Lunging tips please

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Popsox

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Hi everyone I am new here.

I would really appreciate tips on lunging a pony that hasn't done this previously. I have; but with a schoolmaster and it was very easy. However it isn't so easy getting started with a pony that hasn't a clue, this is so very much more difficult. I don't want to get animated and short of tying a firecracker to her tail, I can't get her to move on.

She can back up and moves to either side etc.

thanks for reading.
 
Popsox said:
Hi everyone I am new here.

I would really appreciate tips on lunging a pony that hasn't done this previously. I have; but with a schoolmaster and it was very easy. However it isn't so easy getting started with a pony that hasn't a clue, this is so very much more difficult. I don't want to get animated and short of tying a firecracker to her tail, I can't get her to move on.

She can back up and moves to either side etc.

thanks for reading.
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i started lunging my baby this year, i just got on with it and didnt 'expect' anything.. think positively!. all i would say is stay slightly behind her shoulder so you can drive her forwards with your body or a whip, it will help stop her turning in. start by just leading her and work further and further away. a helper to lead her from her head may help at first :) good luck!! xx
 
Other thing I would add is that when you are wanting them to stop, take yourself out to them slowly and get them to stop alongside you- again so they dodn't turn in to face you.
 
Start along a fence line and ask her to walk on and halt. Repeat until she will walk on and halt promptly. Change onto the other rein and repeat until she responds well.

You must be consistant with the wording and the tone.

"Walk On" Needs to be crisp and positive. "Aaaand Whooooooooah" soft and drawn out.

Then start working on a circle - you will need to walk a circle as well as you don't want to be far aaway at this stage.

Start the session with Walk and Halt with you close, then take a step or two back and away from the pony. Repeat the same exercise - stepping back and away from the pony until you are the whip length away from the pony. Change to the other rein and repeat. Over the next few days keep repeating the exercise moving further away from the pony each time.

Eventually you will be in the centre and the pony walking around you in a good shaped circle on both reins. Your position needs to be in a line behind the shoulder - the lunge line and the whp forming a triangle.

In between times - work on your skills with the lunge whip. Line empty coke cans up on a fence or buckets and practise flicking them with the lunge whip - the whip is used with an almost horizontal smooth movement with a quick forward and back flick of the wrist.

Being accurate with the whip is important as it means that you can touch the pony at the right spot to increase activity and attention.

Starting to trot - you may need to get back in a little closer to start with and walk a circle as you did in walk. The trot command needs to be brisk and energetic "TeeeeeeeeROT On" accompanied by a tiny flick just above the hock with the whip (this because you say the pony is aluggish) - if he shoots off too fast let her she has responded to the command to go forward, after half a circle steady her down with the word "Steeaady" and squeeze the lunge rein at the same time. While she is trotting keep repeating the command "TeeeeeeeeROT On" so that she learns that it means to trot.

From here on - it is a matter of repeating the transitions until the pony understands. They may need to be acompanied by the whip initially but it should become easier - you want the pony to respond just as you would when being ridden. You may need to move in and out in the early days to retain control - a good book to buy is 'The Art of Lunging' by Sylvia Stanier
 
I have taught Donovan how to lunge since we have got him. I started by just leading him around, then walking further and further away from him. Its easier if you keep him on a smaller circle, I keep the excess lunge line in my right hand if he is on the left rein, looped up, and if I want him to move on I raise my hand. To begin with I had to use my voice but now I only need to raise my hand and he knows. I dont use a lunge whip with him, if I did it would just be a flick on the ground behind him, never touching him with it,
 
Thank you so much for your replies, some brilliant suggestions and I have now something I can build on :-). I tried out the basics today and I got a good response.

The smaller circle seems to be quite important to start with as well as getting the pony to understand the verbal commands, which I didn't realise.
 
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