If you lunge, why do you do it . . .

I lunge to educate the horse to various commands.

If you work the horse -
With side reins the horse learns to accept a rein contact that is consistent and not dependent on the riders balance or lack of.

It teaches voice commands

It teaches the horse to move away from and around the inside leg - whip used just behind elbow simulating riders leg aid.

It assists greatly in teaching suppleness and through suppleness straightness.

Allows the young horse to jump freely and gain confidence without the unbalancing effect of the rider

It helps to build topline as most horses will drop their heads and lift their backs when lunging.

As exercise - its a good way to allow the horse to let off steam so long as the circle is big.
I always use a proper lunge cavesson with the line attached to the centre ring as this then allows side reins etc to work correctly. Lunging off the bit tends to cause problems that are not always noticed at the time. Off a head collar and the horse tends to look outside of the circle therefore bend is incorrect.

I also don't like round pens for the same reason - its harder to get the horse into the correct shape for the circle.
 
I love lungework.

Personally I feel it is becoming a lost art. There are so many benefits to lunging a horse properly.

Nowadays it seems, "lunging" refers to the various gadgets that are on the market cluttering up shop shelves and gathering dust in tack-rooms because people don't use them properly or they dont work. Or, as is so often seen, lunging to "get rid of steam".

It's such a shame. It's a valuable part of groundwork preparation for riding and it seems no-one is interested anymore.
 
I do lunge with a pessoa, usually when I don't have time/can't be bothered to ride :o It definitely improves his topline if done regularly.
 
I lunge, a few times a week at the moment for ten mins in a Pessoa on the L&L setting. It allows me to work on building up bens topline without a rider on his back.
 
I lunge in 2 different ways - either working properly (tracking up, transitions, working on voice commands blah blah blah) or just for a "bez" to get rid of some energy where im not too fussed about tracking up etc as long as he lets off some steam if he wants to (my horse cant be ridden or turned out atm as he has a lavage system installed in his eye)
 
I lunge either to do some pole work ( I won't jump my mare over 2ft 6 but she defo clears 3ft 3" easily)

I long rein so can include lateral work or lunge with one line through girth works really well for flexion.

I feel she is ready to try a Pessoa if I can find one second hand now.
 
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