HELP lungeing a horse who won't listen

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thatsmygirl

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Just wondered how you would deal with this to see if I can pick up any tips. The girl in question just goes as fast as possable, head right in the air, hollow back and won't listen. Carrys on until dripping in sweat. She's had a very very bad life and is very differcult to handle full stop. Now how would you start to get her to listen? Even if you bring her in on a smaller circle she will do her best to carry on going as fast as she can. She will stop when she's had enough. Also won't listen it's like she wonders off into her own mind and remembers all her bad past life as she's racing around.
Any tips, experiences or ways to handle this would be great. I'm this mares last chance and I really want to help this mare. Thanks all
 
Free schooling is the same. Teeth,back are fine and even had x rays done off back, legs and no problems at all. It's in her head and anywhere outside the yard is a issue for her. I'm going to start taking different routes to her field so she goes different places but really need to get her to listen. My goal would be to re back her but that's a million miles away at present
 
Try long lining instead, if she gets too fast you can turn her to take the energy out of it, you'll have far more control over her with 2 lines. It takes a bit of practise but it really isn't difficult - more like riding from the ground.
 
does she listen if you are just leading her inhand? maybe just try leading her around in a circle on the lunge rein,( incase she goes mad least then your not gonna loose her) just to try and get her confidence up and very gradually step away from her so that eventually she will be walking around on the lunge. once she does do maybe a few steps or even a full lap, wlk back up to her and reward her and stop so it is a positive experience. obviously dont do it all at once but gradually build up to it so she doesnt freak out.

how long have you had her as it could also be a trust issue if she was mistreated in the past??
 
Yes long lining/ driving ,gives you much more control aand feedback. Lunging is a shortcut for the lazy!. Driving gives so much more, but you have to do the walking as well.
 
Thanks guys. I haven't had her long so I don't expect much tbh at the moment but any help along the way is great. Trust is also a big issue but I can now catch her in the field which has taken some time but is a little monkey who plays games. I have to stand at the gate and wait for her to come to me, if I go to her she will keep on running away but when I walk back to the gate she trots after me. Little games.
She was found in a field tethered and hobbled and very skinny, her old owners put the weight on her but couldn't cope.
 
Agree with the long reins. Lunge her with the double reins on and you will be able to control the pace. I had an ex-racer in that used to do that and one rein is useless, whereas with 2 I could get her working in a nice outline and going in a steady pace rather than rushing round with her head poking to the outside.
 
I don't lunge or long line my mare.

Lunging results in wall of death - so don't do it.....she doesn't have to be lunged as sane to ride. just something she now doesn't do.

Long lining - dodging flying legs and somekind of new invention of a sport that wears the heels of my boots out as we fly all over the place.

Other horse perfect on the lunge and long lines, she just doesn't like it. Much prefers me to be on top.

Like the above said some just don't like it. I have tried everything, even with a rider on top she is bad and stops listening to the rider.
 
I wouldn't lunge her. ;) Use long lines and ground exercises to build her confidence and teach her cues for halt, walk, trot and canter. Sounds like she hasn't been taught any cues and is just running blindly round and round... :(
 
I would try doing things like runing beside her asking for trot and then walk so she understands then ask her to trot and walk a meter away from you, then 2 m. Do it for literally 5 mins. once she gets the idea, stop, give her a polo then leave it. Horses learn by repetition so if you keep repeating that its a s hort and painless exercise and that she gets a nice treat afterwards, she will learn to associate it with that.
If she is bad to lunge then long reining may be a good idea as you have more control with 2 reins. I would however get someone to walk by her head to reassure her then put her onto a circle. Just make sure that she doesn't feel "trapped" and go beserk because if she gets away its 2 reins to be tangled up in not 1!
 
Just another thing to note - don't fall into the trap that many people who have rescue animals do and be too soft, yes you need to be gentle and give her time and space to build up trust BUT she still needs firm boundaries to give her some security, owners often forgive unpleasant behaviours for years because "its a rescue" when the horse has long since moved on in life.
 
Sammii819 said:
I don't lunge or long line my mare.

Lunging results in wall of death - so don't do it.....she doesn't have to be lunged as sane to ride. just something she now doesn't do.

Long lining - dodging flying legs and somekind of new invention of a sport that wears the heels of my boots out as we fly all over the place.

Other horse perfect on the lunge and long lines, she just doesn't like it. Much prefers me to be on top.

Like the above said some just don't like it. I have tried everything, even with a rider on top she is bad and stops listening to the rider.
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I'm in the same boat, I just don't do it anymore. It just winds him up, he goes crazy just bombing round until he's had enough & can only do it in an open space so it ends up him just trying to drag me round the field! Same for long reining, not worth getting my head kicked in so everyone is happy if he just gets ridden instead. Even if its only for 10 minutes!!! Can't see the point in everyone getting upset!!!
 
tinap555 said:
I'm in the same boat, I just don't do it anymore. It just winds him up, he goes crazy just bombing round until he's had enough & can only do it in an open space so it ends up him just trying to drag me round the field! Same for long reining, not worth getting my head kicked in so everyone is happy if he just gets ridden instead. Even if its only for 10 minutes!!! Can't see the point in everyone getting upset!!!
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Going to go against the grain here!

