Is Lunging Essential

[Jellymoon]

Or long-reining for that matter…
For the correct development of your horse.
( Or is it simply a convenient way of exercising them when you don’t have time to ride/something a groom can do for you!)

It’s not something I do regularly because I tend to prefer to hack/school, but I’m wondering if I should be doing it as part of their routine…

 

[silv]

I never lunge mine, useful for youngsters and over fresh horses before you get on but that’s it for me.

 

[Michen]

Only ever lunged mine for the vet. Long reining however educated both my youngsters in their early days mostly for hacking purposes and working through behavioral bits.

 

[Lois Lame]

I might sound silly saying this, but if I were a horse, I'd like to be with someone who never (or hardly ever) lunged me.

 

[Boulty]

I would say that there's a lot of beneficial stuff you can do on the ground with horses both in terms of training them to stay out of your space & yield to pressure / to keep you both safe, obstacle training, polework for rehab / building strength & proprioception, training certain behaviours that you then might want to ask for from the saddle, seeing how they're moving etc. Lunging & longreining can definitely be a part of that but they don't necessarily need to be. (although I'll admit I prefer longreining to leading out inhand as a rehab exercise as it's a lot easier to see if they're moving straight / correct them if they're not... my eye's not necessarily good enough to spot that if I'm walking at the shoulder without ending up running backwards). I'm not a massive fan of lunging in endless circles but I think knowing the basics of how to be lunged is a very useful skill for a horse to have and will make lameness workups etc much easier (plus, yes if I want to work my horse from the ground in trot or canter then yes I probably am going to want them on a circle for most of that because otherwise I can't keep up!) I'll admit that during the week when I have less time (especially in winter when a lot of brushing would be required to ride whereas zero brushing is needed for groundwork!) I do tend to work the pony from the ground. This is mainly doing polework exercises / mocked up TREC obstacles & there may be a few minutes of lunging involved as well probably involving transitions and seeing how few strides we can get between them / how close to the marker they can be (or occasionally some longreining although will admit I now do a lot less of this than I did before he was backed as it's sorta served its purpose for the moment unless I get the chance to learn how to do some of the more "fun" movements in longlines properly) also starting to play with little bits of stuff at liberty but that's still very much a work in progress & have to pick days when he's in the right mood / where his mates are at the far end of the track where they can't distract him.

 

[Caol Ila]

All things being equal, I find lunging very tedious. But it has its uses. I taught Hermosa to do it, so she would know how to do it as a life skill. Also good for teaching voice commands and practicing transitions and balancing on a circle. I found long reining more useful for working on straight lines with direction changes and getting the horse accustomed to being in front of the person. If you are really good at long reining (so... not me), you can teach all the lateral movements, high school movements, anything.

I don't do it unless I have a reason. With Hermosa right now, I don't. Over the winter, I lunged Fin a fair bit because he would not function with the rider on board in the dark, under the arena floodlights, but he would work in-hand or on the lunge. So, we lunged. I would have rather ridden, but that was malfunctioning.

 

[sbloom]

They can be great when used well at the right time and without gadgets. Manolo Mendez and people trained by him do amazing work on the lunge (and it's not regular lunging, round and round), Klaus Shoneich of arr.de only uses the lunge, and very small circles, but for those that can't work with such a trainer I tend to direct people to the closer kind of groundwork and in-hand work that helps release and build the thoracic sling.

It's been accused of being a buzzword, and it mustn't be a reason to ignore the rest of the body of course, but so often it's key. Lunging can strengthen asymmetries, long reining can put horses on the forehand and heavy in the hand, btv etc. So it's the how and when, slightly less than the what.

But unridden has huge value to the horse, learning to move better without the added complication of, and compensation for, carrying a rider. Not just the weight, but the rider's asymmetries and compensations!

 

[ycbm]

I only teach them to lunge for doing lameness assessments. I never long reined at first because I had nowhere safe to do it, and since I had no issues with backing without long reining I decided it's unnecessary anyway.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Only for youngsters,which then progresses to long lining (2 reins).
Handy for older horses to exercise on odd days when time is limited.

 

[ycbm]

I never get the time argument. It would take me just as long to clean up enough to long rein and kit out for long reining as to tack up.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

My horse carries and uses himself better on lunge and long rein so I like to long rein and go for walks to help him work correctly.

We aren't using any gadgets, just bridle, lunge surcingle (saddle pad and any other padding as required) and lunge lines.

