Lunging Problem

[Lynsey&Smartie]

I have been trying to do a bit with my homebred 3 year old (Sos) before winter sets in but am not having much success! I would ideally like him to do some lunging with 2 reins to learn the voice commands and then a bit of long reigning down the lanes before being turned away hopefully to be broken next year.

So far I haven't even managed one circle on the lunge! I don't have any help but have broken a 4 year old this year myself which went perfectly so have been trying to do exactly the same with Sos, I am trying to lunge with 2 reins off a dually halter so one behind his bum to keep him out on the circle but he just either won't move at all just turns back into me or if I flick the lunge at him to ask him to move off he pulls away from me and runs back to the gate. I have tried repeatedly bringing him back calmly and doing it again, first walking round with him on the circle and then stepping a foot or two away and asking him to walk on himself but with the same result.

I only have a field no menage, I wonder whether getting a round pen or some heras fencing to make a pen would help? In general he is really bold but stubbon and knows his own strength.

 

[kerrieberry2]

If I didn't know better I would have thought this post was written by me! other the break a 4 yr old on your own this year! you are basically me!

I am on a private yard by myself, and have a 3 yr old that I am trying to long line but he is the same, has done some work in the dually and knows walk when I walk, stand when I stand etc so trying to get him out on a circle is very challenging, especially as he's not fazed by the cracking of the lunge whip!

I can't offer you any advice at the moment as I've not got very far but I have just found a really lovely lady that backs horses in my local area, who is happy to come out and help me! so fingers x'd before the dark nights set in we might be doing some work on the long lines! and after the winter getting ready to back him

I had a horrible instructor out almost 2 weeks ago, who was no help at all, so finding the right person for your horse is defo the key!

Good luck

 

[Fools Motto]

If and when he comes back into you, you have to be quick, like really quick to move away from him, so he keeps moving. From this, you gradually get a 'circle' forming, but don't be surprised if it is barely 3m! It is a start. You have to control his neck and shoulders, if they are 'curved' around you, he will find it much harder to pull away, back to the gate. The art is, once moving, keep it, and praise it. 2 lines, on a 'first timer' without a roller to help keep the lines up, is quite a challenge, although I do agree it benefits the horse more. Has he been bitted? Although not keen to put pressure on his mouth, you may find that if he has a bit in, he may be more distracted in that, than the gate. Also, have you tried somewhere else in the field, or fence off a section?

 

[Cortez]

Ditch the second line for now and start with just the ordinary single lunge line. Lunging is just a progression from proper leading, so maybe go back to that and get him to walk and trot with you in hand, then gradually make the line longer until you can send him forward and around. I'd also get him started in trot and not walk as it is much easier for him to understand "forwards", and harder to turn in. Sounds like you need a second person to help at this stage; not all horses are easy so having one saintly baby means that to have a more challenging one has come as a bit of a surprise!

Oh, and you might have to actually use that lunge whip a bit to get the "go" button installed.

 

[Wheels]

What Cortez says

Have you done much groundwork with him so far? I started by teaching my youngster to walk forwards, stop, back up, yield his fore quarters and his hind quarters using indirect feel so he knew exactly which part of him I wanted to move by reading my body language and that is really what lunging is all about.

To move onto lunging we started on a small circle so he was actually close enough for me to be able to touch his quarters with the end of a schooling whip, bigger circles just meant me walking with him. After a couple of sessions we were lunging 'normally'

 

[fatponee]

What Cortez and Wheels say! :-D

 

[TrasaM]

As Cortez and Wheels said. I've also just used a longer lead rope rather than a lunge line as I found it easier to manage. I got myself all tied up when I tried using the long line

 

[Lynsey&Smartie]

Thanks everyone. He has been bitted for some in-hand showing we did last year so again I did some groundwork for that, teaching him to trot next to me etc. I would say that he doesn't pay much attention to my body language, much more interested in trying to chew the lunge line or get in my pockets or yelling to his friends back in the stables. I think I may need to get a bit tougher with him!

 

[Cortez]

Thanks everyone. He has been bitted for some in-hand showing we did last year so again I did some groundwork for that, teaching him to trot next to me etc. I would say that he doesn't pay much attention to my body language, much more interested in trying to chew the lunge line or get in my pockets or yelling to his friends back in the stables. I think I may need to get a bit tougher with him!

You can't train a horse that pays no attention to you.

 

[AengusOg]

I've also just used a longer lead rope rather than a lunge line as I found it easier to manage. I got myself all tied up when I tried using the long line

You have to remember that the horse will find it much easier to go on a large circle rather than a small one. The smaller the circle the more likely the horse will look for an opportunity to evade.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Another with Wheels and Cortez!

A brilliant book I thoroughly recommend on lunging and long reining is 'Lessons on the Lunge for Horse and Rider' by the late, great Molly Sivewright, published 1996.

It has step by step photos of teaching a young horse to lunge and long rein, along with very helpful instruction.

I mislaid my copy and have just bought another second hand on Amazon, as I am teaching my 6 yo to long rein and wanted to refresh my memory, having not long reined for years! He's taken to it fine thanks to me following the advice in the book.