lunging with side reins

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SAL66

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Advice needed again please, I have beeen riding in the school and although "B" is very responsive he loves to poke his nose out and I struggle to soften him.
An experienced rider was at the yard last night and unbeknown to me she was watching me, I then spotted her and went over to her, in short she said although I keep a contact with my reins they are too long, we also changed his bit from a cambridge to a french link snaffle and he seemed better.
I shortened my reins and stil kept my hand soft and he started to soften and tuck his head under.She said it would be beneficial to lunge him with side rieins on a feww times a week, I have never done this before and frightened of hurting him, if that's possible.Obviously he would have aroller on, I presume that the side reins are fastened on to this, can it be done in a cavasson or has it got to be a bridle.

I know I can ask her but she would probably think I was a right numpity, would rather have a go in "private".

Rode him this morning and his head carriage was better, if anything now gone slighly the other way ie. over bent but only a few times.I know his previous owners didn't ride him very often and when they did it was on the buckle.

I would be grateful of any advice.

Thanks
Sally
 
i only use side reins to lunge with saddle and brible its easier to get the angles right and attatch at the girth but moved on to using them between his legs but others find their horses go better differetly each to there own
 
i think you'll accomplish a lot more riding him, tbh. that way both of you are learning to find the right way, how much to give and take, etc. if you've already got a big improvement just from shortening your reins and taking a contact, keep playing with that.
if you really want to use side reins, they must go to the bit not to cavesson, and they must be long enough... should just stop nose poking, not pull head in and force neck to arch. have inside one 2 holes shorter than outside one, and use baler twine loops on roller/girth to extend if the side reins you have aren't long enough.
if he's never been lunged in them before, it is a good idea to start with just the inside one. that way, it's not restrictive, all it's asking for is a bit of bend, nothing to make him resist or worry. if he's fine with that after a minute or two on both reins, attach the outside one too.
PM if you like, if that's confusing! good luck.
 
My instructor taught me to lunge in side reins last week as unlike when ridden, he can only have a consistent rein length and contact from the side reins.

We used a roller, bridle (no reins) and lunge line through the inside bit rung, over the head and clipped to the outside. We warmed up without the side reins, then connected them. The rings on the roller did not go low enough, so we looped them through the roller's girth billets.

Next time I will use a lunge cavesson (didn't use it 1st time as the throat latch needed extending), and remove the bridle's noseband.

I am doing it tomorrow evening it yoy want to come and watch!
 
Hi drjames, Thanks for the offer, I might just take you up on it if my attempt is pants, hopefully he will be fine .
Have found myself an instructer- Nikki Copestake a local woman who teaches in our area and competes horses for other people.
So everything is going to plan- except the lunging.

Good luck with yours!
 
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