do be careful eh.

 

[hairymolly]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I like you always thought I could lunge, that is till I got my young mare, turns out my previous horses could lunge not me!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too

My mare is expert at upward transitions just not downward.

Are there any lunging books that would help especially with my body position?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are right it is all in the body language, aparently I was actually saying "fall in and run at me." Sorry cant rec any books but it really helped me getting trainer out (she breaks lots of young horses) it only took one session. Would this be an option for you.

Have you tried long lineing?

 

[lauradean]

Hi there,
You are so lucky that he trots with his head down like that. It's a great stretch! I would never discourage him from stretching, even if he goes really low - and it sounds as though he was trained to go forward in a nice stretchy trot in that frame.
As far as getting him to walk, why not call the last owner who trained him to lunge and ask her how she did it?

 

[horsymum]

I agree the nose to the ground is a great stretch.I read an earlier post that previously he had been lunged by someone who trotted him all the time.?
My advise would be to let him stretch as he is,but get someone to lead him on the outside whilst you lunge him,and only at a walk for a few sessions,then trot walk trot walk etc.
I think hes just repeating past experience and if you give him a chance by starting him again slowly he will forget that and respond to you,I would also keep it short and sweet to start with and always end with praise.
its early days yet as hes new,it will work itself out,look after you and your bump too!!

 

[peanut]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi there,
You are so lucky that he trots with his head down like that. It's a great stretch!

[/ QUOTE ]

My cheeky mare does it but she's not doing it to stretch, she's really just sniffing for any poo on the ground

Good idea about the long lining - I'll give that a try.

 

[lauradean]

My cheeky mare does it but she's not doing it to stretch, she's really just sniffing for any poo on the ground

"lol*! I guess she wants to know who's been there before her!!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
For me putting his head down isnt a problem as it will stretch his neck and back and at least work him head to toe! If you increase impulsion his head should rise up.
Can you long rein? This is the easiest cure, pop a bridle on, then you can back up the voice aid with a rein aid, or get someone to come over and sit on him while you lunge and help teach him.
You can also use JUST an outside rein, pop the lunge rein on the inside of the bit, and when you tense the lunge pulling his head a little to you he will also receive and outside rein aid to slow down. It really depends what works for HIM until he understands what you want. trying different things seem to work for different horses..
Most importantly try body language, turn away, leading lunge shoulder towards him as if you are looking the other way so on the right rein right shoulder at his right and your left shoulder in the center of the circle, and dont walk with his movement but try to position yourself against it, this clearly tells him to slow down, although he may ignore it at first so when he isnt listening you go quiet, ignore him but give a sort of half halt on the actual lunge rein, persist making the rein aid bigger and using the voice firmly but no too often in a lowering tone.
Make sure you use your voice whenever you handle him, sometimes a few polos in you pocket a walk round in hand and clear praise when he halts for you, make him back up using the button on his shoulder as well and a sweety will help, then when you get him to slow on the lunge you can give him praise and a sweety. He needs to respect you on the ground, first.
Falling in use cones to define your circle or poles, outside reins again and walk towards him when he does it, he will react silly as you are in fact being dominant to him. He sounds like he is lacking in handling on the ground. Is he bolshy? make sure he respects your presence on the ground in all circumstances.
Hope somewhere in there you find an answer!!!!!!, good luck with the baby and do be careful eh.

[/ QUOTE ]

fab advice! thank you. i'll try all of this.

he isn't bolshy on the ground, just a bit unsure of what's being asked of him i think. and could probably do with learning a bit more about my personal space.

i think he's used to clearer commands than i give, as i am fairly nervous. i say 'fairly nervous'... i mean 'total papping my pants'. but as i'm getting to know him, i'm getting braver. so i think my commands probably aren't as clear as they should be.

it's a bit off-putting with his head so low, as it means the lunge rein literally hovers over the floor, and it looks like he could step in it. his nose is actually on the floor - if there's a slightly larger bit of rubber on the surface, it hits him on the nose!

also, as Pixxie mentioned... i suspect he's been lunged regulary with tight side reins, in trot, endlessly.

i will try all of the hints and tips... and will let you know how it goes.

thank you!

 

[emma69]

How do you tell him to do things? Tone of voice is very important. If I am telling a horse to come down a pace, it is

And waaaaaaaaaalk , lilting it downwards and ----waaa____lk. I will also thrown in a few ----stea____deeee's as well during paces to slow a trot or a canter down. It is correct to point the whip to the shoulder, but some do just go faster, so with those I tend to tuck it under my arm with horses like that.