How often do you lunge?

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niagaraduval

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Hi,

Mister ned lost a shoe yesterday (Grr.. hasn't pulled a shoe in over 4 years) so riding him is out of the question. Especially as I am not allowed to ride on the grass, I only hack.
So I lunged him yesterday for about 10-15 mins, also getting him to canter on the lunge with the saddle. (Which I did end up getting him to canter with my lovely long lunge whip).
So the question is, He is used to being worked everyday and I would like to go out and lunge him again for a similar amount of time.
How often should/can you lunge your horse?
Cheers :)
 
I try to lunge mine every day simply because she is on pony fat camp and really needs to lose the flab- but I keep it very short because I do it every day , about the length of time that you lunged 10-15 mins. I think it's fine to lunge them most day as long as you don't lunge for too long. If I don't lunge I long rein which is good because I can do it for longer and because she finds it more interesting.
 
I lunge once a week for about 40 minutes. Usually start with 10 walk circles, 20 trot, change rein, 20 trot, 5 canter, 5 trot, 5 canter, five trot, five canter, then trot to canter transitions and same on other rein lol i like my set routine :p I also do a variety of circle sizes and working to extended trot etc
 
I lunge my lot once a week and long rein once a week... helps build up topline and is a good way of getting rid of tummies that might put off sexy farriers :D

Try lunging over poles, loose schooling etc.

What do you lunge with? I LOATHE sidereins, and lunge with two lunge lines which I find works brilliantly on everything I lunge!
 
Iv got 1 horse I lunge every day before I ride else I would never be able to sit his antics. The others I lunge once in a blue moon as I use the walker more
 
HAte lunging... sooooo borrrrriiiinnnngggg... so as little as possible (it's one of the reasons that I don't want to break another horse in I don't enjoy lunging or long reining... at all)

Blitz
 
I currently lunge my 5 yo once a week in a bungie or harbridge as he leans on side reins. Would love to use nothing on him but he flies around like a idiot so for his safety he gets worked with something on. I only tend to do about 15 mins walk and trot but im going to up it abit and introduce some canter work.
 
I dont, i never have never will, backed both mine without being lunged, i find long reining far more effective...any other work i want to do is under saddle
 
Quartz said:
How do you get your horse to do extended trot when lungeing?
Click to expand...

Arion extends in trot if I run down the longside of the school alongside him and encourage him on with my voice. Sometimes we get canter instead its a work in progress and we have had some lovely extended trot out of it
 
Quartz said:
How do you get your horse to do extended trot when lungeing?
Click to expand...

I do an exercise where I reel her in to a small circle at a good trot and then let the line extend out to a large circle, keeping her at the same rhythm which results in a nice extended trot.

As for how often I lunge, usually about once a week, usually for about 15 or 20 minutes. My mare is fairly green and lungeing gives us a chance to work on balance and cadence as well as working on her topline. She does go well in side reins so we've done some work there as well working toward more contact.
 
I never lunge, (my mare goes a bit crazy and worry about her injuring herself!) but do long rein once or twice a week for about 15 mins, don't tend to canter but do a lot just in walk to build top line and a bit of trot. Often put the odd pole out, maybe tiny raised one or a fan of poles just to make it a bit more interesting.
 
Never except for when in a situation like yours, I don't see what you can gain from it that you can't gain from riding...
 
As little as often to be honest.

I know there is a place for it but I just don't think my horse beenfits much and I would rather enjoy riding him rather than lunging him.
 
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