Lunging, what to use?

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Dot1

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I am slightly confused..my old riding instructor used to lunge my horse in draw reins quite a lot and never used side reins. However, I now lunge my horse without anything other than obviously a bridle. I would like to encourage her to build muscle across her back on on her bum, would side reins work? She lunges really well but isn't building top line? I am loathe to use draw reins as I have heard a horse can become fixed?

I can't use a passoa (sp) as she is very funny about her back legs so putting it on isn't an option.

Thanks!
 
Have you thought about long reining? or will the line going behind her back legs upset her? Saying that, there is very little faffing about when putting it on so she may cope better with this than anything like a passoa
 
I haven't really thought about long reining as she is a kicker (very quick!), so kind of avoided it although probably worth a try.
 
Long reining, like lungeing will mean you are a distance away from her so she (hopefully!) wont be able to kick you. It also means you can control both sides of her body and can change rein without having to change the equipment at her head. Hope it helps!
 
How long have you been lunging her for without using any gadgets and what exactly do you do in your lunge sessions?,

I say this because if there is no physical reason (confirmation faults/previous injury or for example a horse out of training/racing that has been used to using other muscles and has a different way of going) then there is no reason why your horse should require anything else, in most cases that is.

Have you done the appropriate checks to see if he is sound, say routine back checks etc?
Is your school surface level, if he just following a track?
Do you have a warm up session and tried some stretching exercises before really working him on the lunge and watching the difference in his action?
Are you constant with the work your dong with him to enable him to develop more over his back etc?
Lots of transitions from walk to trot, trot to canter, on the lunge in stead of long trots etc this helps get engage the back end.

Nothing wrong with using a pessoa or any other lunging equipment, some horses do need that extra help, but sometimes people are quick to bang these on without looking at the basics first.
smile.gif
 
I use a Harbridge training aid which goes from the girth to the bit and is elasticated. Just encourages them to go in a low outline rather than giraffe but rewards by having no action when the head is in the right place.

And sometimes side reins, just for a change of scenery.
 
I use a kavalcade HO lunging aid which goes across the withers and between the fron legs and clips onto the bit on either side. Horse's movement then mimics the alternating squeeze/ release that you can use to get them working round. My horse has really muscled up across his back since I've been using it and its helped him work more round in the school too.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions...

Kenzo, here is the difficulty, there is 'something' in her back probably her sacrallac joint (sp), but after seeing 2 seperate equine practises, chiro, osteo, man with special machine (!), supplements etc etc. We aren't 100% sure what is wrong. She can be difficult to saddle and get on but fine once you are on. She can be short on the the right hind, but usually eases after a few minutes. I lunge in the bridle, usually under saddle before I get on. Warmup in walk and then ask for some trot, I don't push her in trot until she has loosened up. And we do lots of transitions but I am not sure what to do to encourage her to stretch. I really want her to be able to escape the contact (if that makes sense) if she can. As if she feels pressurised she gets worried and can become aggressive as a result. So although side reins sound like a good idea, I have read that some horses feel trapped.

Sorry for the long response!
 
Get a chambon (not expensive), its the only 'gadget' I'd use on a horse that needs to stretch long and low, and it has nothing behind the rear end to aggravate the horse. I prefer the ones with the white rope pieces rather than the solid rubber 'chest' section.

You can get a book to explain how it works:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing...;condition=used
which once you've absorbed the info on muscles etc will really make sense as to why it is a valuable tool. It can really help with sacroiliac problems and I'm currently doing it on my horse along with other exercises to get him working through his back and engaging his hocks, and also on a couple of ponies who have a session every now and then to keep them moving well.

Check out this website/blog which has a section on 'gadgets' with good explanations and diagrams etc:
http://www.sustainabledressage.com/tack/gadgets.php
 
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