ETA: I recognise this might be a reflection on my riding not being good enough.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

A few years ago, when my horse wouldn't turn out in winter I gently lunged once a day for a leg stretch and rode once a day. Now he goes out ok I very rarely lunge. I'm very conscious about joints and circles!! When I 'lunged' I tried to use straight lines as well. I think long reining is really beneficial for youngsters especially if your using it to get them out to see the world but unless lunging is done well it can cause more harm than good in my opinion.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I lunge but I use the whole school a lot I don't put them on a continuous circle, I like it as I incorporate my ground work so we do lateral work in hand as well and my horses lunge from my voice, it's a handy way to teach them things especially if my back is bad and I can't ride.

 

[Horseysheepy]

I never get the time argument. It would take me just as long to clean up enough to long rein and kit out for long reining as to tack up.

I get what you mean, but I don't have a school, and try not to use training aids unless necessary, so just whack a rope halter on with a lunge rein and crack on in a quiet corner of their field, normally with a few sheep kicking around!

 

[MuddyMonster]

I don't think it's essential, but I do think if done well, lu going can be really useful. I think done badly, it can do a lot of damage.

I've had lunging lessons from a physiotherapist and a biomechanical trainer as pony had become quite asymmetrical and knowing how to do it well has really helped him (among other things) strengthen up.

I like to see him move fairly regularly without any tack or a rider so I can keep an eye on his movement.

I don't use any gadgets - literally just a headcollar and lunge line - so in the winter, if I'm pushed for time it is definitely quicker than having to get them clean enough to ride. Like pinkboots, I don't stay on a circle and use the whole school.

 

[smolmaus]

I have basically given up trying to teach my pony to lunge for me. She will do it for her Auntie J so I know she can understand when she wants to but something about the two of us together doesn't work, everyone just gets frustrated. She long reins nicely and we do a lot of groundwork at liberty so other than having to get someone else to lunge her for the vet, it isn't something I particularly miss.

 

[Orangehorse]

It is a useful life skill for the horse. Also gets them used to trailing reins, etc.

You can school up to the highest levels from the ground, and you can see for yourself what the horse is doing in a way that is impossible from the saddle.

Having said that, whizzing round a circle with its head bent to the outside is not beneficial, nor is endless going round in circles.

 

[LEC]

I like them to all have the skills for lunging and long reining as do use them especially in the winter when light is minimal and can’t hack out. I like to jump them on the lunge and it’s how I start them for xc now, so to do it well all the skills are taught well in advance. I also think jumping on the lunge helps develop a bit of confidence and good footwork but don’t do huge amounts of it unless I think the horse needs it.
Having watched a lot of bad lunging - I see zero point in that. It’s a skill and a very useful one but it’s not drilled into mine. They would do 10-15 mins max maybe once a month. I like to long rein young horses as makes them self reliant and understand staying straight and correct bend. Plus you can have a bit of fun with lateral work on older horses and I like it for practicing square halts.

As with all horse training, have good reasons and good skill and everyone will benefit.

 

[RachelFerd]

I like lunging occasionally because it lets me see the horses moving on both reins without a rider. It's a useful baselining exercise for that. And for it to be useful, they have to lunge politely and obediently. I tend to lunge once a week in winter just to introduce more variety in the dark evenings. Probably only once a month in the summer. Sometimes I find it easier to teach something on the lunge - my 6yo had a bit of a mental block on walk to canter, so I taught it on the lunge instead and now it is transferring nicely into his ridden work. No mental block any more. I also like to do the occasional lunge jump when they're learning to jump - again, gets the rider out of the way of the problem.

 

[PSD]

I can’t stand lunging, it’s so boring. Having said that, during the times I want to ride and have a fresh pony (if we’ve been unable to turnout) I’ll give him a quick 5 minute blast to loosen him up.

If I do choose to lunge, I’ll do it when no one is in the school with me so I’m able to use the full school. Handy to get steps in for me too!

 

[oldie48]

I think both have their place if done well and for a purpose. Friend improved her mare's canter piris by long reining, it's a real skill as is lunging and if someone doesn't really understand what they are trying to achieve I think it's best left.

 

[claracanter]

I don’t like lunging. I have only lunged my boy when he had a small growth removed from his girth area so couldn’t wear a saddle.Even then I kept moving him up and down the school. I worry about joints and also apparently it can get a horse super fit without being required

 

[humblepie]

If I had somewhere suitable I’d probably lunge once a week as good to see them move not under saddle and can do useful work. I only lunge for work as it was not to charge round. I have long reined when he needed work not ridden. Horse took to it well and imagine he’d been long reined early days in racing.

