Lunging advice needed

[throwawayaccount]

** horse is up to date with everything ie saddle back teeth vet check **

my horse is becoming difficult to handle when lunging. He is chunky 17 hands so a big boy..

he never used to do this, my theory is he doesn’t like the yard (he never did this on old yard).

when you try to lunge him, he turns in. When you try to get him back out, he just tries to run / strike / bite at me or run straight through me. The latter is terrifying, so I called it a day as I didn’t fancy putting myself in danger. It feels like he’s using his size against me - possibly? Not sure.

I can’t ask for help on the yard from anyone else as it’s not that kind of yard. I don’t know how to correct this behaviour or if there’s something else going on :/

any advice is greatly appreciated x

 

[Red-1]

I would get someone in to help you. If I have one trying this, I use 2 reins so I can ensure they don't run down the line at me. It's not something I would recommend you learn alone with a tricky one though!

Once they realise that they do better to go round and round, they quit the undesirable behaviour.

It is also possible that you are too far ahead of the movement. I make sure I always look at the point of hip. Many times, if you are looking further forward, they will react badly.

 

[throwawayaccount]

I would get someone in to help you. If I have one trying this, I use 2 reins so I can ensure they don't run down the line at me.

Once they realise that they do better to go round and round, they quit the undesirable behaviour.

It is also possible that you are too far ahead of the movement. I make sure I always look at the point of hip. Many times, if you are looking further forward, they will react badly.

thanks red, I wouldn’t have a clue about how to do that. It’s getting difficult to even get him to go out, as he just turns on you.
It’s upsetting as he never used to be like this , but there is something going on to make him act like this, just don’t know what..

I’ll try find someone I can pay to come out and hopefully help sort it.

 

[AmyMay]

How often are you lunging? It’s quite an ask for a big horse.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Has his feed changed or turnout been reduced it sounds like his just full of energy maybe?

 

[throwawayaccount]

How often are you lunging? It’s quite an ask for a big horse.

Once a week, rarely twice. He’s bored as we can’t hack out due to roadworks outside the yard that have been going on weeks, so it’s to give him a little “break” from the arena as we get to use a pen, still not great tho.

pink- I switched to a low cal chaff a few weeks ago carefully and also reduced pony nuts as he has a big field with a lot of grass… that he’s eating quickly. I think he’s miserable and misses being in a herd as he just bullies my mare now, they were fine initially . Turnout length is the same (7-9 hours a day). So possibly bored aswell as to ride he’s become difficult (not paying attention and shooting off) - not every time now but it’s putting me off. X

 

[Red-1]

Once a week, rarely twice. He’s bored as we can’t hack out due to roadworks outside the yard that have been going on weeks, so it’s to give him a little “break” from the arena as we get to use a pen, still not great tho.

pink- I switched to a low cal chaff a few weeks ago carefully and also reduced pony nuts as he has a big field with a lot of grass… that he’s eating quickly. I think he’s miserable and misses being in a herd as he just bullies my mare now, they were fine initially . Turnout length is the same (7-9 hours a day). So possibly bored aswell as to ride he’s become difficult (not paying attention and shooting off) - not every time now but it’s putting me off. X

Ah, when I lunge, I use the whole arena, so lungeing large as well as circles, also with frequent rein changes.

Most lunge pens are too small and have surfaces that have a track round them that makes a deep area that is tricky to work on. I don't use ones like this.

 

[AmyMay]

What ‘benefits’ do you think that a lunging pen has for him?

 

[throwawayaccount]

Ah, when I lunge, I use the whole arena, so lungeing large as well as circles, also with frequent rein changes.

Most lunge pens are too small and have surfaces that have a track round them that makes a deep area that is tricky to work on. I don't use ones like this.

we aren’t allowed to lunge in the arena

I guess the only benefit is to get some energy out of him when I’m too depressed to ride, but I suppose if he’s like this it’s not worth the battle? But then I’m having problems riding too

 

[AmyMay]

we aren’t allowed to lunge in the arena

I guess the only benefit is to get some energy out of him when I’m too depressed to ride, but I suppose if he’s like this it’s not worth the battle? But then I’m having problems riding too

Just give him some time off until your hacking route is open again.

