Lunging a youngster, naughty or playing?

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smanf

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Hi all, I attempted to lunge my five year old for the first time today having only had him for a week. From what I can gather he has lunged before although doesn't appear to have had much of an education so far, hence I'm being patient and taking it slow.

I didn't make brilliant progress. He kept running towards me at quite high speed thus causing me to have to keep ducking out of the way!! It unnerved me a little, but i of course don't want him to sense that! He isn't a spiteful or vicious horse and has a wonderful temperament and is one that I think will really enjoy his work.

Was he trying to play with me? Or play me up? How do I encourage him not to do it?
 
ive been going through what you describe with my rising 3 yr old. she was showing no respect what so ever to me.she kept tanking to the door of the school and there was no way of stopping her.
i had someone show me how to get respect back and to show her that i am the leader.

we have been doing sessions of pressure and release in the school....when i walk,she does and when i stand and say stand,she does and does not take another step until i do or ask for 'walk on'

she has come on loads in the last couple of weeks,we do have set backs at times when lunging when she 'cant be bothered' but i can win the battle now through reminding her respect leading around the school inbetween and we always finish on a good note.
 
It sounds like he doesn't know what he's supposed to do and your body language didn't make it clear either. Ducking out of the way only showed him he was in charge, you should never jump out the way. Drive him away from you by walking towards his shoulder, pointing the whip in this area helps whilist your body language says "out!"

Is he your first youngster? How good at lungeing are you? It is an art and if you have never been shown how to do it properly having a few lessons might help.
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
It sounds like he doesn't know what he's supposed to do and your body language didn't make it clear either. Ducking out of the way only showed him he was in charge, you should never jump out the way. Drive him away from you by walking towards his shoulder, pointing the whip in this area helps whilist your body language says "out!"

Is he your first youngster? How good at lungeing are you? It is an art and if you have never been shown how to do it properly having a few lessons might help.
Click to expand...

Can't add anything further. Agree with the above.
 
@ trot on dressage, thanks, that is kind of what I wanted to hear.

i can lunge fine; he is my second youngster, but the first one was a youngster 20 years ago, So I am a little out of practice lol! I thought that was what I needed to do, so will try it next time, thanks again for the advice.
 
mine never even reacted or backed off when i waved the lunge line or whip at her hence why we had to go back to basics manners,but yes you need to stand your ground
 
I lunged my 5 year old for the first time about a month ago. He started off by charging round as fast as possible, making the circle smaller and smaller until he eventually spun around to face me.

So, I decided to start by long reining him, something he knows how to do, and then put him on a circle in walk. If he tried to turn in then I used the outside line to keep him on the circle.

We eventually built up to trotting on both reins with two lines, and now we can (just about) lunge with one line.

He does still try and run in on the circle occasionally, but as others have said, step towards him, point the lunge whip at his shoulder and say 'no' or 'out'. He now knows that he shouldn't do this, you can see him thinking about it but he won't actually do it anymore.
 
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