Lunging advice

K

kimrichards

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 November 2005
Messages
3,770
Location
Kent
photobucket.com
Hi ya guys

Well im bringing my mare slowy but surley back in to work, i've been lunging her for just over a week now(had her tack on last night going to get on her wednesday), however im having the same problem 9 times out of 10 everytime i lunge.

She is fine on her left rein but hates the right rein and starts being a little cow stopping and just facing me or doing a spin and trotting off on the other rein, i always stop her and put her back on the right rein but have you any tips to stop this happening other then stick at it?
smirk.gif
 
Personally I wouldn't lunge - but walk her out every day. I am currently getting ex loan horse fit after a 5 month period off. She is in week 4 of her walking work, and I have now introduced some slow trot work. She won't go on the lunge until she goes to her competition yard later this summer.
 
Well i've got to keep her on the soft ground at the moment(post was in vets bit couple weeks ago) so the school is the only thing till we get some rain.
 
Have you had her back checked? if shes fine one way, but not the other, it might imply there could be something uncomfortable...

But if thats all fine and she is just being naughty, I'd just try to keep her moving so she doesnt have a chance to stop and turn!

My boy does that when he gets bored on the lunge and I just try to keep him moving... or if he does turn round, I make him stand, then walk round and drive him forward again without walking up to him or making a fuss, cos he is doing it to try and get a reaction from me, but if he doesnt get one, he doesnt bother anymore. They are all different though!!

Good luck!
 
Hmmm. Easiest solution would possibly be blinkers - daft as it sounds, she's unlikely to want to turn around if she can't see where she's going.

Alternatively, long-rein her as this will give you better influence/control over the direction.

Was she like this before the layoff? I'd want to be happy that she wasn't uncomfortable on this rein...
 
Yeah her backs fine, she seems to be really in love with her field mate and has been squirting out the field i think she just showing off and being the typicsl chesnut mare that she is!!!

Maybe i shouldn't walk back up to her to put her back on the circle just re position myself then.

I don't loose my rag with her because i no there is no point.
 
I never really lunged her before i got her, i think she is just taking the P by the way she is doing it.

I might try the long reining idea aswell someone else suggested this to me to, I've never done it beofre though.
 
One of the liveries horses used to be a pain on one rein on the lunge, VERY mareish and squirting etc. If shes in season then it could be shes slightly tender through the back. Also, if you lunge her in just a cavesson without any sidereins/tack then she will find it easier to evade.
Try holding a carrot just by her stifle before you lunge to see if she can stretch around, if she finds it hard then maybe think about physio or learning to long rein!
 
I've had this problem, and since learning how to lunge with two lines...havent looked back. You have control over both reins, so no turning in or away from you, and they seem to go so much better.
 
How is she to lead from the right rein? I've had a similar problem with my mare. I'm teaching her to lunge (her idea of lunging previously was careering around the arena at the end of the line until she'd worn herself out
crazy.gif
) and although she picked everything up very quickly on the left rein she kept turning in to me on the right. This is because I don't think she's ever been led from the right before so this confuses her completely. I've made sure I've done a lot of work on leading her from the right - especially in trot when she gets very stressed and tries to duck behind me or spin in small circles - and she's getting much better. Still not perfect on the lunge but getting loads easier to correct. I've also found when she does turn in just guiding her back out again and not making a fuss gets her back into the idea of it.
This may not be the case with your girl, but it's something else to look into!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top