Lunge cavesson v bridle

[Mavis]

I lunge my horse in a bridle for the simple reason I do not own a cavesson. I run the line through the bit, over his head and clip onto the opposite bit ring. I have no contact on the bit as he is pretty good with voice controls, and use a lungie bungie to try to get him to maintain a good shape and build his topline.

Someone mentioned to me today that I shouldnt do this, as you should only use a lunge line on the bit with a strong/forward going horse. I didn't think it mattered because the only kind of 'contact' with his mouth (other than the lungie bungie which is separate) is the weight of the lunge line. I am prepared to be corrected, told I am an idiot and made to stand in the corner, but I would like to hear other people's opinions as to whether I am wrong not to use a cavesson.

 

[Honeypots]

I always lunge in a well fitting headcollar... I don't like using a bridle in case they have a 'yeeha' and get jabbed and I don't like lunge cavesson as they seem too fussy...

 

[Mavis]

I suppose I could put his headcollar under his bridle, hadn't thought of that! (He doesn't 'do' yee-ha moments - they involve effort of some kind)

 

[Honeypots]

My welshie has to have a 0-60 moment everytime she's lunged. We've had her 8 yrs and just can't stop her doing it!!!

 

[nikkiportia]

I made the mistake of being complacent enough to lunge my old horse in a headcollar once. He'd always been so good to lunge in the field, so didn't worry about it, until he f***ed off wearing just the headcollar! I had no control at all, lol, but i did have some fabulous rope burns

Problem was that when I lunged him everytime after that, in a bridle or cavesson, he just f***ed off everytime! Little bugger. I had to build a ring eventually because it was the only way i could avoid it.
So unless I'm in a lunge ring, I always use a bridle to avoid it happening again

I think it's just personal preferance though.

 

[Cop-Pop]

I lunge off the bridle - my mare hates the cavesson with all the jingly bits on it. I was told it would ruin her mouth but fives years later and her mouth is still as soft as anything

 

[smellyellie741]

in the pony club we are taught not to lunge off a bridle only lunge cavesson however in my experince (mostly younge tbs) some dont like the jangle of the cavesson. Gypsy (black in siggy) literally filps over backwards in one so dont use on anything i know dont like it but would always choose cavesson over bridle as find i can be stronger with it as i dont have to worry about jabbing them in the mouth

 

[merlinsquest]

I lunge off the bridle.... I have a cavesson and find it horridly unbalanced.... Merlin leans on it terribly and it sort of twists round his face.... and yes it does fit, he just pulls and pulls...

I either use lunge rein over the head way.... or put a coupler on his bit and use that.....(its easier than changing the lunge rein each time you change direction)

As for getting jabbed if they have a hooley....... well they shouldnt do it, then they wont get jabbed

 

[Ziggy_]

My horse will rear and pull away if you lunge her from a bridle but is perfect in a cavesson, different things suit different horses.

 

[jen1]

I use a bridle as my cob has had a few (as another poster stated) F*&k off moments on a cavesson and I have lost him, he then proceeds to prance around the manage like a Hackney snorting and bucking and setting off all the horses in the fields! Obviously that doesn't make me or him very popular!

Now I lunge in a bridle and fingers crossed all has been OK. I tried one of those coupler things last week out of interest but he kept shaking his head about, especially in canter, I think that with the lunge line hanging below it made the bit giggle around in his mouth and he really didn't like it, so went back to changing the lunge line over when changing rein.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

If I'm lunging before I ride, I normally lunge off the bridle. If I'm just having a lunge session I normally use a caverson. If I can't be bother to get anything out, I lunge off my headcollar!!!!!

 

[Shilasdair]

I don't see a problem with lungeing from either the cavesson, or a bridle, as long as the method suits the horse.
My horsemanship skills are so wonderful

that I can lunge my Tb in the middle of a field with nothing but a headcollar. With my four year old Shire x Tb, however, I feel these skills may temporarily desert me: as she's pretty strong even to lead in hand.

S