How do you lunge?

sparkeyhorse02 said:
I'm not a huge fan of training aids as I think working on a small circle is hard enough without having side reins on etc.
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Personally I don't like all the weird and wonderful lunging aids - partly because they are a pain to put on and I've seen the after effects they have on some horses, it took a year of re schooling to get my mare quiet in her mouth after she was broken in using a Pessoa. I've never needed them anyway as I always use side reins.

Working in correctly fitted side reins is a crucial part in teaching a young horse to feel and accept the contact of the reins on its mouth and to learn to work into the contact. When you ride you work your horse from your inside leg to your outside hand. On the lunge these aids are replaced by the lunge whip - your inside leg and the outside side rein (via the lunge line) - your outside hand.

The circle you are working on should be at least 15m and as you are only using side reins in trot this should not be hard on the horse at all. Side reins should not be used in walk or canter as both these paces have head movement, the side reins would block the movement. (Hands follow head when being ridden).

You can also teach your horse a half halt along with the voice and the side reins, you close the fingers of the hand holding the lunge line which in turn transfers to the outside side rein.
 
I either lunge in full tack with lunge line threaded through inner ring bit, over poll and attached to other side of bit if I'm just trying to take the edge off freshness before I ride, or using a (correctly fitted) Pessoa attached to bridle with a lunge roller if trying to encourage stretching and flexibility. Using the pessoa, I remove the reins and noseband from the bridle and use a cavesson to lunge from so that I don't interfere with the action.
I also use brushing and overreach boots when lunging.
 
Slightly digressing here but on the same subject. I lunge my girl maybe twice per month, just for variety or if I'm short of time. I lunge her in bridle/lunge cavesson/pessoa. It works well and helps develop top line and also loosens her paces. However, if you clip the lines on as soon as you start working your horse, then surely you are not letting your horse warm up before asking them to work in a rounder outline ? Does anyone let their horse have a walk/trot/stretch prior to clipping on the lines ???? Just wondering .......
 
Emmangel said:
Does anyone let their horse have a walk/trot/stretch prior to clipping on the lines ???? Just wondering .......
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yes of course, I also allow stretching within the period I am using side reins (I don't use a pessoa). I only ever lunge from a soft Portuguese cavesson, English cavessons are too clunky and heavy for a young horse IMO (bearing in mind I only have small horses or ponies). Stretching on the lunge is an easy thing to teach (especially a youngster who hasnt spent years upside down) without any training aid if you know how and have the timing.
 
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