Is long reining out on roads necessary & safe?

Spyda

Spyda

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I've just started working with my 4 year old - walking her out in hand along the lanes in a roller and loose side reins. She's very distractable and anxious but walks out willingly enough. Our very small menage is water logged and will be until May'ish so I cannot work her in there or lunge. I was planning to long rein her out with my son walking at her head initially and then us going it alone for a while.

Reading several books on breaking and schooling, all said long reining out on the road was too dangerous (incase the horse spooked). I can understand not long reining out along well used roads but our yard is surrounded by single lane roads, with only the occasional car coming by. Should I long rein or not, but if not - what else can I do to prep filly for backing without a menage?
 
My own opinion is that long reining on the roads is highly dangerous, and even with a 'walker' it's not something I would ever consider doing.

Can you not just longrein around your fields and yard??
 
amymay said:
Can you not just longrein around your fields and yard??
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No, can't really use the fields. All are full of grazing horses and very muddy ATM and the yard isn't really suitable. I can leave off until May when the menage is dry, but just wanted something to do with her until then. Guess I can keep walking her out in hand...
 
I think you need to make a realistic assessment of how far your training has gone,the horse in question and your own ability to deal with untoward events- and the roads in question. I do this with my four year old, but she is a brave and trusting youngster, quite comfortable with traffic and responsive to voice aids. She is good at long reining and understands the aids. I always have a walker to help and choose quiet times. Its good for building confidence and getting her to leave the yard, but I wouldn't do it where the roads were too unsuitable or with a horse that would find it too much of a challenge. I don't have a school in winter, so going through a part of the village is my only option to get to a bridlepath. If in doubt, I wouldn't do it though.
 
I think long reining is important and agree that you should take your own area into consideration. I live in a quiet area and can hack for a hr without a singer car and have no worried long reining around our lanes, BUT all the basics is put into place first around the farm before out on the lanes.
Each to their own but you know your horse and how quite etc the lanes are so I wouldn't rule it out.
 
thatsmygirl said:
I think long reining is important and agree that you should take your own area into consideration. I live in a quiet area and can hack for a hr without a singer car and have no worried long reining around our lanes, BUT all the basics is put into place first around the farm before out on the lanes.
Each to their own but you know your horse and how quite etc the lanes are so I wouldn't rule it out.
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Totally agree with this. It depends on your neighbourhood how feasible it is but I believe, if you can, there is no better way of teaching your horse to be forward going and independent of others.
 
It sounds as though you don't have anywhere you can long-rein before trying on the roads?

Whatever your views on if it is safe at all I'd certainly be very wary of trying anything (at all really) for the first time on a public road. I mean you wouldn't have taught her to lead on a road before trying it on the yard first would you?

Have (safe) fun with the little one whatever you try.
 
I have often long-reined on the (very quiet country) roads although I do agree that it can potentially be dangerous, particularly with a young horse. My mare is a driving horse and during her initial training she was very much established in her long-reining work in a safe, enclosed environment before we went anywhere near a road. I would also never have her a great distance from me when long-reining on a road, I will stand close enough to her hindquarters to reach out and touch her, again not something I would suggest doing with a young horse or one that was liable to spook as you could easily end up with a couple of broken legs if it decided to kick out! I would always take someone with me at the head end if going near a road whether it be in long reins or pulling the carriage, it is absolutely vital from a safety perspecitive that you can have someone at their head if needed. Even the most laid back of horses will often take exception to coming face to face with a combine harvester on a narrow lane!
 
All the babies that i've broken in have been long reined out on the lanes with someone walking at their head, so they learn not to rely on other horses to leave the yard and to see some of the day to day 'monsters' that they will see when they begin hacking such as wheelie bins! :) However before heading out of the drive they will have spent time in the school longreining in and out of poles to make sure you have some steering!

If your horse seems sensible and you are confident in your own ability and have a reliable helper then go for it, they learn so much from it even if you don't go far :)
 
We long reined our mare on roads but the roads are VERY quiet where they were at the time. I would just assess your roads and if you are likely to get into trouble. :)
 
I broke my 12.2 in years ago to drive but before I did that, because I'd outgrown him I used to long rein him around the village, take him where I used to ride him all on the long reins in just a bridle and roller, then in his harness, he was totally bombproof and the only pony I've ever known to be bombproof.

I dont' think I'd do it with a youngster, depends how busy the roads are and if you had someone with you might be ok. It is harder to control something off the ground than on it though I reckon so ...........
 
Spyda said:
Reading several books on breaking and schooling, all said long reining out on the road was too dangerous (incase the horse spooked). I can understand not long reining out along well used roads but our yard is surrounded by single lane roads, with only the occasional car coming by. Should I long rein or not, but if not - what else can I do to prep filly for backing without a menage?
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I wouldn't long-rein on any road because of the potential lack of control and definitely NOT on a single lane road. I have to drive on a single lane road to get to my current (temporary) yard and driving a car on it is bad enough; I don't hack out at the moment for the same reason although the others at the yard do. The potential for a horrible accident is just too real. Keep walking out in hand and leave the long-reining for safer areas.

I backed two three year olds at the back end of last year and I don't have a school or anything. I just subdivided a field into an area roughly the size of a manege.
 
Faithkat said:
I wouldn't long-rein on any road because of the potential lack of control and definitely NOT on a single lane road. I have to drive on a single lane road to get to my current (temporary) yard and driving a car on it is bad enough; I don't hack out at the moment for the same reason although the others at the yard do. The potential for a horrible accident is just too real. Keep walking out in hand and leave the long-reining for safer areas.

I backed two three year olds at the back end of last year and I don't have a school or anything. I just subdivided a field into an area roughly the size of a manege.
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Single lane roads are quite safe, iv lived in them for all my life, hacked out in them for all my life, long reined round them, just broken horses hacking out round them, never had a problem. To say you won't hack out round the lanes is totally mad, next the stable will be padded with cotton wool.
 
thatsmygirl said:
Single lane roads are quite safe, iv lived in them for all my life, hacked out in them for all my life, long reined round them, just broken horses hacking out round them, never had a problem. To say you won't hack out round the lanes is totally mad, next the stable will be padded with cotton wool.
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I agree. If we didn't hack along single lane roads half of Devon's horse keepers wouldn't be able to hack out!!!!

The lanes around us are very quiet with lots of passing in places. My filly is great in traffic and understands "walk-on" and "whoa". Only time I'd foresee a potential problem would be when a car comes and I'd have to halt her until it passes safely. She's still a bit fidgety when being asked to remain still for more than 30 seconds, which is why I'd have someone to hold her head. We're conscientiously working on halting and standing at the moment, but it takes a while and some patience to get a sharp youngster like mine to become fully disciplined in standing still. She's coming along, but I don't think she's anywhere ready yet to be trusted to stand quietly.

I feel quite confident long-reining out. I used to long-rein my very highly strung 17.3hh 3 year old TB when she was on limited exercise after an op. It was far safer long-reining her than attempting to lead her in hand! But that said, she was backed when I bough her (so presumably long-reined before) and the yard there had access to a menage and miles of off-road tracks straight off the yard. I didn't have the same issues then.
 
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The reason why I don't like to long rein on roads is because the horse can all too easily spin on you and you get into a muddle. Couple that with roads and vehicles - no thanks :)

However, if you have a willing volunteer, a half way house would be to have someone at the head with an attached leadrope - so you are getting her used to long reining, but have the extra support if it all goes wahoonie.
 
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