Lunging - what do you use/for how long/how often??

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NooNoo59

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Hi all, well the boy is back in work and its time to up the anti a bit, had first lesson for over a year on Wednesday and he needs to stretch over his back more and use his hind end to better effect, obviously from the injury he is very weak in that area so lunging is going to help hence the questions. Also schooling about three times a week, working on long and low, taking the contact, transitions, large circles etc for about 30 mins at a time.
 
Personally I like to lunge once a week just on the flat, and once over poles. I find that a pessoa works best for me, but different things work for different horses.
I find it most useful as watching them work from the ground as you can pick up things that you cant feel!
 
How long has he been back in work for and how much fittening work have you done? General fitness will help with building up his muscles too, not familiar with your horse, what was his injury?
 
My mare needed the same program as you. I use the pessoa two times a weeks, on the long and low setting and it's really helped my mare.

I always use a stopwatch when I lunge, that way I know I've done exactly the same on each side. 10 minutes each way, 1 minute of walk, 4 mins of walk and trot, (transitions), also try some spirals. 4 minutes of trot/canter, I look at the circle as a clockface and pick up a canter at 12, canter two circles, back to trot at 12, one circle of trot, pick canter up at 3, two circles of canter etc etc. Finish with 1 minute of walk. Repeat on the other side. She didn't need a massive session of going round and round in circles, 20 minutes is enough to loosen and stretch the correct muscles, too much will fatigue the muscle, little and often worked for me.

Might seem a little OCD! But with the injury mine has she needed to build muscle evenly, it's certainly worked for me. Good luck with your boy :)
 
Once or twice a week. Start off just off the cavesson, WTC to warm up and let him have a buck and fart (always). During this time I also do some 15m circles walking alongside him, asking him to lower his head, bend and step through properly with his inside hind. Then I add side reins, through the front legs to girth. Only only fairly loosely; enough to encourage him to stretch down and discourage giraffe impressions. He always works v well with these. I often use W&T poles, sometimes raised, as well as lots of transitions.

I also do in hand work (either off the bridle if he's wearing it, or just off the cavesson) so use lungeing to warm up for that, then move onto circles, squares and lateral work in hand, interspersed with walk on long rein and/or a couple of trot circles to stretch and disperse extra energy. Physio gave me a variety of polework exercises to do with him on the ground too.
 
I lunge twice a week in winter (apart from my week of late shifts where he's just hacked every day) and I use draw reins over his back. I also have side reins and a lungee bungee so will switch it up occasionally. Or I'll just lunge with 2 lines so I can then do some shoulder in and leg yielding if he's in the mood :-) longest I will lunge for is 30 minutes and that's when it's 2 lines so I can throw in some long lining. Most otherwise is 20 minutes. I find lunging is pretty hard work for ponio!
 
I walk mine in hand nothing on bit for 3min each rein. Then do a few circles on lunge where I do three step walk, three trot. Then trot on a square for two min.
Then I use a type of pessoa but run the long strap thro girth so it doesn't pull mouth.
Then two min trot. Then trot canter trans and walk canter trans for 8min with a walk break in middle of one circle.
Then trotting with nothing on bit for long stretching of their own will.
Do each stage on both reins.

Once or twice week.
If weather awful and its only exercise twenty min with just headcollar, five min inhand walk, seven min trot, three min canter.
 
I lunge for three mins each rein in the pessoa (or rather cheap knock off version), then let him have a canter round loose :)
 
I only lunge when in struggling for time to ride... Sometimes a couple times a week then may go a month without. I lunge with loose side reins, just to stop giraffing and encourage him down
 
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