Lunging how bad is it for horses

dree said:
But why the need to lunge? You couldn't just let it loose in the school, and do some stuff loose? And why would you want to teach a horse that bucking and rearing whilst being lunged is acceptable?
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I dont have a school I do all my work in a big field or on the beach.
No harm to let them have a buck and play on the lunge as long as you teach them when its acceptable and when it isnt and they behave when you ask them to.
 
dree said:
Lunging a horse should teat it respect for you. Allowing a horse to rear and buck on the lunge is saying to the horse.....you can do what you like when you're on this lunge-line. All wrong on so many levels. And if you have to lunge before riding.....is your horse ready to ride?
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Sometimes horses need to let off steam. My horses know when they are allowed to buck and have fun on the lunge and know once theyve had their fun they have to knuckle down and work, ridden or lunged.
Its like kids - playtime and school. They know the difference.
Anyone who has done a lot of breaking and schooling (as I have) knows occasionally it is a good idea to lunge before you ride!!!
 
Moderation is the key. I think schooling a horse round and round in circles is as equally as bad. With lunging the horse does get a chance to stretch through his back without the weight of a rider. I rarely lunge but found it very useful and safer when riding my young 5 year old in the dark and wind. I think lunging has its place great for seeing how horse is moving and picking up any lameness. When I lunge my horse is brilliant he will change his stride when I change mine up the long side and he extends his trot. He really shows off! I don't tend to do circles but yes you do need to be fit! I usually manage 10 mins!!! never use side reins or anything!
 
SO1 said:
Arena is 20 x 60 and your horse looks like a larger version of my pony even in colouring.
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Occasional light lunging in a 20m x 60m arena for exercise as a break for you, and a change for the horse, should be fine :).

Btw, my mare looks easy and amenable in the pics I showed. Mostly she is, but when I got her I soon found out why she had been a Pony Club A test examination lunging horse in her past :oops:. (For PC ‘B’ test you get an easy horse to lunge, for the ‘A’ test it’s a challenging horse.). Luckily I was shown a long while ago how to lunge correctly by an old school BHSI, and T soon learned that whipping round and other evasions are no longer permitted. No side reins or other aids needed, just good timing and body positioning.
 
dree said:
But why the need to lunge? You couldn't just let it loose in the school, and do some stuff loose? And why would you want to teach a horse that bucking and rearing whilst being lunged is acceptable?
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That can be a yard issue if that's what you are doing it for, I'm yet to know a YO allow free schooling.

That is just a general comment though, the last thing I'd ever want to do is lunge mine before riding.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Horse have died jumping out of an arena when loose schooling and landing awkwardly. It’s not something that I’d ever do in an outdoor arena with normal height fencing.
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yes I saw this at a loose schooling demo. Horse actually jumped into the concrete muck heap container from the school. We had to did him out to get him safetly out. This was a big heavy cob. No idea why he did it but I agree make sure you have a very high fence.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Horse have died jumping out of an arena when loose schooling and landing awkwardly. It’s not something that I’d ever do in an outdoor arena with normal height fencing.
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Apologies. I was presuming an indoor riding arena.
 
bubsqueaks said:
Thank you - will take a look although it would be difficult to pinpoint if the lameness is down to the surface or the impact of schooling work carried out due to having school - but very interesting topic for debate!
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I think various studies have been able to show different impact from a different type of surface. So presumably taking out some of the "is it schooling or is it surface" thing. a loose uneven soft surface is demonstrably worse than a firmer well maintained one and there has also been some research looking at grippyness of waxed surfaces, slipperiness of others and tripping on various surfaces, all of which contribute to soft tissue injuries.
i would imagine that it's very difficult because of the number of variables but it looks like more people are looking into it.
 
I am not a fan of lunging really. I just don't ordinarily see it as necessary and none of my ridden ones have ever been lunged. I don't use it in the breaking process either normally. The only reason I may lunge one is if it is a particularly fresh baby that I think could do with five minutes to blow off steam before sitting a rider on. I do however only really keep native ponies so I imagine it may be very different dealing with a hot blooded type.
 
