lil's first lunge!

[lilym]

lil has just had her 1st little lunge at the grand old age of 2! plan is to long rein her this summer as i am not a fan of lunging youngsters but she is rather too handy with her back legs the little sneak! she has been doing some groundwork in the school and tonight i sent her out and asked her to walk on, which she did so quietly without fuss, so we did a few halts and called it a day, plan now is to get her walking quietly with two lines then hopefully that should get her used to me longreining from behind and get her desensitized to the lines, but i'm soo very pleased with her, she has a hell of an attitude but that should help her become a brave WHP!!

 

[mandy4727]

Well done. We are in the same boat. Had to get ours out on the lunge (well not really lunge as we ran the entire circuit of the school so no tight circles) cos we have very limited winter turnout. She has been done about 5 times and has taken it really well. When she trots we say trot, so she thinks she is doing it right and same with walk etc. Only about 2 mins a day and then walked and trotted out in hand and then in the mud bath of a field after for her own blast. We are going to try the long reining for a minute or two tomorrow to get her used to the turn commands etc. But taking it really gently and slowly and only twice a week.

 

[Tia]

Well done to both of you.

I'm also not a fan of lunging, but to be honest there really is no other way to teach long-reining so a little bit of lunging will get you there quicker and safer than standing behind her and expecting her to just walk on quietly with you.

There is a big difference between lunging and doing what you have just done

. Hopefully she'll pick up the longreining quickly.

 

[Theresa_F]

Well done I started Chancer young at 22 months and tend to work him round the school on the lunge rather than on a circle, extending on the long side etc rather than on a circle but you do have to get them with the idea to keep a set distance from you first which you do with starting on a circle.

He took to long reining with no problems as I put two reins on and worked him round the school with a couple of circles and then just progressed to being behind within two 10 min sessions. I love long reining and do little dressage tests and a few poles to make it interesting and it helps keep me fit. We also go up the bridleway but I did have to put on loose sidereins as he would stop and eat - but to be fair the grass was very tasty looking.

He is now 31 months and we have just started putting a few poles down and one pole 1' high at one end with the other on the ground which he loves jumping over which he does every couple of weeks for a few minutes.

I personally love working from the ground.