Help training my 5yr old to lunge??

DappleGreyDaydreamer

DappleGreyDaydreamer

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I bought myself a lovely 5yr old Connemara gelding about 6 weeks ago, and he's been backed and brought on very nicely, but obviously there is still a lot I have to teach him. We've started lunging to work on various problems in ridden work, and I've encountered a problem with his lunge skills. He will be perfectly behaved in the walk and the trot, responding to my voice commands and cues and I can't fault him at all, but as soon as I ask him to go into a canter he bucks and tears off down the arena, almost ripping my arm off. I don't use a lunge whip on principle, so I don't think he gets spooked, all I can guess is that I'm either confusing him and asking him in a way he's not used to, or he's unsure how to canter on a lunge, as I didn't ask his previous owner.
I'm probably being ridiculous but I could really use some advice? He's my first youngster and I want to do my absolute best with him, but I'm not sure how to tackle this issue.
Thank you :)
 
It could be that he is in pain. Are you lunging him with his saddle on? Have you had his back & saddle checked? I doubt he is just being naughty when he goes ok in walk & trot. I had a similar problem and my boy had stiffness in his sacro iliac area which produced a similar reaction to what you are describing. Get him checked out & good luck.
 
Does he settle in canter once he has hooned off? My ISH used to do this when we first got him. It was pure excitement. Once he had shaken the tickles out he would settle. A bit scary until we got used to it though! Obviously check as Bungo suggests and rule out pain first though. If you are lunging from a cavesson perhaps switch to a check - under or over as you prefer - for a bit more control? And if you don't already - boot on all 4 legs. they can catch themselves pratting about.
 
Yes I lunge with tack on, I've always lunged him and then got on to cool him down a bit, as he does get his tail in a twist on the lunge. He had his back checked the day before I bought him so I'm going to assume he's okay, but I'll look into it. Would this problem you describe also cause them to throw their head around a lot when being ridden? He does that too, but my trainer and I am both pegging it on excitement as he only does it when we're walking around not doing anything fast or fun in the saddle.
I've been putting boots on his front legs, but I'll buy some for the back next time I can make it into town. And the funny thing is, he doesn't settle for long. I'll ask him to canter using the same cues I do when riding him - and in the saddle he's straight into canter, no messing about at all - and he'll charge off bucking but will eventually stop bucking, and he'll canter nicely but he pulls a LOT whenever I lunge in the canter, and when I ask him to come back to trot he's fine, but the next time I ask for canter its the same thing over again.
 
It could be that in his previous home he was allowed to hoon about, and it is just a habit he is in. I'd do lots of transitions up and down the paces, and in quick succession, to get him thinking and concentrating on you, rather than having a playtime.

Also, your lunging whip is an aid, just like your voice and body language. Not only is it a driving aid, it is a pointer "move your quarters over", "move your shoulder out" etc, so if you are schooling while lunging, you are missing an important aid.
 
Casey76 said:
Also, your lunging whip is an aid, just like your voice and body language. Not only is it a driving aid, it is a pointer "move your quarters over", "move your shoulder out" etc, so if you are schooling while lunging, you are missing an important aid.
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You might have a good point there, I do own one from my previous horse, but I found it caused more problems with him, although all horses are different so I'll have a shot; might start with a dressage whip first so I don't spook him, he can be quite flighty.

I have been focusing on the transitions like you said, which I find does help as he's a quick learner and once he figures out what I want then he stops messing around. It's frustrating, as he's the most perfectly behaved horse I could hope for, his ground manners are flawless, everybody on the yard loves him, when ridden he's very considerate for a 5 year old, but I can't stop him pulling away in the canter!
Could it be that he has too much energy in him to focus in a canter?
 
I think babies can get a bit excited about it haha. Are you lunging him off the bit? I tend to avoid this but it might be worth doing so you can stop him pulling away. You could have one line on the bit and one on the cavesson any only use the bit rein if he makes a break for it. Also just follow him if he runs off and keep him cantering, he'll settle eventually!
 
Pigeon said:
I think babies can get a bit excited about it haha. Are you lunging him off the bit? I tend to avoid this but it might be worth doing so you can stop him pulling away. You could have one line on the bit and one on the cavesson any only use the bit rein if he makes a break for it. Also just follow him if he runs off and keep him cantering, he'll settle eventually!
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I've only ever lunged him off the bit as I don't actually own a cavesson! New horse owner with bad job, only bought the essentials y'know. Although I may invest in one once my paycheck comes in if it would be a good idea! Could always try him in a headcollar and fleece to see if it is the saddle causing any pain.
I've been doing my best to follow after him and not let him stop cantering until he settles down, but more often than not I feel like I'm waterboarding behind a speedboat! Thank you all for great advice, really helpful :)
 
Do you have any way of containing the area you lunge in? e.g. setting up some poles on blocks or even just using the corner of what ever area you are in will give support on two sides an help encourage him round the circle.
 
