lunging with two lines

[Jellicle]

Stupid question: what does this involve? Is it like long reining? Does one line go around the horse?

It's just I see people recommend it but don't really know what it is.

 

[Helenabbey]

One line goes around the horse, yes. I find it more productive than lunging as you can turn the horse and control speed, impulsion more with 2 reins.

 

[cosmo_sam]

I've just recently started doing this with G.

I had my instructor give me a lesson in long reining and now I only ever use 2 lines.

Yes one goes around the horse

George loves it! and it makes it much easier to keep things varied and even with him - ie I can now warm up evenly on both reins without having to stop and change sides etc

we LOVE doing figure of 8s in trot!!

 

[horsegirl]

I try this with my boy but if I run the line through the roller or stirrups the inside one runs out from his middle and if I don't then the outside one gets tangled up, what am I doing wrong?

 

[cosmo_sam]

I initially did it through the stirrups, the then Sue (my instructor) said she prefers it not thread through the stirrups once you're a little more confident.

Now and just have the inside line like normal lunging, and the outside line around the back

Oh another tip, don't worry about wrapping the lines, just let them trail. I was scared I'd get tangled up, but you soon get a feel for where they are, and it's much easier

 

[vicm2509]

It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it tbh.

I shorten the stirrups as short as they will go so they dont bang on his sides. I then just attach one line to one side of his bit then through the stirrup, do the same to the other side with the other line then start by long reining. Then turn him so he is on a circle. On the circle you should make a point of a triancle with the horse and each line being the sides of the triangle if that makes sense.

If the outside line gets tangled just let go of it and keep the horse in walk, it will sort itself out.

Practice in walk for a while doing walk to halt and changes of rein, you will get the hang of it and its really beneficial once you get going.

 

[elliefiz]

Lunging with two lines can be quite tricky to begin with because you need to keep the pressure even on both reins and make sure that the line going behind the horse isnt too low or too high up. Also alot of horses panic being lunged like this because of the line touching their back legs so its a good idea to maybe have a lesson doing it when you start. Ive lunged like this for years but i received a pessoa system as a present last year and it works on the same principles as lunging with two reins i.e. encourages horses to work from behind and in a more balanced way and its much easier to use. You can pick them up quite cheaply on ebay ive recommended them to my livery clients and they all swear by it now.

 

[vivhewe]

I like it as my boy works better with two lunge lines and I can remember someone on here (Henryhorn I think it was) telling me lunging with two lines is the 'correct' way to do it. I started long reining in walk, then changing direction with the two lines so I got the hang of the turning lark, and how long the outside rein needed to be compared to the inside and so on, and now it comes naturally.

You also have control on both sides of the horses bit, and it teaches them voice commands which are just as important as the seat and legs and weight etc. If they do need encouragement you can jiggle the rein around the back end to encourage them forwards, and I've found that jumping up and down on the spot swearing also worked on one occasion

but I wouldn't reccomend it

You will get the hang of it. Good Luck

 

[Jackster]

I always lunge my boy with 2 lines. Started uesing the Claire Lilley lunging kit. The lunge line comes as one long piece, there are clips at each end so you can lunge with 2 lines without getting into a mess. If you buy the set you get a training DVD, thats got loads of tips etc to make lunging more fun. I would never go back to coventional lunging with side reins. My horse now goes in a fab outline on the lunge, without feeling like i'm forcing it.

 

[Jellicle]

thanks everyone!