Lunge behaviour

[Redders]

So my mare is usually a sweetie, not nasty in anyway and has good manners. She is 5 and I am bringing her in slowly with the help of a wonderful instructor and things are going really well. She really is a happy sweet mare who will follow me like a puppy when I poo pick her field. farrier, dentist etc all been done recently and regularly, no pain issues or anything like that and she also gets physio (my instructor is also a physio and my mare really enjoys it) she lunges absolutely fine, textbook really but will have the odd buck in canter which we put down to being young excited and unbalanced. Nothing major. I have been riding and owned/worked with horses for about 20 years, with some non horsey periods. I decided to lunge her today, in ménage off her head collar ( is this my mistake? although we have done t like this before no issue) initially she was fine, but was watching out for whatever was making the noise over the hill ( found out later it was a huge digger scraping hardcore)
Then as she went around the side with the noise, she spooked, bucked and cantered off (I had to ditch the lunge line- I know vvv bad of me but I couldn't hold her and didn't want to be dragged, and it wasn't attached to her mouth). Went to get her, walked her around close to me then sent her on a larger circle (not using a whip) and it happened again in the same place, only this time she appeared to chase me?! I KNOW that this was the wrong reaction, but it did kind of freak me out and I couldn't figure out what was causing it making it all v unpredictable for me, so I ran and darted out from the school! Benny Hill moment really. She turned and trotted to the gate and I went and got her and just walked her in hand around the Arena for a bit as didn't want to risk reinforcing the behaviour and we called it a day, she was sweet as anything and we spent sometime grooming etc in the stable.

My question is- did she act up like this because she was scared of something she couldn't see (this is what I think) and not a permanent change in her behaviour
Did she appear to chase me because she was being aggressive and wanted to hurt me (I really hope not) or because I am her leader and she was looking for reassurance (and I ran like a pansy) her ears weren't back, they were alert
What should I do in this situation again ?( I know I should have made myself big and stood my ground, as I have done with others but it just really took me by surprise!)
I am going to get my instructor to lunge with me next time as back up but just wondered what people would offer on here?

 

[Redders]

Also to add I read this forum all the time and some great advice is usually given. I am really beating myself up for dropping the line and running out of the school, I have done this for years and I have no idea what came over me!

 

[keepitugly]

I think it's best to get your instructor to help you until you feel more confident. I personally lunge off a rope halter with anything I'm unsure of and have them trained to stop immediately even if they spook so I can control the situation. All of mine are easily controllable in a headcollar even when fresh after this training. If a horse ran at me I would not hesitate to clout it with the lunge line but from your description I think you being nervous probably made your horse feel confused and insecure and neither of you are helping each other.

Try not to worry and just get your instructor to help you gain confidence and teach you what to do when you encounter problems. You won't have caused any problems that won't be easily fixed with the correct help for both of you

 

[Redders]

Thank you- it's odd cause I am not normally nervous at all! It took me completely by surprise! But it has made me wary for next time so won't be doing it with out instructor.

 

[wiglet]

Sorry to hear you had a bad lunging session OP but please don't dwell on it - from what you've said, you have a sweet girl with manners but, she's still young and still learning. Like u say, I imagine it was the fact there was a strange noise and she couldn't see what was causing it - my mare is 12 and she would also freak at this 😛 Get your instructor to help next time but am sure this episode will just be a one off that happens to everyone from time to time. Goes without saying, always lunge in riding hat and with gloves- am sure you do 😃 keeps us updated x

 

[gunnergundog]

So you've had one wobbly session.....OK.....put it behind you, get a grip, give your horse the confidence she needs to find from YOU and get on with it! That is meant in the nicest possible of ways....however, if you can't find it in yourself to man up, then get your instructor to help you. Again, that is not meant nastily....just being realistic....hope you take this in the way it is intended

 

[Redders]

Thank you for the replies- gunner dog you hit the nail on the head, was exactly what I needed to hear! It would have been quite funny to watch me dive out of the arena, I won't dwell on it! And yes wiglet- hat and gloves with proper boots as standard, not worth the risk however sweet she normally is!

 

[Mrs G]

I used to lunge in a head collar and horse was usually ok, but every now and then he'd have a hooley, or be in a difficult frame of mind or there was something that spooked him , and as you've found out you just don't have the control with a head collar so he'd pull the lunge line out of my hands. I lunge in a bridle now just in case and certainly for you OP , while your mare is young and learning just err on the side of caution and lunge in a proper lunge cavesson or even better in my opinion, a bridle (with lunge line clipped to outside bit ring).

 

[Tnavas]

I think a combination of the noise from the digger, and lunging from a head collar which basically means you have no control.

