Long reining - hints and tips?

[Paint Me Proud]

As i cant lunge I decided yesterday to try long reining with Chico.

I watched several videos on youtube, looking at the techniques used and their positioning relative to the horse etc then felt ready to try.

Yesterday i used a headcollar with the lunge lines attached to the noseband bit. Not sure if Chico has ever long reined before but after an initial bit of confusion (he kept wanting to stand next to me ) i got him going nicely.

So today we had a second session. This time i used his bridle and attached the lunge lines onto the bit as i was happy he understood the principle of it from yesterday.

It was fab, i am so thrilled with Chico, he was really trying his best and listening well to me.
I was even brave enough to ask for trot and we managed a lovely soft rounded trot before i ran out of breath and had to stop!

Well there's no stopping me now!

Anyone got any exercises I could try with him to help improve his flexion and self carriage?

 

[hudsonw]

Are you using a roller with D rings? Only ask as this will help the lines from dangling too low.

Anyway...Try backing up or put poles on the ground in a zig zag (S shape) and practice steering in between them. If your feeling brave you could go for a walk down the lanes. Try leg yielding to and from the track.

Have fun.

 

[tamsinkb]

No suggestions for exercises, but I am watching this thread with interest as I am in the same position with my Paint horseX......I have been recommended to long rein him in a pessoa (by vet ) to help with his way of going. He has kissing spines, but can't lunge as he also has chipped his sesamoid and whilst this is stablising he needs to avoid circles!)

Good luck!!
T

 

[PolarSkye]

Are you using a roller with D rings? Only ask as this will help the lines from dangling too low.

Anyway...Try backing up or put poles on the ground in a zig zag (S shape) and practice steering in between them. If your feeling brave you could go for a walk down the lanes. Try leg yielding to and from the track.

Have fun.

Have been long reining with Kal for some time now . . . I would love to know how to leg yield . . . ?

P

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

Have been long reining with Kal for some time now . . . I would love to know how to leg yield . . . ?

P

For leg yeilding i've always done one of 2 methods. If you're true long reining, as in behind them, I like those short lunge whips you can get, then if you're yeilding to the right, position yourself slightly left and adjust the lines to compensate for your positioning, then keep the left line contact consistent, gently vibrate the right rein contact and use the lunge/schooling whip as your inside leg, just behing the girth to ask him to move over. Make sure the outside line is positioned behind the quarters to provide the support where the outside leg would be and stop them leading with the hind or shoulder, so nice and straight. And vice versa for the left rein, make sure to emphasize the straight though, bad habits can develop if you're not on top to feel the evasions.

On a circle with 2 lines bring the circle in to 10 or 15 metres and leg yeild them out keeping the inside rein contact, vibrating the outside slightly and pointing the whip at the girth area to be your inside leg again to push them out. Big danger of nipping through the shoulder this way though if the outside contact is dropped.

 

[Paint Me Proud]

Are you using a roller with D rings? Only ask as this will help the lines from dangling too low.

Have fun.

yes, i have been using a roller with saddlecloth underneath

Oh yeah i did do some backing up (rein back), which is something he has always been very good at and I managed to get one or two really nice straight 'reverses'

Will definately try the leg yielding, thanks

 

[hudsonw]

I feel a bit of a fraud as my horse could already do it as he was taught to drive before he was broken to ride however there are some great books if you want to read up about it or perhaps someone with some driving knowledge will be able to explain how they teach their horses?

Books on Amazon...101 Lunging and Long Lining or Training the Horse in Hand

 

[PolarSkye]

For leg yeilding i've always done one of 2 methods. If you're true long reining, as in behind them, I like those short lunge whips you can get, then if you're yeilding to the right, position yourself slightly left and adjust the lines to compensate for your positioning, then keep the left line contact consistent, gently vibrate the right rein contact and use the lunge/schooling whip as your inside leg, just behing the girth to ask him to move over. Make sure the outside line is positioned behind the quarters to provide the support where the outside leg would be and stop them leading with the hind or shoulder, so nice and straight. And vice versa for the left rein, make sure to emphasize the straight though, bad habits can develop if you're not on top to feel the evasions.

