lunging with two reins

dwi

dwi

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Daisy has come on massively with her lunging so I decided to try her with two reins so that I could get a bit more control and move it on from being winging round the manege on the end of a line.

She went beautifully on one rein but flatly refused on the other rein and I didn't have a whole lot of control over speed on either rein. How do I get her to move away without the use of a whip? I wouldn't have said that I use the whip much, at first I din't lunge her with it at all because it freaked her out and even now I tend to only use it to get her to move out and then drop it at my feet once she's out.

Any tips gratefully received. I tried a rather ineffective flapping of the line that was behind her back legs but she wasn't having any of it
 
sounds messy but kick mud at her ..sound awfuull but it works with my ned...kick mud and say out ..so she becomes use to the comand ..
 
How and what are you attaching the two reins to.....?
I'm hoping it's the horse....
S
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I'm sorry but pmsl, you should see our school at the moment. I have to lunge standing in about two inches of water, no chance of kicking anything at her
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How and what are you attaching the two reins to.....?
I'm hoping it's the horse....
S
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Well I'm attached to one end.... desperately hanging on as she ploughs through yet another puddle
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On a more serious note, I attached the lunge reins to the rings from the nose strap of her dually halter and then ran them through the side rings of the lunge roller. I prefer lunging in her halter rather than from the bit, presumably that wouldn't make a difference in this case?
 
Ok, I see how you're doing it.
This may sound odd, but I'd start off 'driving' her in long reins...round the yard or tracks, rather than in the school.
Attach the clips to either the bit rings...or to the side rings of a lunging cavesson....(I would suspect your dually will twist round on her head when you use just one rein to give a right or left rein aid). Then run them through string loops tied to the lunge roller (for safety breakage if nec.).
Have the excess lunge line in loops in each hand (so you can't trip
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) and carry a whip, but stay far enough directly behind her that she can't kick you. And carry either a lunge, driving or schooling whip depending on how idle she is.
Then you start the driven longreining, walking directly behind her.
You need to practice turning her from side to side, halting her, walking her on..and if you're fit enough, trotting her. Use the reins as you would when riding, and give clear voice commands. You can do leg yield, shoulder in and all sorts like this, if you so wish.
When she accepts contact and steering from each rein, take her back in the school...and walk a few circles still with you behind her.
Gradually transfer yourself to the middle of a circle, by passing the outside rein over her back (lots of horses object to it round their hindquarters)...you should find that you have established control so can control the amount of bend, use your reins to half halt etc on the circle with you in the middle.
Lengthy post - sorry!
S
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thanks shilasdair, a very clear explanation

*mince pies to you for the first completely serious post of yours that I have ever read*
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I do sometimes have a twinge of seriousness...but I try to quell it quickly....hope it made sense...
S
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Hi,

Just to add to shilasdair, I went to A maxwell demo and since then have done it with saddle and stirrups, tie the stirrups together under the horse with an old stirrup leather, then she will get the feel of your legs, go from the bit through the stirrup leathers and back to you, don't go too close to start with, send her on with lots of verbal encouragement, then gradually come round sideways by which time you have the outside rein under the tail, it doesn't matter if the reins are at all loose as it's good for them to get used to odd things flapping about around them, just be careful not to 'block' too much with the reins - if she wants to hoon, let her, she wont go round for ever, oh and make sure the lunge reins are long enough, if I'm doing a bigger horse I sometimes join 2 together on each side. Hope this helps.
 
You need to get her to stay out with assertive body language; stand tall, square shoulders, chin up, look her in the eye all the time (unless you want to slow her). If she's still coming in try stamping you feet a bit to move her on more- and you need to be a slightly further back position, so you are driving her forwards, than for traditional lunging.
It might be easier to get her going down the side of an arena then practice turns etc before trying it on a circle, if you havent got a lung ring/ round pen to work in.
 
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Hi,

Just to add to shilasdair, I went to A maxwell demo and since then have done it with saddle and stirrups, tie the stirrups together under the horse with an old stirrup leather, then she will get the feel of your legs, go from the bit through the stirrup leathers and back to you, don't go too close to start with, send her on with lots of verbal encouragement, then gradually come round sideways by which time you have the outside rein under the tail, it doesn't matter if the reins are at all loose as it's good for them to get used to odd things flapping about around them, just be careful not to 'block' too much with the reins - if she wants to hoon, let her, she wont go round for ever, oh and make sure the lunge reins are long enough, if I'm doing a bigger horse I sometimes join 2 together on each side. Hope this helps.

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You can use the saddle...but I don't for a couple of reasons...firstly I usually lunge when the weather is bad...and I don't want my saddle to get rained on or, Devil forbid, I'd have to clean it. Secondly, if your horse is seriously stupid and falls, they can ruin the tree....too expensive, and land on the stirrups...I've known this to happen and horses to break a rib.
S
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On a more serious note, I attached the lunge reins to the rings from the nose strap of her dually halter and then ran them through the side rings of the lunge roller. I prefer lunging in her halter rather than from the bit, presumably that wouldn't make a difference in this case?

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you would have more control from the bit. she is igoring it because of the halter I would say
 
I agree with gentle-warrior, but to add-on to the saddle thing, I've got a few odd old saddles which I normally use for a youngster to save using a good one. You definitely need to use a bit to start with though. My horse used to try to come in and mug me when I first got her but I've had her about 4 years now and can lunge her off a rope halter now. It's about teaching them respect for you and being firm but not rough. Also Air78 is right about the body position, Monty Roberts is big on the eye thing and it does work. Hope we've all helped you!
 
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