Don't stress, put on the lunge cavesson and go back a few steps and get your obedience back - then motor on. I would though avoid cantering on the lunge - it is very strenuous and not good for a young horse. The majority of lunge work is best done in trot.

If she messes around again have your instructor give her a massage - she could have hurt herself out in the field and lunging makes her feel uncomfortable. Though from your comment about her mucking around at the same spot its more likely to be the noise causing her to nap.

 

[Cortez]

Lunging off a headcollar is fine, I only ever use one. Sounds like she was just reacting to the scary digger noise; perfectly natural reaction. If a horse runs at me I have no hesitation in walloping it, no excuse for that, and dropping the lunge line isn't the end of the world - just wait until they've finished running around then calmly go and pick it up. All sounds perfectly normal to me; young horse, probably fresh/cold, scary noise making the perfect excuse to run about. Just ignore it and carry on, I'd say.

 

[Tnavas]

Lunging off a head collar is not a sensible thing to do, just because you can doesn't make it fine!

1 your point of control is behind the head, the horse only has to turn its head away from you and it is now in control.

2 your horse does not bend correctly when lunged from a head collar

3 A head collar does not fit snugly enough so runs the risk of pulling round and injuring the horses eye.

Lunging from a proper lunge Cavesson is far safer because
1 Your Point of control is in front of the head, you can bring the head towards you easily and the rest of the horse follows.

2 You can ask for the correct bend and if using side reins half halts.

3 fitted correctly a cavesson doesn't move around and injure eyes

 

[Cortez]

Lunging off a head collar is not a sensible thing to do, just because you can doesn't make it fine!

1 your point of control is behind the head, the horse only has to turn its head away from you and it is now in control.

2 your horse does not bend correctly when lunged from a head collar

3 A head collar does not fit snugly enough so runs the risk of pulling round and injuring the horses eye.

Lunging from a proper lunge Cavesson is far safer because
1 Your Point of control is in front of the head, you can bring the head towards you easily and the rest of the horse follows.

2 You can ask for the correct bend and if using side reins half halts.

3 fitted correctly a cavesson doesn't move around and injure eyes

All nice points, but you lunge from the side ring of the headcollar and this does away with the slipping, allows the horse to bend correctly (the cavesson on the front ring pulls the horse's head round too much and creates incorrect bending), and facilitates the use of a sliphead or bridle with snaffle underneath for advanced lunging with sidereins. I don't like modern cavessons because they tend to be poorly made, heavy and badly fitting.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

My traddie has always, and will always, be a total fruitloop to lunge.

He was at equestrian college as a working livery horse so has had professional schooling, but still just can't stand being lunged.

So I don't! So much better, and easier (and safer) to give it up as a bad job and just concentrate on groundwork in a Parelli outfit. He gets so much more out of it, and so do I.

Perhaps there are just some horses out there who just hate being lunged and can't/won't take it seriously.......

 

[Tnavas]

All nice points, but you lunge from the side ring of the headcollar and this does away with the slipping, allows the horse to bend correctly (the cavesson on the front ring pulls the horse's head round too much and creates incorrect bending), and facilitates the use of a sliphead or bridle with snaffle underneath for advanced lunging with sidereins. I don't like modern cavessons because they tend to be poorly made, heavy and badly fitting.

Modern Cavessons are a hell of a lot lighter than the old leather ones - they fit snugly and if you are having to pull a horses head around hard to get bend then enlarge the circle - the horse isn't supple enough to maintain the bend.

I not yet come across a headcollar that doesn't slide around - lunge line clipped on the side or under the jaw, its too loose and if the hore mucks around it will pull across the eye - you need to be in front of the nose to have proper control.

If you are 'working' the horse on the lunge rather than 'exercising' the horse then side reins are part and parcel of correct lunging equipment and you cannot give a proper half halt if you have no influence on the position of the nose. A closing of the fingers of the hand holding the lunge line generates enough movement to apply a half halt to the outside side rein.

 

[Redders]

Thanks for the tips, I really appreciate them I'll use a cavasson or lunge of bridle in future for more control, but I'll put yesterday down to circumstance and be more aware of potential scary noises!

 

[russianhorse]

Lol - everything you wrote sounds just like my 5 year old fat piebald coblet

I lunged him once in a head collar - big mistake - he suddenly realised and boom off he went. There was no spook etc - he just thought He'd try his luck because he realised I didn't have full control

Next few times I tried to re lunge after he would start lovely and then boom, try to run off. Now, however since never using just a head collar, he's realised he can't play his daft game

 

[Dry Rot]

Nothing beats a round pen, then you don't need a lunge line or a head collar to start them.