Lungeing dilema

[only_me]

Since bill has been feeling a bit flat recently I lunged him today to mix up his work & check his movement to see if tight anywhere.
So lunged him anyway, had lovely loose movement and stretched nicely over back. Then put on side reins, but he got very anxious and came back into himself, and I couldn't get him to stretch into them. Took them off and got the nice stretch again!

Would you stick without the side reins or keep using them?
I don't lunge very often, in fact very rarely, and it's only as I want a stretching session

As for the flat feeling, I've discovered why - quite simply he was bored!! I let him loose in the school for a bit and he took himself over to the jumps and started to jump them by himself
He was having a great time!
So going to add some polework into normal schooling to vary up routine a bit

And a nice st paddys day pic from our forest ride

 

[be positive]

If he is stretching and working over his back then putting anything on may well be detrimental, he is an educated horse who works correctly under saddle so I would lunge with nothing other than the bridle/ cavesson and let him continue to use himself without any restrictions.
I also rarely lunge except for exercise if short of time or for a specific issue and usually use nothing as I like to see how the horse moves totally unrestricted.

 

[only_me]

If he is stretching and working over his back then putting anything on may well be detrimental, he is an educated horse who works correctly under saddle so I would lunge with nothing other than the bridle/ cavesson and let him continue to use himself without any restrictions.
I also rarely lunge except for exercise if short of time or for a specific issue and usually use nothing as I like to see how the horse moves totally unrestricted.

Thanks BP
Will just lunge with cavesson next time, no point in stressing the side rein issue of working correctly without!