Long reining for the first time

[jojo5]

I am considering doing a bit of long reining with my cob this winter as an option for night work! He lives on a farm which has a floodlit open area in the farmyard, and I am hoping that this will be a occasional possibility for those nights in the week after work. We've not done it before, but we've been together for 14 years and had a go at most other things, so am hoping that we can manage this too! Have seen this done with two lunge reins to a bridle - is this correct, and should the reins be passed through roller rings? I realise we are going to need a gentle start and a lot of practice but we do have the whole winter. I really do want to keep him moving during the week - he's ridden at weekends and one afternoon, but at 21 I don't want him to get stiff in the gaps. In the summer we hack out at least every other day. Really grateful for any advice!

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Long leining is quite straightforward. You need two lunge leins attached to the bit at each side. I usually use a saddle with stirrups down but tied to girth so they are stable and run lein through these. If using roller don't go through rings as often two small and high, use binder twine loop at about where your stirrup would sit.

You can do loads on long leins once you get going, turns, transitions etc also a great way of you getting fit!

 

[domane]

Great idea - I LOVE long-lining Having been together 14 years, I'm guessing you know how your cob will react to the lines round his bum?

This is the very first time I LL'd my ex-cob mare and she took to it like a duck to water...

I should have worn the obligatory hat, BP, gloves and boots so I'm sorry I'm not in the pics Always worth protecting yourself, especially with something you've never tried before.

A lot of people will advocate having the remainder of the lines dragging along behind you until you get to grips with changes of direction. Looking at my pics now, I personally loop the lines but much bigger than those above. The biggest problem whilst learning is not getting your lines all caught and hooked up, particularly around your hand(s), which can be dangerous if your horse panics about anything. Although in the pics above, I had stirrups attached to the roller (which were fastened under her belly with a spare stirrup leather to stop them flying out sideways) I usually LL with the lines through the sides of the roller, sometimes without a roller completely but others will have the reins in a more traditionally mouth-to-wither position. To start with just walk behind your boy, as if you were in a carriage then as you get more proficient you can take the inner line so that if you are doing circuits, he is going on a much bigger one than you. Practise shallow serpentines to get him used to changes of direction and build up to a figure of eight where you don't actually change position other than walking in a straight line.... when you achieve that you get such a buzz!

I now have a TB who also enjoys LL'ing and I can walk him out very happily on roads, "driving" him from behind and can walk for miles. In fact I feel safer behind him than leading on roads, daft I know, but I feel that if he panicked and I was up front he could easily run into or through me, whereas from behind I have more of a semblence of control.

Do let us know how you get on?

 

[jojo5]

Thanks for this advice - hope to try on Friday or next Mon or Tues so will let you know how it goes! Thanks for the pics too - your mare is lovely!

 

[henryhorn]

Agree with the others but I prefer a roller with terrets as they usually have three heights so you start off with the lowest and work your way up to where your hands would be.
Some important things before you start. Wear gloves ALWAYS as the rope burns when you don't can be agonising.
Use thick lunge lines not the nylon thin type, as they get in knots and are very slippery to hold.
Don't ever wrap the line round your hand , if necessary let it trail on the floor instead.
Use different coloured lunge lines, much easier to remember which is which !
The ultimate aim is to have the same contact as when you ride, often the weight of the reins is enough to give you that.
I prefer the continental method of through the terrets and back to your hands on a circle once you master the technique, it's amazing just how high a level you can attain.
Excellent book by Sylvia Stanier used to be around, good ideas in that.

 

[millitiger]

if you aren't sure how he will react with the lines around his bum, to start with you can bring the outside rein over his withers instead of around the quarters while he gets used to the lines.

definitely use different coloured lines so when you get in a mess it is easier to work out which is which!

i would start with the reins set low but as you progress the aim should be to bring the height of the reins up and gradually get the to position where your hands are when riding.

also, if your horse is likely to pull or get a bit set and strong it can help to have the inside line going directly to your hand instead of through the roller/stirrup for the first few sessions.

 

[Gamebird]

The other top tip is not to forget to give with the outside rein when you turn to the inside. You'll be surprised how much you have to give to allow for the body to bend etc. I couldn't work out why horses kept stopping on turns until I twigged that I was effectively asking them to halt with the outside rein as I hadn't released it.

 

[NR99]

The other top tip is not to forget to give with the outside rein when you turn to the inside. You'll be surprised how much you have to give to allow for the body to bend etc. I couldn't work out why horses kept stopping on turns until I twigged that I was effectively asking them to halt with the outside rein as I hadn't released it.

Good tip GB

 

[jojo5]

Thanks loads to all of you for all these bits of advice! I'll be working hard to remember them on Monday when I have a go! That's if these gales and downpours ever stop!!