Lunging problem

[Slave2Magic]

As the nights start drawing in I really need to lunge my mare some days when I don't have time to ride. The problem is that she tends to gallop round at speed and I cant stop her. Some days she's good as gold but other days she just gallops and bucks. Should I let her run it off and then make her work? I've tried making the circle small so that she slows down but it doesn't work. She still gallops and nearly falls over.

 

[JessPickle]

do you lunge in a bridle/lunge cavesson/headcollar????

 

[showjump]

Will keep an eye on this post, my lads the same. He thinks lunging is to loon round at high speed! Ive give nup trying tbh!

 

[OrangeEmpire]

short sharp little tugs on the lungeline really work for me - ie like a half-halt really, seems to get their attention. I lunge in either a bridle or a headcollar - i find cavessons just pull their heads in allowing them to evade.

I also adopt a passive body language and act as if I'm bored by their behaviour. When they realise i'm not playing along, they soon get bored and stop. Once they start paying attention I introduce lots of transitions keeping them going forwards to work through it.

 

[The Original Kao]

TBH if i'm lungeing a horse like that i leave them to it. they soon tire themselves out. then once they've calmed down i make them work.
i also lunge them a few days running so the novelty soon wears off

forgot to add i always lunge in a bridle rather than a cavesson.

 

[Slave2Magic]

I lunge in a bridle with the lunge line over her head. She doesn't try to drag me about at all. Just goes for it hell for leather! A good idea to lunge for a few days running so that she gets bored of being an idiot. I want to introduce side reins but am reluctant to do that until she calms down.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Does she respond to your voice commands at all? Do you use a lunge whip and if so are you conscious of how you hold it/where you point it in relation to the horse?

How do you begin your lungeing session?

 

[sachak]

when ches does that i just leave him to it - if hes not getting the attention he soon stops showing off!

 

[kellyeaton]

try lungeing with two reins one in the normal place put a saddle on put the other rein from the bit throught the strippup and around the back side of the horse in to your hand so when they try and play up us the one around the backside to straighten them up this worked for me!