Ever since a previous vet told me 5 years ago lunging is one of the worst activities for horses due to the constant circle and uneven wear on the joints I have probably lunged mine a handful of times and avoid it as much as possible. My previous horse had bad arthritic hocks and he mentioned he thinks how much owners lunge these days doesn't help, I never lunged her but previous owner did, lots. If I ever lunge its with 2 reins and combined with long lining in straight lines.

Although one of mine did a suspensory in the field and then I have friends who lunge every day religiously in tight circles and never had a issue, maybe they are just lucky....
 
ForbiddenHorse said:
Although one of mine did a suspensory in the field and then I have friends who lunge every day religiously in tight circles and never had a issue, maybe they are just lucky....
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unfortunately that's just the way with horses, same way it seems deeply unfair that you can bust a gut safety-proofing everything and giving them the best life possible yet yours will still find a way to mangle itself, and then some mingbag can keep horses in a field full of old wire and junk and be absolutely fine. Sod's bloody law.
 
I loose schooled a little 12hh Exmoor pony once in an outdoor school, having been inspired to by watching someone else loose school their ID horses over some jumps. The school was bordered by a grassy verge and then a dry stone wall.
My little pony decided to jump out of the school instead and into a huge grassy field that belonged to a neighbouring farmer! I had to walk right round by the road to extricate him back out. No idea why it hadn't occurred to the big horses as the wall was half the size of the jumps in the actual school.
 
Poor arena surfaces have a lot to answer for re equestrian injuries. IMHO a good surface should be fairly firm, like springy old turf, and the going should be consistent throughout, with no dodgy patches.

I do think that all horses, soundness permitting , should be taught the basics of lunging calmly as it is such a useful diagnostic tool in lameness evaluation. How often does a slightly suspect horse look sound in a straight line but lame on a circle?
 
Tiddlypom said:
I do think that all horses, soundness permitting , should be taught the basics of lunging calmly as it is such a useful diagnostic tool in lameness evaluation. How often does a slightly suspect horse look sound in a straight line but lame on a circle?
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I agree with this. I have a pony I haven't taught to lunge and the thought of being asked to show him on the lunge by a vet for diagnostic purposes would fill me with dread!
 
Tiddlypom said:
I do think that all horses, soundness permitting , should be taught the basics of lunging calmly as it is such a useful diagnostic tool in lameness evaluation. How often does a slightly suspect horse look sound in a straight line but lame on a circle?
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i also agree with this. last one that was lunged for the vet was quite jolly about being away from home but I was glad that she did know how to lunge properly once the adrenalin rush wore off :oops:
 
Tiddlypom said:
I do think that all horses, soundness permitting , should be taught the basics of lunging calmly as it is such a useful diagnostic tool in lameness evaluation. How often does a slightly suspect horse look sound in a straight line but lame on a circle?
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Very true, both of mine know how to lunge if 'required' as I use the same verbal commands as when I ride so can walk, trot and canter without a whip or any other aid just by voice. So useful to have even though I very very rarely lunge.
 
stormox said:
Sometimes horses need to let off steam. My horses know when they are allowed to buck and have fun on the lunge and know once theyve had their fun they have to knuckle down and work, ridden or lunged.
Its like kids - playtime and school. They know the difference.
Anyone who has done a lot of breaking and schooling (as I have) knows occasionally it is a good idea to lunge before you ride!!!
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always lunge babies before riding, if only to gauge mood, energy
i have has big lively horses, their antics bear no resemblance to their manners when ridden
 
Forty plus years ago I was taught to lunge on an oval. Teaching them voice aids before they were backed, it’s about obedience and relaxation. I like a good walk.

I have had a lot of natives and cobs which tend to go naturally on their forehand and they have to learn to balance in straight lines or they start leaning.
There seems to be a misunderstanding that impulsion is going as fast as possible, running the legs off them and they are not even tracking up, unless they have fixed the outline with a gadget.
Some get sour and stiff, there is nothing more sensitive than your hands and learning to give when they get something right doesn’t really happen.

No horse is perfect and from what I have seen any imperfection is made more prominent on a corner. Watch dressage and watch the long sides, some will dish coming off the corner before they get their balance.
There is a saying, do not keep practicing doing it wrong.
I just think the majority of the time having been on several livery yards it about not wanting to ride.
 
