Lunging without gadgets

[Bruce17]

What do people use to lunge with, if using no training aids? One line or two?

During lockdown I've been trying to work on lunging to get horse stretching and supple without gadgetry. It's improving but I'm concerned horse is looking a bit on the forehand.

I'm not confident with two lines, so have been using transitions and pole work.

Any tips appreciated!

 

[be positive]

I use one or two depending on the horse, having two can help get them a bit more engaged, give you the ability to move about more easily which can help keep them off the forehand, improve their balance and straightness, which in turn helps with suppleness, you can also do a bit more work going closer, long rein for a while and keep their interest.
I would continue as you are with transitions, poles, use them a little closer together to encourage slightly shorter steps with more lift and suspension rather than longer ones where they may have to reach out and become flatter, raising alternate sides will get them using their core, again keep them a fraction short so they don't rush and really swing the hips, transitions within the pace are all useful to get them working through the back which should help with what you are aiming for.
If you pop a second rein on for a few minutes to warm up you should start to get a bit more confidence with them and can do a little more as and when you feel ready, 5 mins long reining before lunging can be useful even if it is really simple walk, halt, walk and a few basic changes of rein.

 

[Bruce17]

I use one or two depending on the horse, having two can help get them a bit more engaged, give you the ability to move about more easily which can help keep them off the forehand, improve their balance and straightness, which in turn helps with suppleness, you can also do a bit more work going closer, long rein for a while and keep their interest.
I would continue as you are with transitions, poles, use them a little closer together to encourage slightly shorter steps with more lift and suspension rather than longer ones where they may have to reach out and become flatter, raising alternate sides will get them using their core, again keep them a fraction short so they don't rush and really swing the hips, transitions within the pace are all useful to get them working through the back which should help with what you are aiming for.
If you pop a second rein on for a few minutes to warm up you should start to get a bit more confidence with them and can do a little more as and when you feel ready, 5 mins long reining before lunging can be useful even if it is really simple walk, halt, walk and a few basic changes of rein.

Thanks for this. I'll definitely give shortening the poles a go.

I've been using the whole school rather than staying on a circle, I think that's better for them anyway and not so boring. But I will have a go with two lines just for a couple of mins to see if I can get better at managing it.

 

[Flicker]

I generally just lunge with one rein, as I lack the coordination to manage two plus lunge whip...

I also use the whole school, alternating going large with smaller circles. Poles in a fan shape are great for something to think about, raised poles brilliant too for getting them to lift. Lots of transitions.

I thought I could lunge, then my trainer gave me a proper lesson and it opened up so many more avenues. If you know a good trainer, get them to suggest some exercises for you to try.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I lunge using a roller with elasticated bandage round hindquarters to encourage more engagement as shown by my physio.

 

[fankino04]

I was only ever taught to lunge with 2 lines, I tend to alternate between long lining and lunging quite a bit in each session, sometimes lines are short and I'm quite close to the horse (by their side) other times it's a bit more traditional. I try to be quite flexible in my sessions and do a variety of movements and transitions and use the whole school. I will confess I find it really hard to lunge with 1 line as I can't "ride" the outside of the horse that way so feel like she gets overbent and falls in.

 

[Pippity]

I've just started lunging with two lines, and am finding it a lot more effective. I don't think I'm doing it the 'correct' way but it works for us. (I have my lines going through a high ring on the roller, so the outside line goes over her back to my hand, rather than around her quarters.) Because I have very limited time with her at the moment, her manners have rather gone to pot on the single-line lunge, and two lines gives me a lot more control.

I switch between long reining and lunging throughout our sessions, depending on whether I've run out of puff trying to keep up with her!

 

[Wheels]

I just use one line and carry a whip. If you are asking the horse to stretch forward and down then that will put them more on the forehand but it is a bit of a necessity at first to ensure they know they can move freely. How low are you asking him to stretch? Top of the neck being more or less horizontal is a good start pointing, any lower than that is too much. You are aiming for the neck to arch forward.

Are you able to ask the inside fore to step out and the inside hind to engage more under the midline? If you can do that then asking the hind to engage under the centre of gravity will automatically lift the forehand. It is and should be progressive.

Transitions between and within paces, changes of direction, shoulder in and changes of frame are all ways to school the horse on the lunge as they are with riding

 

[scats]

I lunge Polly with two lines, through a roller. This enables me to change the rein easily and do some long reining inbetween. Because I always class her as a rehab case, due to having mild PSD, long reining is part of her weekly work and she does at least 2 sessions. She is amazing at it and prefers it to lunging, where she has a tendency to be silly and throw gymnastic shapes.

Millie I tend to lunge her simply for exercise, perhaps once every 10 days when I’m too knackered to actually get on board. She just wears a lunge cavesson and boots and I use one line. Both girls will stretch down on a voice command (very easy to do if you teach them while riding).

 

[Leandy]

In all honesty, there is a limit to what you can do without "gadgetry" (do you include side reins in that term?) as regards balance and suppleness. Encouraging them to know how to stretch down is good, but I'd suggest that once they have got that, you have probably reached the limit of the benefit of no "gadgetry". If you want to improve balance and the horse working over the back into a contact whilst remaining supple and soft, you will need to use "gadgetry" to take the place of the rider unless you are very adept with long reins to achieve the same thing. Take a look at very experienced professionals working advanced horses in long reins, you will find most also use side reins to set the parameters of the basic outline. Slopping around long and on the forehand has little value to training once a horse has learnt to stretch and they will inevitably end up on the forehand if you allow it, that is the point of training, to take them off the forehand but you can't do that without a contact for them to work into. So you must supply the contact.