 

[throwawayaccount]

Just give him some time off until your hacking route is open again.

thank you

 

[Equi]

Take him off all the feed as a start (to rule it out. If he needs something toss a carrot into his bucket) and get a professional out to assess.

 

[Lois Lame]

Yes, cut out his hard feed while he's having time off. Just give him the roughage. My feeling is that he loathes being lunged in a round yard/pen. Very hard on any horse but particularly such a big fellow.

 

[planete]

Is he the same on both reins? I am asking this as a friend's horse became very difficult /aggressive if we attempted to lunge him on the left rein. He was found to have damaged a tendon sheath in his hind leg shortly afterwards.

 

[AntiPuck]

My horse does this in a lunge pen but is fine to lunge in a larger field at the end of the rope. I think it's just too taxing for bigger horses to run in tight circles, especially on soft surfaces.

 

[baran]

What age is your horse? I know you have had a vet check but dislike of being lunged was the first indication my pony gave that he was developing arthritis. He didn't become dangerous or aggressive but was clearly not enjoying it. It took 2 visits from my very competent practice plus x-rays to establish that he did have a problem as the pony was so good at hiding any lameness! Now he has had treatment for arthritis, he is fine although I keep any lungeing sessions short.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would vary your school work it won't hurt him to do 5 days a week in there I often have a hack around the school with a friend, we mainly walk around the outside track but we do have little trots as well.

Get some poles out look up some exercises you can do with them and get his brain working.

Do you have lessons get your instructor to go over a few preliminary tests with you then practice them in between, teach him some lateral moves they help to engage a bored or distracted brain I use them all the time on my Arab's, they can get bored and thrive on learning more difficult things as they are far too intelligent for there own good.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

we aren’t allowed to lunge in the arena

I guess the only benefit is to get some energy out of him when I’m too depressed to ride, but I suppose if he’s like this it’s not worth the battle? But then I’m having problems riding too

What problems riding you having?

 

[Kaylum]

I would give him a small chop feed about 10 minutes before you do anything with him to line his stomach. Just chop nothing else.

I would then loose school him instead of lunging if you want it for exercise mainly. Do some in hand work with him like agility and long reining.

 

[Lyle]

Perhaps look at various groundwork exercises to do, rather than just lunging? Get him and you to develop a mutually respectful relationship on the ground. This will help you immensely under saddle too perhaps try looking online for courses/exercises? Ideally somewhere that has a step by step, so you can build up bith of your understanding, and scaffold the complexity of the exercises.

 

[Cortez]

Do you have an instructor?

 

[scats]

I’d advise getting help from an instructor or other professional who can see the issues in person and advise as appropriate.

 

[tristar]

My horse does this in a lunge pen but is fine to lunge in a larger field at the end of the rope. I think it's just too taxing for bigger horses to run in tight circles, especially on soft surfaces.

this.

op he must be too big for a lunging pen?

we have one i used it once for 10 seconds, it was clearly not a place for my horses.

as others have said, ground work, perhaps some stretches then lunge.

if no where suitable space wise for his size i would not lunge i would see what other arrangements i could find, do some ground work take for a walk in hand

he`s shouting at you

 

[throwawayaccount]

Thanks all for the answers, sorry if I miss anything in my reply-

The pen isn’t tiny or a round pen, it’s a pretty decent size and can fit him in but I’m going to stop lunging now anyway, as he’s clearly not happy about something.

I’ve cut back on everything he’s just on chaff now and his hay

hes 11

won’t do groundwork either- again gets angry and unhappy (but fine to lead around to / from field, stable etc, back from arena).

same on both reins - if you can get him out to start with,

ridden wise, the arena is very distracting (lots going on around and outside it) and he struggles to focus and either starts shrill neighing and throwing his head up and down and snatching the reins or just takes off with you.