I have only skim read, lunging on a small circle with the horse going beautifully will likely improve not damage the horse but it's hard to do this, and too many arena surfaces are terrible. I'm waiting for someone to tell me why this newish type of surface with what appear to be foam chopped up car seats is a good idea, to me it's deep and bouncy, the two things I'd not want.

You'll struggle to truly straighten a horse without using fairly small circles and that is best done without a rider especially if there is weakness or other rehab issues or even a heavy rider.

http://arr.de/index.php?p=44&l=EN
 
If lunging is done correctly then it can be beneficial. I move continuously up and down the school on the biggest circle I can (never keep her tight as she's a big girl) and quite often I just lead and run alongside her while she trots around the track off the school - beneficial as we both get some form of exercise then! It's helping with my fitness so I like to think it's helping with hers! x
 
I lunged Gray once.

Once.

I only wanted him to trot 10x each way as I wasnt 100% sure he was sound and wanted to see from the side rather than next to him running backwards.

1 trot circle, 10mins, 30 million circles at the speed of light and 3 lost shoes later I regained control!

Needless to say I didn't try that trick again! It was VERY detrimental to both of our healths - his mentally as he was far too excited, physically as he pulled 3 shoes! Mine - mentally as I had to replace 3 friggin shoes that had only been on 2 weeks!

Twat.
 
Lunging is so outdated nowadays!!! Try loose schooling or even a personal fave long lining/ ground driving and I hand work. I find I get more out of doing those activities than I ever have with lunging.
 
EKW said:
I lunged Gray once.

Once.

I only wanted him to trot 10x each way as I wasnt 100% sure he was sound and wanted to see from the side rather than next to him running backwards.

1 trot circle, 10mins, 30 million circles at the speed of light and 3 lost shoes later I regained control!

Needless to say I didn't try that trick again! It was VERY detrimental to both of our healths - his mentally as he was far too excited, physically as he pulled 3 shoes! Mine - mentally as I had to replace 3 friggin shoes that had only been on 2 weeks!

Twat.
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That would be why I would be determined to definitely do it again. No horse should take over like that, whether on the lunge or loose. But I would prefer loose training in a school for that one! Teach manners, etc.
 
throughtheforest said:
Lunging is so outdated nowadays!!! Try loose schooling or even a personal fave long lining/ ground driving and I hand work. I find I get more out of doing those activities than I ever have with lunging.
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Very much agree. Loose schooling especially, although people don't seem to have the indoor facilities to be able to do that. The horse learns so much......and so does the person on the ground. Gives you a whole different perspective. You can see everything. But it takes good timing and you have to have a really good understanding of what the horse is doing and why he/she is doing it.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Poor arena surfaces have a lot to answer for re equestrian injuries. IMHO a good surface should be fairly firm, like springy old turf, and the going should be consistent throughout, with no dodgy patches.
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Exactly. The best arena surface I've ever felt was at our local RDA, where I volunteered for a while, leading a pony. Their surface was remarkable: soft yet firm.
 
I do groundwork, which does involve circle work in the round yard, both on a line and off. But a 25-30 minutes session is broken up with lots of other exercises; yielding forequarters/hindquarters, backing, desensitising etc. I usually start a groundwork session by sending them a few laps off the line, I step in front of the drive line, they look at me and I send them the other direction. When I'm ready to stop, I step in front of the driveline, horse slows/stops to look and I walk away drawing the horse in. I've found this utterly fantastic for building relationship/confidence with the horses. I'm then set to do desensitising work, and then sensitising exercises. I've noticed a HUGE difference in my WB, who is so much more supple in both directions, has sharper responses (was always super dull) and is working beautifully undersaddle despite schooling once a week. The rest of his week is groundwork/hacking sessions. These groundwork sessions seem to work at targetting a range of body motions as well as working at mentally unlocking a horse who has 'switched off' a bit. I switch the groundwork sessions up too, when the weather is good we go into the paddock and jump logs/ditches, back into tight spaces etc. It's pretty fun to be lunging a horse in a 50 acre paddock, in a rope halter over jumps and all I have to do is look at his quarters and he yields to a stop from canter :) and gets a big rub and a breather for his efforts!
 
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