lunging help - youngster

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Kiko

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Had my instructor up last night and she's trying to get my boy to take up a contact, he's a 5y/o and not had much done, very green in the school. Had a lesson last week where we tried to concentrate on getting him to go forward, which was very hard work!! he stretches his neck really low and pulls you forward in the saddle and comes to a standstill. So she thought we'd try lunging in side reins last night. He was fine, tried to get him to go forward, was fine for a bit but then literally started charging towards her, trying to kick sideways, a few bucks and just literally being a git! Is this normal behaviour? I don't think he's ever had side reins and always resists a contact and tries to get out of doing any work.

hacking on the other hand he's fine, doesn't snatch the reins or anything, its just in the school. A friend of mine suggested to tack him up in the stable and put his side reins on so he gets used to the contact. Just a bit lost on what to do at the moment, has anyone got any tips? Thanks guys
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Sounds like you may of had the side reins on too tight for the first time, but Id be surprised if you instructor was there as she should no better!
Putting the saddle on is agood idea, but just make sure the side reins are really loose with hardly ant contact at all, he needs to get used to them b4 you start to add contact. You just need to keep at it and very very gradully tighten the side reins. It will come, he's just young and like you say, not used to being on the contact and he will fight it at first, but just take it nice a slow and in time it will come and he will learn to accept the bit. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
He had his teeth checked but he was new to the yard and still in his settling in stage so wasn't keen on having anything done with them. The dentist said he will be fine untill next year when I'll get him sedated.

To be honest, I thought she had the side reins a little tight, but he still had room to move and still kept holding his head giraffe style lol sometimes he did accept and went really frothy in the mouth which I think's a good sign then he would just try and evade it again and charge at us. hmph, i think he's trying to intimidate, he's a big 16.2hh warmblood x and he knows it!
 
Hmm... I would deffo loosen the side reins. At the end of the day you want to end up with a horse who is happy to take the contact from you - not one which has been forced into submission. He's probably trying to tel you he's struggling and really uncomfortable in tight side reins!
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certainly sounds like he's trying to intimidate to me and trying to get out of working. doesn't sound like the side reins were too tight if he can still do a "giraffe" impression, lol
 
He is a big young horse, he was prob struggling to balance, thats why he finds it diffiult to take a contact in the first place! Would be more inclined to do alot of ridden work on transitions etc, to teach him to soften and balance himself
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I would lunge him with 2 reins and no side reins. It will be a start to the effect of the side reins, but a lot gentler.
He then wont be able to evade, and when you get him settled into the work try adding side reins again. Start with them flapping and shorten gradually.
 
Sounds like my little girl when she looses it and panics.

Some one on here suggested lunging with two reins or two people or long leining, and it seems to be working with my 4 year old, she has only lost it once in each session.
If useing sidereins I only have them very loose as she can't stand any form of contact yet
 
Reply - how balanced is he to ride? I've normally found that w/b types are naturally quite good at balancing themselves but it could be a balance issue.

I'd put the side reins in the bin - even though it doesn't sound as if they were too tight - they can't have been that bad if he was doing a giraffe impression but side reins are very fixed and some horses just react very badly too them - have you tried a chambon or something like that - it will encourage him to make a better outline as will only apply contact through the bit when he raises his head - far kinder and more forgiving for a young horse, once he's got used to that then you could progress to side reins.

Some of it does sound like bolshiness though and after all he is still a young horse but it's very unsettling when you've got 16.2 of horse having a fit on a lunge - would he react better if you lunged him rather than your instructor?
 
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