On a circle with 2 lines bring the circle in to 10 or 15 metres and leg yeild them out keeping the inside rein contact, vibrating the outside slightly and pointing the whip at the girth area to be your inside leg again to push them out. Big danger of nipping through the shoulder this way though if the outside contact is dropped.

Thanks soooo much for this. Will print out and give it a go. May struggle with my schooling whip though . . . although I can get quite close to his back end b/c he doesn't kick out (I suspect he has driven before).

P

 

[jennyf]

When long-reining, don't forget your own body language and breathing. Try not to tense up and hold your breath as this will have an effect up the lines although you may not realise it. Try to relax your body and particularly your elbows, wrist and hands.

 

[LouS]

Put him on a circle around you for trot and canter work and save your legs! Working like this is really fantastic for them, just guide him out on to the circle then let him find his own balance.

I love long reining/long lining, you can vary it so much, it is essentially riding from the ground. When done properly it improves their self carriage so much and they become so agile. I'm doing a lot of trot work on a circle with mine now and he is an absolute pro at changing direction in trot, he's becoming so balanced and agile I love it.

You can also do poles and all sorts. And you can quite easily circle then move them up the school a bit and circle again, just do all sorts.

I either use a roller with stirrups or my saddle but I use an old stirrup leather to fasten them beneath his belly so they don't flap about too much.

Have fun!

 

[Paint Me Proud]

Put him on a circle around you for trot and canter work and save your legs! Working like this is really fantastic for them, just guide him out on to the circle then let him find his own balance.

that would be lunging then, lol! I cant lunge as i get very very motion sick so spinning in circles whilst watching something move around me sends me off to gaga land I'm afraid - hence trying long reining.
I do send him in circles but i walk smaller circles so i am still moving forward and not just in one place getting dizzy

thanks for all the tips though

 

[LouS]

Lunging is one line going around you. Completely different to long lining (although I do tend to say lunging with two lines so people understand what I mean).

I'd definitely just walk with him and gradually turn him onto a large circle rather than running behind him, unless you're training for marathons in which case carry on, I personally couldn't be pestered .

 

[Paint Me Proud]

Lunging is one line going around you. Completely different to long lining (although I do tend to say lunging with two lines so people understand what I mean).

I'd definitely just walk with him and gradually turn him onto a large circle rather than running behind him, unless you're training for marathons in which case carry on, I personally couldn't be pestered .

Even long lining around me makes me dizzy hence why i keep moving. When i trot him i am positioned slightly behind him but to the side, not directly behind him. I want to build up my fitness though so hopefully both Chico and I will get fit together

I trotted him around the track of the school, with me to the inside and then trotted a circle at one end.

Definately going to try some pole work though. We will both be really fit by the end of it all!!!

 

[PolarSkye]

When long-reining, don't forget your own body language and breathing. Try not to tense up and hold your breath as this will have an effect up the lines although you may not realise it. Try to relax your body and particularly your elbows, wrist and hands.

Very true - particularly if you long rein out and about. I find a great way to see if your horse is relaxed in front of you is take a look at his/her length of stride and listen to his/her breathing (as well as monitoring your own) . . . I know that if Kal is tense he gets very short striding, so it's a good reality check for me - are my fingers/hands/wrists/elbows tense? What about my shoulders?

P

 

[Renvers]

Put him on a circle around you for trot and canter work and save your legs! Working like this is really fantastic for them, just guide him out on to the circle then let him find his own balance.

I love long reining/long lining, you can vary it so much, it is essentially riding from the ground. When done properly it improves their self carriage so much and they become so agile. I'm doing a lot of trot work on a circle with mine now and he is an absolute pro at changing direction in trot, he's becoming so balanced and agile I love it.

You can also do poles and all sorts. And you can quite easily circle then move them up the school a bit and circle again, just do all sorts.

I either use a roller with stirrups or my saddle but I use an old stirrup leather to fasten them beneath his belly so they don't flap about too much.

Have fun!

This ^^ long reining is great and I like to vary working in straight lines with working on a circle, really gets your horse listening.