When I have horses who do this, I keep sending them on and on and on when they do eventually want to stop (and they will) send them on again and then YOU ask them to slow/stop, if they still wont, send them on again until they do - works every time.
 
Mmmm, sounds like they'd be knackered to me.:( I don't think 'running a horse down' is the way to go here by the sound of it. :( Going in circles at speed for long periods is not good for the horse physically and 'sending it on' will just add to the confusion imo.
 
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Sounds silly but could she be scared? If start in life wasn't great you mat be reminding her of previous abuse which probably started when she was backed, possibly with lunging first. I know of at least two horses in good homes who really freak when anything reminds them of bad starts. Took a while (and definitely no use of lunge whip, not even having it in arena) for one to calm down. Like others have said building up from walking next to. Lots of transitions and using the same voice aids when just leading (walk on, halt etc) to make the experience seem more 'everyday' and familiar.

Good luck.
 
amandap said:
Mmmm, sounds like they'd be knackered to me.:( I don't think 'running a horse down' is the way to go here by the sound of it. :( Going in circles at speed for long periods is not good for the horse physically and 'sending it on' will just add to the confusion imo.
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I was not actually referring to the OPs horse.

I agree, with the OPs horse there needs to be a little more trust in the relationship before she did this. However, because a horse is a rescue it is very easy to be overcautious in dealing with them, you still need to lay down boundaries, horses need them to make them feel secure, they need to see us as their herd leaders, otherwise they will take over the lead simply because someone has to. I see many many owners who have failed to take the lead so the horse has no option but to take it themselves, this results in the horse displaying 'problem' behaviour. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
 
I agree with not lunging her.

What else have you done with her? Have you spent time with her just grooming and leading and doing non-training type stuff? You mention she's difficult all round - I would go right back to the beginning. And maybe take her for short in-hand walks (into the school and out again if you can working up to doing circles, serpentines, etc, when she's relaxed) so she builds her trust in you. Have someone else walk with another horse with her if that helps.

Horse don't NEED to be able to lunge so no point forcing it on her. You don't say if she's backed or not?

And well done for giving her a chance!!!
 
Thanks all you have been great as normal :D
she is broken and tacks up fine and walks about the yard quite happy. Actually ment to be ok under saddle just green but not ridden in about a year. I am having to be fairly hard with her on the ground in the way off handling as she will just tank off else and after a couple off those outbursts where she has taken herself to the field she's now in a chiffney and iv got control. She's neally 17hh so not a little girl. To build up a bond I am grooming her, walking her about and getting her to stand/walk when I say and if she walks on I push her back to the spot we were and start again. I'm going to take her for walks in hand now around the area with my mates horse for company. As soon as she's settled within our area I will try riding her but if she has no respect on the ground I'm sure it will follow through to ridden work so working on this. She's settled really well in the yard it's new places she goes that's the problem and holds her head right up high, snorting and gets very bolshy. No rearing or bucking and no nastyness at all just highly strung. This morning I took her down to the school and just kept her on the leadrope, on the headcollar mind not on the chiffney and gave her the length. To start with she was racing around me but after a few mins she actually started to walk so I asked her to stand than walk on and done a little circle around me in walk so I gave her a rub and a treat and put her in the field. I always wear a hat when handling her just in case. I'm going to try long reining tomoz and see how that goes.
I think she could well be scared. If I could get her out hacking I would be a very happy bunny
 
Actually my pony, in the past, has had terrible manners on the ground (pee-ing off, rearing, generally being a pain in the bottom) but was always much better ridden. I'd mostly always rather be on board than on the ground. I also think you can communicate confidence to them much better from on top (works both ways though - they can feel your nerves) and can react to them much quicker as you can feel them tense up much sooner.

Not necessarily a lack of respect - maybe a lack of trust!

Not saying you should get on her if you're not happy with her on the ground but just a different perspective.
 
Well you can't really blame her actions to be fair, if she's not been ridden or correctly handled for a good while, been under condition, not had the freedom to graze in a open field, no wonder she wants to be off and doesn't want to listen, life is so much less complicated without you telling her what to do (try and see things from her view). :)

I wouldn't even be lunging her yet, if you have not had her long, it might be best just letting her get to know you, keep things simple and easy for her to learn but be strict with it (general manners and some groundwork) so you’re not blowing her away with too many things to learn or expecting her to behave while doing so, get her respect and listening first before you start lunging her, otherwise she's going to learn that she's bigger and stronger than you and more or less do as she pleases, which is probably why she's in chiffney now (not knocking you for using one, safety is important) but don't be tempted to take short cuts or rush things, otherwise she end up doing lots of things...badly and it will take more time and tools to sort them out.
 
AshTay said:
Actually my pony, in the past, has had terrible manners on the ground (pee-ing off, rearing, generally being a pain in the bottom) but was always much better ridden. I'd mostly always rather be on board than on the ground. I also think you can communicate confidence to them much better from on top (works both ways though - they can feel your nerves) and can react to them much quicker as you can feel them tense up much sooner.

Not necessarily a lack of respect - maybe a lack of trust!

Not saying you should get on her if you're not happy with her on the ground but just a different perspective.
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Do you know what, you are posting what I am thinking, I'm along the same wave length as you. I think I'm gona give her a little longer than try under saddle. I am wondering if this is the case with her
 
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