Longreining - Help!

Montyforever

Montyforever

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 April 2009
Messages
5,706
Location
Kent
Visit site
When i first started Longreining Honey we had lots of rears/headshaking so i had her teeth checked, found a problem, problem sorted and EDT confirmed she could wear a bit again without pain :)

While she was treated for her teeth (several visits over several weeks) i longreined her in a hackamore, she was ok but pulled like a train :o we think she was driven so when shes off shes off and i havent got a chance to stop her! So few months down the line ive put a bit on her and shes still misbehaving! Still rearing/headshaking and locking her jaw (with a flash)

I cant tell her off/praise her with anything but my voice and i know now that shes taking the pee. I appreciate that her teeth did hurt and that she was Longreined a few times like that. But theres only so much of this i can take :o

Shes in a snaffle, thats quite thick so isnt severe, pics below to show what she does ..

Heeeeelp ..

HLongreining4_00010.jpg

mmmm.jpg

HLongreining3002_0001.jpg


ETA - I dont hold a contact with her because we'd never get anywhere!
 
Last edited:
Try to stand in the middle as if you are lunging and send her on in walk with the outside rein. If she decides to take off, then just let her go round at the speed she wants, with your voice aids keep asking for whoa however you ask. Honestly she will tire of going round at speed and will eventually slow down, when she does then just ask for what you want with voice aids.

Try to keep calm and breathe, I'm sure you'll get there. You know horse's hate work so she won't keep it up for long x
 
Sorry didnt explain that very well, she doesnt bomb off, just throws her head around and pulls.

She doesnt need to be longreined, but shes not ridden and lunging gets boring :p
 
Have you got the lunge line just clipped on the side off her bit going by last pic?? If so that's putting a lot off presure on her mouth if she's pulling herself about. Un clip it and put through bit and clip on outside bit ring. Will be more control for you as well.
 
Monsters said:
Have you got the lunge line just clipped on the side off her bit going by last pic?? If so that's putting a lot off presure on her mouth if she's pulling herself about. Un clip it and put through bit and clip on outside bit ring. Will be more control for you as well.
Click to expand...

Sorry if im being thick but huh? :confused:

Its clipped where the reins would be normally
 
you longreined in a hackamore?

longreining is quite a skill and it can put alot of leverage on the mouth-even the weight of a rein can be too much for some horses. One of mine performs lateral work in longreins but the other (who I got as an adult) doesnt like it at all so he's just lunged if not ridden.

on all horses I begin first off with having rein direct to hand -I don't have it through a roller or stirrup. that way if they freak/spin you have the option of getting them more easily on a circle or if needs be, dropping a rein. I start on a circle and build up to straight lines. once the horse is happy with changes of rein etc I will start using roller rings.


oh and a thick bit isnt necessarily 'less' severe-if she's the wrong mouth conformation for a thick bit it could be causing her discomfort.
 
If you had the reins passing through rings lower down the surcingle you would have more control over her quarters and could send her round in circles without losing her the same, that makes it less easy for her to use her strength against you. I would also use a bit with cheeks to help with the steering. A driving horse does not set itself against you as you describe unless something has gone seriously wrong in its training. That is like saying all ridden horses buck.
 
EPRider said:
If you had the reins passing through rings lower down the surcingle you would have more control over her quarters and could send her round in circles without losing her the same, that makes it less easy for her to use her strength against you. I would also use a bit with cheeks to help with the steering. A driving horse does not set itself against you as you describe unless something has gone seriously wrong in its training. That is like saying all ridden horses buck.
Click to expand...

Oh i see what you mean! The rings where roughly halfway down, my new roller has lower rings so will try that.

She came from the gypsys we think she was a trotter because she doesnt know how to canter. She wont break out of a trot on the lunge ect just goes fast and faster. We also know that because of her teeth condition which she would have had from 2/3 years old (according to EDT) she possibly would have reared with a bit back then (maybe not as shes a very honest and sweet pony, she only misbehaves when somthing is terribly wrong) so only had minimal driving experiance but she knows the basics

When i mean she sets herself against you i mean when in a hackamore or headcollar, she carries on walking regardless of voice commands, pressure on her hindquarters to turn ect and just goes wherever she wants. But she didnt to begin with, only reacently now she knows that shes stronger.
 
guido16 said:
certainly looks in the pictures as if she is struggling with her mouth, thinner bit is a good suggestion
Click to expand...

Im a bit clueless when it comes to bits tbh!

All i really know is the thinner the bit the more severe it is :confused:
And im a bit reluctant to put a more severe bit in her when shes not happy :/
 
Not a bitting expert either but i do know that you need to bit according to the amount of room your horse has in its mouth - i.e. how much room the toungue takes up. Also that a snaffle is not necessarily a gentle bit as it pinches on the tongue. If you look at it when it is not in the horses mouth it can fold in half so when you put pressure on the reins it tips forward and pinches. Your horse could be going into the pressure and the only way he has to go is up!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top