Lungeing a naughty shetland?

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Alflora

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I need some help with breaking in my little shetland mare... :confused:

i have been lungeing her a bit in a saddle & bridle to get her used to tack, she lunges perfectly (if a bit slow) on the left rein, but is responsive & gets the idea.... but on the right rein, its like she just becomes clueless & forgets what to do !! she will not go out into the circle, she just walks straight in towards me & i cant get her away! if i walk away, she walks with me. no response to my lunge whip or anything.

How would you deal with this?!
Thanks :D
 
Alflora said:
I need some help with breaking in my little shetland mare... :confused:

i have been lungeing her a bit in a saddle & bridle to get her used to tack, she lunges perfectly (if a bit slow) on the left rein, but is responsive & gets the idea.... but on the right rein, its like she just becomes clueless & forgets what to do !! she will not go out into the circle, she just walks straight in towards me & i cant get her away! if i walk away, she walks with me. no response to my lunge whip or anything.

How would you deal with this?!
Thanks :D
Click to expand...

Have someone lead her out for you or use two reins. She doesn't sound naughty to me just needs shown how to do it. It will be due to her being used to being led on that side, so she is actually trying to be good, not naughty, IMO.
 
I used 2 lunge reins when I taught my girl to lunge I also had someone leading her out - also do some long reining that helps to.
 
Too many horses and poniesa re always led from the left, and handled from the left all the time, never the right. So the right is unfamiliar and they don't understand why you are on that side, added to which it is possible the musculature is longer on the right from always being ever so slightly bent to the left.
Lead her from the right, several times until she is comfortable with that and then extend the distance between you so that she is less reliant on you. Further and further until you are an arms length away, that's when you can begin lunging her as in sending her forward.
 
Ohh i never really thought that could be the problem!! thinking about it, she is usually led on the left! & i will be doing some long reigning soon too :-) (or trying to!)
no i didnt think she was being naughty, but she is a bit of a madam in all sapects!!
 
I agree with the left hand/right hand issue. Very few horses are actually 'naughty' - usually it is a mis-communication between horse and handler/rider. Sounds like your pony hasn't got a clue what is being asked of her so you should go back a few steps and get her more two-sided. Horses don't 'know' any of what we're asking them to do - from picking up their feet to loading. We have to teach them everything, and it sounds liek your little girl just needs some more education. Long-lining is a very useful tool, that's what we're planning on working with with my three year old dartmoor and my friend's youngster this summer (when the sun comes out of hibernation and the ground dries up!!).
 
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here she is :-)
 
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