Longreining tips

FirstLight

FirstLight

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 August 2008
Messages
57
Visit site
Hi :)
Other than longreining my boy as an early 3 year old for a start to his educational life, getting him used to the bit, rein pressure and basic steering etc we haven't done it since.
He's now rising 5 and I would like to start again, when ridden I find him stiff through the shoulders and back, he's a welsh cob but I'm finding our power isn't coming from behind.
What tips/exercises do you know while longreining will help with the stiffness and impulsion? Firstly I want to get control and be safe in the area and then we shall head out into the countryside as it will also help me lose some weight!
Thankyou
 
Well first of all if he's stiff somewhere, has he been seen by an appropriate professional? If so did they give you any exercises or stretches to do? If not then this should be your first step. No point working on it if there is underlying issues that need to be looked at first.

Assuming that this is all checked I would suggest working on circles to ensure the hind feet are following the circle and not stepping to the inside. Then I might do some shallow loops with counter bend moving gradually increasing the loop size then on to half and then full circles once he finds the loops easy. If he is stiff in his shoulders he will find this difficult, it will really show up any one sidedness.

I might also start shoulder fore and shoulder in.

Personally I find it easier to start this type of work in-hand first as its easier to correct the closer you are.
 
Medium trot/coming back- maybe over poles if he rushes. The same transitions as ridden- trot-halt-reinback-trot etc. Squares/diamonds in walk trot and canter keeping the straight straight and the curves bent before starting circles?
 
I am just in the middle on a long lining re-hab program for my horse who was suffering from sore hamstrings. So here are some things in have been doing...
in halt - standing almost behind horse - ask for neck flexions to left and right, literally getting her to turn just her head and look almost as far round as to look back at me. As soon as she flexes I release the rein. (Interestingly when I started she was noticeably worse to the left but after 10 days its almost even)
In walk - walking close to her side just behind her shoulder. As above. And also small circles 10 meters and shoulder in both ways on long side then down Center line
In trot - long reining from the center of a circle - transitions and lengthened strides and trotting poles at each quarter of the circle.
In canter - Long lining from center of circle - transitions (she used to be a trotter so this is not the easiest for her but she is pretty good off the voice) lightness and straightness, she would like to look in at me on the left rein...
I actually love long lining it really is a nice way to work a horse and is fairly close to riding so I feel that this re-hab is far from a waste of time.
depending on your horse you can do everything on lines you could under saddle. I have jumped her and hacked her and with other horses done lots of lateral work on lines.
 
FirstLight said:
Hi :)
Other than longreining my boy as an early 3 year old for a start to his educational life, getting him used to the bit, rein pressure and basic steering etc we haven't done it since.
He's now rising 5 and I would like to start again, when ridden I find him stiff through the shoulders and back, he's a welsh cob but I'm finding our power isn't coming from behind.
What tips/exercises do you know while longreining will help with the stiffness and impulsion? Firstly I want to get control and be safe in the area and then we shall head out into the countryside as it will also help me lose some weight!
Thankyou
Click to expand...

Don't know the answer to that one but I used to have a very obliging five year old who long reined beautifully and I taught to canter figures of eight long reining!! Have to be very swift with the lines and impossible to do whilst holding a lunge whip but very good fun. Also taught him to tow a tyre as I did my other horse. There are many ways of having fun with two lines of rope!!
 
I also tend to think that he should not be stiff, and would make sure he is fed from ground not haynet, I'd get a physio out to check over, my boy was very stiff in the neck when young, and I felt it was partly because he was generally weak, immature, he certainly took a very long time to mature.
I did have yearling which suddenly went stiff in the neck, and I think the vet mentioned liver disease, [ragwort], but there was no ragwort, and it got better , probably just having a play fight.
 
Last edited:
Thankyou, physio and saddle is all okay. I think it's the fact that his poll/top of neck are very flexible so I find him not as supple elsewhere. Ridden we do shoulder in, loops, counter canter, canter serpentine with simple changes for a welsh cob he is very balanced, just I struggle to get his power to come from behind? My friends ride him a lot as I am losing weight to ride him as I feel to big for him at his age to be doing that much schooling, so just wanted to try something to help teach him and help me shift pounds :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top