I’ve tried polework etc to keep him thinking but he gets bored.

I do think somethings amiss I just don’t know what?

He does have 0.5/1 out of 10 mild arthritis in one of his hocks and 1/10 in the other . He had cartrophen for this and my vet has said if any more probs give him a call as we can try stem cell treatment.

Teeth and physio are due again January, chiro around feb Saddler due spring time.

I don’t have lessons as I currently can’t afford them :/

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

** horse is up to date with everything ie saddle back teeth vet check **

my horse is becoming difficult to handle when lunging. He is chunky 17 hands so a big boy..

he never used to do this, my theory is he doesn’t like the yard (he never did this on old yard).

when you try to lunge him, he turns in. When you try to get him back out, he just tries to run / strike / bite at me or run straight through me. The latter is terrifying, so I called it a day as I didn’t fancy putting myself in danger. It feels like he’s using his size against me - possibly? Not sure.

I can’t ask for help on the yard from anyone else as it’s not that kind of yard. I don’t know how to correct this behaviour or if there’s something else going on :/

any advice is greatly appreciated x

When starting or lunging one that turns in, I go out on the circle grab the lunge line on his nose, turn him out so he is standing facing the way I want him and say * Stand*, then make him walk on, and if he does it again I repeat, With one also that is beginning to lunge I also have some one first with a lead rope hooked on the outer ring on the cavasson lunge line keeping him out on the circle, gradually that person just walks round the outside as if holding, then they walk away just leaving the horse on his own with me.

Galloping off is a different ball game, I used jumps across the school to make school smaller as a barricade and lunging area closer so the horse is on a smaller circle. It worked last time to this one cob mare.

If your not confident to do this, then seek a trainer out to help you.

 

[throwawayaccount]

Thank you

forgot to add. All this behaviour has only started since moving yards and new field arrangements.
he’s now in with just my mare ; rather than being in a herd.

 

[HeresHoping]

I am afraid that when my horse started doing this, all of it - throwing his head around and pratting about in the arena, turning in on the lunge, he was definitely saying something hurt. He also started bullying my mare and, after he started to chase her, had to be separated.

Please get his hocks checked again. And possibly the SI area, as the two go hand in hand.

 

[LEC]

I think you are projecting your own emotions on this horse. Horses don’t tend to be angry they don’t have emotions like that. He will just be reacting to what is going on around him. The fact he won’t do groundwork says a lot. He isn’t angry he has just learnt that if he makes a fuss you give up. A lot of the time it’s because groundwork or lunging is hard and in different ways. Groundwork because they are to react correctly, stay present and do as asked. Lunging because it’s hard physically. Horses are incredibly good at training their owners. Even I am guilty of working round a trickier horse because it makes life easier.

He could also be physically compromised as would be another issue. Horses don’t tend to change behaviour without reason, they are reactors.

 

[throwawayaccount]

I am afraid that when my horse started doing this, all of it - throwing his head around and pratting about in the arena, turning in on the lunge, he was definitely saying something hurt. He also started bullying my mare and, after he started to chase her, had to be separated.

Please get his hocks checked again. And possibly the SI area, as the two go hand in hand.

I will give them a call later for a check up

LEC- perhaps angry isn’t the right word and I do think you’re right about what he’s reacting to, but even when I’m calm he just turns and it isn’t like him.

ever since moving yards he’s changed. I thought it’d be time and settling in etc and of course it still could be this; but he’s never acted like this before on the ground or to lunge. At the old place he was perfect for join up, lunging, riding, inhand etc.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It sounds like it just could be a settling in issue if his turnout has changed and busy school it's enough to turn them a bit bonkers, have you got a friend or someone that might help you with schooling maybe jump on him and just help sort him out a bit if your struggling.

I also think a vet check is a good idea one of mine would buck when asked for canter then we found hock arthritis.