 

[Jellymoon]

Mine can lunge and long rein as they did it as youngsters, but once they are hacking and schooling under saddle, I tend not to do it as I find it so tedious and I’m never sure if it’s that good for them.
However, been on 3 good eventing yards lately, either for arena hire/lessons or viewing horses with a friend (not for me) and all three had lunge pens and lunge all the horses every week. I quizzed the two I had lessons at, and they said they do it not just for convenience but also to build up the back muscles without a rider on. And seemed surprised I don’t lunge mine. I just worry about doing it wrong I guess and I feel when I’m on board, I can make sure we are working towards straightness, rather than them going round and round a bit wonky. I just can’t see how you can do that really effectively on a lunge because you can’t be in control of everything all at once, and you might not be able to pick up on the subtle evasions.
However, I stand to be corrected and am open to having it in my regular routine.

 

[Caol Ila]

Mine can lunge and long rein as they did it as youngsters, but once they are hacking and schooling under saddle, I tend not to do it as I find it so tedious and I’m never sure if it’s that good for them.
However, been on 3 good eventing yards lately, either for arena hire/lessons or viewing horses with a friend (not for me) and all three had lunge pens and lunge all the horses every week. I quizzed the two I had lessons at, and they said they do it not just for convenience but also to build up the back muscles without a rider on. And seemed surprised I don’t lunge mine. I just worry about doing it wrong I guess and I feel when I’m on board, I can make sure we are working towards straightness, rather than them going round and round a bit wonky. I just can’t see how you can do that really effectively on a lunge because you can’t be in control of everything all at once, and you might not be able to pick up on the subtle evasions.
However, I stand to be corrected and am open to having it in my regular routine.

I may get slagged for saying this, but I'm in agreement with you here - to get fit for carrying a rider, they need to carry a rider. I had done all the lunging/long-reining, transitions, over poles, etc. to strengthen my mare and get her prepared for toting her heavy backpack around, but the moment I sat on her, I could feel her say, "Whoa... this is hard work." That's my experience of weight-carrying as well. I had hiked up plenty of munros with just food, water, extra layers, etc., but when I started rock climbing, I could easily end up with a 20kg pack because climbing gear is heavy. And if you're doing a long multi-pitch, you still have all the food, water, layers, emergency shelters, etc. I remember plodding up mountains to get to the start of a climb, thinking, "This totally sucks." I have empathy for the horse.

As an aside, I think every rider should be loaded with a pack stuffed with 20+kg of gear and then be made to scramble on some dodgy ridge. Until our horses are strong and confident, that's probably not dissimilar to their experiences.

I am hacking my mare, mostly at walk, thinking about the length and terrain of every single ride to slowly build strength and confidence but not push too fast.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I teach all mine to lunge because it's a useful skill for them to have and can be used for the vet, or simply to warm up a bit before competition.
(I do endurance so our horses have to pass a pre-vetting untacked. If you compete a veteran horse it's generally a good idea to loosen them up a bit beforehand but you don't really want to be putting saddles on and off.)

I often use small walk circles on a long line during groundwork and obstacles, for new things like poles and tarps and bridges they get led over first, then sent over on a 20 foot circle so they get used to doing it more independently.
I also like long reining youngsters/green horses to establish left right and whoa before I get on and to get them to face things without hiding behind a leader as they won't be able to do that when they are ridden.

Both of these things are useful for getting a good look at your horse moving which can be tricky otherwise but I don't use either lunging or longreining very much, just off and on to change things up a bit, maximum once a fortnight and probably not even that.

 

[Jellymoon]

I’m not anti lunging at all, just musing over whether I’m actually being lazy and should do more! Or ‘some’ rather, as I don’t do any. Maybe missing an essential part of their routine and something which would be good for them physically? But am reading from this that actually, unless you are very very good at it (which I don’t suppose I am) then it could cause more harm than good.

 

[SEL]

I did some long reining when we had snow - if they were going to slip I didn't want to be on board. But I find it quite dull so they haven't done it since. I'm not very good at it either.

Lunging is a good life skill but zooming round in circles isn't great for them. I've used it to practice canter transitions recently. Pony wasn't striking off on left lead with me on board and I wanted to see why. (Fine on lunge so obviously me!)

I don't think your horses are missing out!

 

[musk]

I don't tend to lunge but I do love doing in hand groundwork instead and see it as an important part of their work schedule. I might be inclined to lunge more if I was more skillful at it and could ensure the horse was going round in the correct manner but I'm just not good enough to get those results all the time and therefore don't see any benefit to it.

 

[Birker2020]

Or long-reining for that matter…
For the correct development of your horse.
( Or is it simply a convenient way of exercising them when you don’t have time to ride/something a groom can do for you!)

It’s not something I do regularly because I tend to prefer to hack/school, but I’m wondering if I should be doing it as part of their routine…

I was always told a 20 minute session was akin to an hours work and to always work on as large a circle as possible to help reduce potential pressure on the joints.

It was always an exercise for my horse. I also used to 'long rein lunge' the one horse and perfected figures of eight in canter doing this.