Sorry but schooling a horse on the lunge without a lunge whip is like riding a horse without the help of your legs! not impossible but very very difficult.

I'm not sure what principle you are holding on to there! A lunge whip should not touch your horse but is invaluable as an aid for transitions, straightness, bend etc.
Without that you are just running them round in circles.

If you still wont use a lunge whip you should look into getting some lessons on longreining and then longrein your horse.
TBH i far prefer longreining to lunging as you can achieve far more.
My lad was cantering figures of 8 with a changes of leg through walk on the longreins well before anyone ever sat on him.
 
You have some good advice on this thread. It's not at all unusual for a youngster to have a bit of fun on the lunge - horses in the wild usually only canter if they are overexcited or frightened, so at first it can be a struggle for them to understand that it's not time for a play when asked to do it on the lunge. It could also be a balance problem, cantering on a circle can be difficult for young horses. Lunging is actually a very good way to teach horses how to balance in canter, but it must be for very short period, only once or twice around the circle, or even less.

To give you more immediate control I would suggest running the lunge line through the bit ring, over the poll and clipping to the opposite bit ring; he won't be able to pull away with this set up. And carry the whip, he needs to get used to it and understand it is not frightening.

Try and find a good instructor to show you some lunging techniques, it is a very useful tool that few people know how to make proper use of.
 
Thanks for even more fantastic advice!! I am heading up today with him to see a farrier, as he pulled a shoe off in the field overnight so we can't work today, but tomorrow I'll have a shot at some techniques everyone's suggested and see how we go!
Yes I agree, I probably should use a lunging whip, although I'd like to know I was using it properly and not giving my boy mixed signals, as he's really a lovely boy and is quite easily confused.
Would it be any help to try investing in a cavesson? Only I wince every time he pulls away from me in canter because I really don't want to ruin his nice soft mouth by being too rough on it.
 
perhaps it is far too soon to be cantering him on a lunge...he is probably unbalanced and is finding canter hard work. I would concentrate on walk to trot with lots of transitions so he listens to your vocal aid. I would never lunge without a whip - he needs to be responsive to your voice backed up with the whip. you also need to lunge with a cavesson on him.
 
DappleGreyDaydreamer said:
You might have a good point there, I do own one from my previous horse, but I found it caused more problems with him, although all horses are different so I'll have a shot; might start with a dressage whip first so I don't spook him, he can be quite flighty.
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I have a similar situation, except in my case, I'm getting a youngster who is whip shy (I don't know what has happened to her in the past but something has). I would prefer not to lunge without a whip, so I have already decided that I will spend as long as it takes to desensitise her to it before lunging. Lots of stroking her with it in a controlled space, to reassure her that it (and I) am not there to hurt her, that the whip is just an extension of me, etc. The last thing I want is a heavyweight in flight mode, in a 50m ménage, with me at the other end of the line ��. If you are worried your Connie will be flighty, maybe test his reaction in a safe space first and work on it if he needs reassurance?

(eta) Are you wearing gloves when lunging?
 
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I suspect he'll just find it even easier to leg it if you lunge in a cavesson - Cortez's suggestion is a good one.

In your shoes, I would hold off cantering in the lunge for a while. Do plenty of work in trot, focus on getting him forward, supple and listening to you. Lots of transitions and get him working, but keep him calm. I suspect he is over-excited and as soon as you ask him to canter he thinks "wahey!". Once his trot work is solid and his balance good, start asking for canter but only in short bursts (even just a few strides) and look on it as an exercise in transitions at first, not canter. Keep everything as calm as you can, and gradually build up until you can get him to work in canter. It doesn't matter if it takes a long time to get there, it will be worth it in the end. One horse I worked with didn't canter on the lunge for months because he was so big and uncoordinated and couldn't keep his balance on a circle. Once his trot work was really nice and well-established and he'd found his balance, he found cantering nice and easy.

And yes, like others, have said, lunging without a whip is missing an important aid.
 
My answer would be Don't Canter on the lunge - its very hard work and you don't achieve much really.

Improve the trot and canter will take care of itself. Lunge circles are far too tight for a young horse
 
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