Long Reining

[Cripple101]

Hi all

I have a rising 4 year old. He's been lightly broken but he's quite weak over his back and still growing so reluctant to do much with him under saddle yet.

He long reins very nicely and is very well mannered to going forward, stopping, turning etc and also 'hacks' out on the long reins very well.

I'm looking for any exercises that might be good to do with him on the long reins from this point? Especially anything that is going to help him slowly build some topline. That said, does anyone long rein with any 'gadgets' etc? I don't use anything at the moment, he is generally very good at stretching down himself, but I've seen some people use tail bandage round the bum etc to get them to step under and work more. Is this worth doing, or too much for a young horse?

I'm not a big fan of lunging much at this age.

Thanks in advance

 

[stencilface]

Raised Pole work on the long reins is excellent.

You can lunge a bit but just doing some 2 rein lunging if you're a dab hand with the long reins, it's quite nice and you don't have to stay on endless circles like normal lunging, and can change direction whenever you want. I do this with mine and I use the whole arena and it is a lot more like riding him than lunging. Even if I do have to jog to keep up if we canter down the long side

 

[Cortez]

"Normal" lunging should not be endless circles, it is perfectly possible to use the whole arena and long sides whilst lunging and is the best method to get a horse moving forward and using himself.

 

[stencilface]

Yes, but it's much easier to change the rein lunging with two reins

 

[Red-1]

I used to train Police Horses, and with them and my own I have gone through obstacle courses on the long reins. In fact, on a course to teach new riders we would set up a long reining competition, as for novices they could practice a contact without all the rest of the worry about being sat on a Huuuuuuge animal (many riders had not ridden before).

We would include bending, tarpaulins, flags, trot poles, reversing, corridors etc.

Obviously a new rider was not paired with a new horse!

 

[PorkChop]

I do just about everything on the long lines that I do when riding.

Bloomin good for your fitness

 

[stencilface]

I do just about everything on the long lines that I do when riding.

Bloomin good for your fitness

Less so when you're pregnant and the jeans you can no longer do up fall down to knee level as you trot across the arena

 

[PorkChop]

Less so when you're pregnant and the jeans you can no longer do up fall down to knee level as you trot across the arena

This is exactly why I wore elasticated maternity jeans when I was pregnant .... oh the shame

 

[stencilface]

This is exactly why I wore elasticated maternity jeans when I was pregnant .... oh the shame

Oh, I caved long ago, lycra is my best friend

 

[tristar]

all ours obey, to` whoa` then ` go the other way` voice commands when lunging

one reads my body language and stop and turns when i just think about it, you don`t need to do lunging to death just start off slowly, a bit at a time.