lunging !!

ponboyandbaby

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I have a 7 y/o horse who is not lunging at all ! I'll put the lunge line on her and step away from her and she auntomatically turns her face so she's facing me when I try to continue with the Excersize she throws her head , or jumps or kicks out , she almost kicked me today . She will become more rebellious when I try to use the whip
 

JillA

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Get someone who knows what they are doing to help - lunging is counterintuitive to horses who have never been taught because it involves walking away from the person they have learned to follow. It isn't as easy as experienced people make it look unless one of you (the horse) knows what they are doing.
 

Shay

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Exactly. Don't press the point -she clearly doesn't understand what is being asked of her. You need someone to help you to teach her.
 

AengusOg

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I'll put the lunge line on her and step away from her and she auntomatically turns her face so she's facing

That what the untrained horse will do if you step away from her.

You have to train the horse to yield its fore end away, first by touch, then by use of your posture, so that she understands that she must not turn to follow when you step away. Then you can set the horse up, step back, and send the horse on. If she attempts to turn in, you step toward the horse to dissuade the evasion. As you have already taught her to yield her fore, she will respond to your stepping in by staying out on the circle and moving forward.

Be careful not to drive her rear end too much as that will cause her to turn and evade. Also, don't keep the horse going on a short line as she will find that quite hard work and will want to evade that as well. The more line she has once she is going forward, the more comfortable she will be and so she will be less likely to give you trouble.

Lunging horses is a very interactive exercise. Sometimes you have to be slightly in front of them, sometimes a bit behind. Sometimes up and after them, sometimes not. It all depends on the horse and its understanding of what is required, but you have to work at it as well.
 

njc

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I don't disagree with the above but if you have a friend who can help you can have them stand at the horses head and lead the horse round the circle, my horse soon got the idea with this method and the helper stepped away. You can then work on the posture methods above and if still struggling you could get a groundwork lesson
 

Barnacle

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Do you have a fairly small enclosed space you can work in? If so, ditch the lunge line altogether and just get the horse moving around you in the space (calmly!). Point in the direction you want the horse to go and hold the whip up behind it as if to guide it - just as if you're lunging. Don't over-do it. If you can get the horse to just walk, it's better than having it zoom around. No need for a neat circle - just make sure the horse isn't changing directions when you're not asking it to. If it tries, you HAVE to intercept it and make it go back the other way no matter what. Otherwise you're not solving any problems. Keep at it both ways, then clip the line back on and your horse may "magically" have learned to lunge. This isn't how I teach a horse to lunge... But if you're not very experienced and don't want to end up having to "fight" the horse because you don't know how to read when they are about to turn in, this is the easiest way to get them to go forward and away without getting someone experienced to teach them for you. Use a schooling whip and just smack it on the ground if the horse is ignoring you or threatens to kick. Obviously, don't do this if the horse is hard to catch. If you're not experienced and not secure about catching the horse, best not attempt this method on your own as your body language will tell your horse when you are ready for it to come in and be caught - and if you aren't aware of your body language, you will find it hard to get the horse back after you've been chasing it around!
 
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Simon Battram

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Ok it sounds like she has not been taught to lunge before. However the first port of call in this situation, which I have seen many, many times before is to start with leading in hand properly.

Start off leading her around the school. The aim is for her to walk smartly forwards, not pulling ahead, not pulling away and not lagging behind. Ideally you need to be walking with your shoulder level roughly with the middle of her neck. Then repeat this from both directions. Practise this first until the horse really leads well and is comfortable with the theme. Then start with some walk halt walks in hand with her stopping off your voice not your body language. The reason for this is when you are lunging and are standing still your body is still so you cannot use your body stopping as a tool. Also at this point make sure she is ok with the lunge whip - in halt gently rub the whip all over and show her its ok.

Then start leading her again and gently allow the lunge line out a little so there is a little (1 or 2m) distance between you two and that she remains walking smartly forwards. The aim when starting to lunge is that you never step back - the theme is the horse walks away from you. Then start to let out the lunge line and bring the whip around behind you to the free hand and start gently driving her forwards and away.
Always better though as others have said to get some knowledgeable help to get you both started.
 
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