lunging calmly without crazy canter

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Quartz

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New year, new confidence. I have promised myself I am going to be full of confidence this year riding. But...... my horse won't of been ridden for two weeks when I go and see him on Monday. Obviously want to lunge him first, but he can be a little crazy on the lunge at the best of times. Honestly he goes flat out for no reason and nothing I say will calm him down. So last time I lunged him I only trotted him very gently but was told there was no point doing anything if i do this. Really I want to know some tips to try and stop this, ie, should I try and do more trot to walk transitions. And if he does take of what is my best course of action, usually I just sit it out and get very dizzy while waiting for him to stop. Should I try and shorten the lunge rope if he does canter wildly, do you think this would help.
 
Try different things. If you're sure he wont hurt himself, then sometimes it can be better to just let them run it out and then when they have, pick up the work. Or sometimes you can keep them very close to you and only allow them to move further away when they're calm. Can you turn him out first to take the tickle out of his toes? Why were you told that gently trotting him would do no good???
 
i always free school my guy if i now he's going to be lively. it gets all his bucking and madness out and by the end he does a join up and i now he will be calmer to lunge.
 
PoppyAnderson said:
Try different things. If you're sure he wont hurt himself, then sometimes it can be better to just let them run it out and then when they have, pick up the work. Or sometimes you can keep them very close to you and only allow them to move further away when they're calm. Can you turn him out first to take the tickle out of his toes? Why were you told that gently trotting him would do no good???
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I was told by one of the ladies (about to become an instructor) that him trotting gently wasn't worth doing as he wasn't working properly. He was trotting but just not too fast as then he tends to go into his crazy mode.
 
paddi22 said:
i always free school my guy if i now he's going to be lively. it gets all his bucking and madness out and by the end he does a join up and i now he will be calmer to lunge.
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This is what I do when he is in the field, late spring, summer and autumn. They are not allowed in the fields where the stables are at this time of year as it becomes marsh land. Anyway, when he is in the field this is what we do each time I go to get him. I get up to him and say hello and a stroke etc, then he sees the headcoller and backs away, then he starts to play around so I don't chase him I let him run it out bucking and farting, then I head to leave the field and he follows me and meets me at the gate. Funny things aren't they!! Never thought of trying all that in the school first though, may give it a go. Its just a pain in the school as always feel like I'm being watched and judged!!!!
 
He may not be 'working properly' if he's not fully engaged but if you can jog him round for a while and get the tickle out, then you can start to do 'proper' work when he's in a frame of mind to work with you. And yes, some people will say, well he should listen to you straight away but you have to assess each horse on their own merit and without actually seeing what you're doing, it's hard to be sure if it's your technique that needs tweaking or some other solution. There's not always one way of doing things. Might sound a shade harsh but not sure I'd be listening to that 'lady' necessarily.
 
I know it may not be how they'd do it, but I wasn't actually doing it to work him properly as she said, really I just wanted him out of his box a bit. Excuses, excuses. Anyway, he's much worse on his blind side that is a complete nightmare. I often find at stables people are quick to tell you aren't doing it right, but not so quick with the helpful advice and listeining to what you want to achieve. Feeling more moany now as am on holiday and had paid my YO to ride him Monday afternoon so he wasn't too fresh on Tues am for my lesson, she now tells me she won't have time, never mind I guess will bit the bullet and lunge am, ride pm and take that new confidence for the new year by the reins!!!!
 
i never let my horse hooley about on the lunge...its not something i've ever had to stop him doing- he just doesn't do it... he associates the lunge with 'work' just like he does with being ridden... if i thought he was going to go mental i'd let him leg about loose- that way lunge time is always work time...never hooleying time...does that make sense?
 
diggerbez said:
i never let my horse hooley about on the lunge...its not something i've ever had to stop him doing- he just doesn't do it... he associates the lunge with 'work' just like he does with being ridden... if i thought he was going to go mental i'd let him leg about loose- that way lunge time is always work time...never hooleying time...does that make sense?
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Yes that does make sense. I think I will try free schooling first and then get him on the lunge.
 
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