Lunging advice and confidence while pregnant?

S

sfward

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2007
Messages
1,214
Location
York
Visit site
Missie my 5 year old TB with osteoarthritis has just come back in work, just lunging at the moment as advised by the vet. The only problem is that she absolutely hates lunging!! We started on Saturday and she has apparently forgotten how to lunge; she has a horrible habit of cutting in far too close to you, particularly when she spooks at something outside the arena, and quite often lays her ears back at me when I ask her to go forwards and just moves slightly in towards you which I don't like. I've been trying to make my body language quite aggressive and point the lunge whip at her shoulder to try and keep her out, also I began yesterday with leading her around the circle before I sent her out which helped, but are there any other good lunging tips for this problem? I want to tell her off when she's arsy but she's very likely to shoot off and start bucking which isn't very good for her still fragile hocks or my nerves!

Which brings me on to my other question. I've just found out that I'm about 5 weeks pregnant, and ever since I seem to have completely lost my nerve around the horses
frown.gif
I think it stems back to when Missie was on boxrest - when handwalking she got very fresh and shot off and bucked a couple of times with me. Once she caught me on the hand and the other in the side and winded me quite badly. Normally I'd just write it off and carry on but with the baby I'm so paranoid I'm going to get kicked again that even leading her in and out from the field is a trial for me, and every time she gets a bit fresh on the lunge I nearly have a heart attack! Is it normal to feel like this? To be quite honest at the moment all I want is to get her fit and strong enough to send to someone to ride for me for the season, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed she stays sound enough. Soon I'm going to have the dilemma of whether I want to start riding her again as she's supposed to be starting ridden work again in a couple of weeks. Part of me thinks I should just try and work through it so I don't lose my bottle completely but on the other hand I'd never forgive myself if anything happened
frown.gif
I think I may be asking a friend to jump on first, but after that, hmm... I just don't know. Would really appreciate some moral support!!

sorry that ended up so long and thanks if you made it to the end!
 
Congratulations on the pregnancy!
Lunging her in two lunge reins will sort her out. One lunge line as normal and the other rein on the outside going behind her bottom. You could long rein her for ten mins or so first and then pop her onto a circle.Every time she tries to bugger off, or turn in, just pull the outside rein and then release immediately as soon as she is good.
 
Do you lunge her in side reins? That might help a little. Congrats on your pregnancy as well
smile.gif


I'd just take it easy - can you get a sharer to help you out? If you are worried about leading etc, try taking her in a chifney. It won't hurt for a short period of time and if she plays up you'll be in full control. Or you could use a pressure halter if she responds well to these (doesn't make any difference to my horse!).

I'm sure it's natural to feel protective of your body while you are pregnant. Just take it easy
smile.gif
 
Thanks guys. Before she had the time off I nearly always lunged her in two reins, in fact I'm wondering if this is why she is now cutting in as she's used to having the pressure on the outside rein keeping her out?!
The chifney is a good idea, I might look at buying one
smile.gif
 
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Since finding out i am expecting, i know how you feel, its constantly in your mind! i think it all depends on your horse. Since being pregnant, i have happily played with a stallion, yet given my retired hunter a wide birth as i know how he likes to rear and run when being led sometimes. To me, it doesnt sound as if you feel comfortable with the idea of riding, which is understandable if shes been on box rest etc. Just remember if you are nervous, you'll pass it on to her. I think the idea of a sharer etc could be the best option for you, that way you are not going to be worrying abot getting hurt, or that your horse isnt being brought back into work. I know thou how hard it is to find the right sharer! I guess the other option (which i've done with some of mind) is giving them a holiday whilst you are pregnant/until you feel safe to be around her more? only problem with the holiday thing is all the reschooling/getting them fit once the babies have arrived!
 
Ooooh! congratulations!!

re. lunging - my youngster used to do this - best solution was to be driving her round the circle (ie walking on a middle sized circle slightly behind her like you would if you were longreining) rather than being in the middle. Keeps you fit too! Means you are always in an assertive position and they can't cut in at you. after a while she learned to behave and is now fine for a more central position.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just remember if you are nervous, you'll pass it on to her. I think the idea of a sharer etc could be the best option for you, that way you are not going to be worrying abot getting hurt, or that your horse isnt being brought back into work. I know thou how hard it is to find the right sharer! I guess the other option (which i've done with some of mind) is giving them a holiday whilst you are pregnant/until you feel safe to be around her more? only problem with the holiday thing is all the reschooling/getting them fit once the babies have arrived!

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, I'm worried about passing my nerves on to her too!! I hadn't considered a sharer actually, what I wanted to do was to send her to a good friend of mine who is a professional event rider to compete for the season, but it depends whether she has space and if the horse comes sound enough. I did also wonder about offering her to a friend of mine to ride for the rest of the year, she's a good rider and does a lot of dressage and SJ on her warmblood, and would like to event only hers is a bit of a wuss!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ooooh! congratulations!!

re. lunging - my youngster used to do this - best solution was to be driving her round the circle (ie walking on a middle sized circle slightly behind her like you would if you were longreining) rather than being in the middle. Keeps you fit too! Means you are always in an assertive position and they can't cut in at you. after a while she learned to behave and is now fine for a more central position.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks! will try. Want to get her lunging properly as although I could long rein I think lunging properly in a chambon or similar would be better for getting her muscles built up again.
 
congratulations on baby news!

im four months pregnant and have a pony with a serious attitude problem, he now knows fine im nervous when he plays up!

my advice would be to give your horse to your friend for the rest of the year like you mentioned. i have a friend who's been sharing tinker with me for the last six month and she gets on great with him, he's now too unpredictable for me to risk riding him so she has him on loan until the end of the summer.

the way we've worked it is that she pays his livery and deals with the grooming and riding, i pay everything else so im still in charge of feeding etc and all the decisions about him in any shape or form. it suits her because she just carries on the way she has been but with more hands on stuff and riding but she knows that she wont be responsible for making any decisions with his health, farrier etc.

you should try to keep riding though so you have the confidence to get back into work with your horse when the time comes, easy for me to say as i work in a riding school and also get to ride a friends semi retired horse. if theres anyone on your yard with a quite horse you could always have a word with them about getting the odd ride here and there or if its a riding school/livery yard talk to the owner about riding the riding school ponies.

hope everything goes well with your horse and your pregnancy. pm me if you'd like to chat, it does help, iv learnt that over the last few months when iv been really down about what to do about tinker!
 
thank you! and congrats to you too.
In the past Missie has always been quite sensible but at the end of the day she is still a fairly green 5 year old TB who has been out of work for 2 months, so I don't want to take any silly risks! I will talk to my friend, i've mentioned it to her before but don't want her to feel pressured, it would have to be because she wants to.
thanks for the offer of a chat, I may well take you up on that, it's a bit scary the first time isn't it?!!!
 
hi again this is my second baby, first one while owning a horse though. thats my problem with tinker, he's 5 and only started being stabled 6 weeks ago, plus was out of work the first 2 weeks of being inside, its kind of blown his mind a little, he's fine one day and daft the next so i had find someone else to take over!

i agree that it has to be something your friend wants to do and is happy with, i found with me explaining that id still be in charge overall that it put my friends mind at ease about it all, i dont think she'd have taking him if it was an all in situation!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top