Need advice with my youngster...

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GinGin2

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My boy will be 3 in June. I have pretty much left him to be a baby but we have done a little long-reining, been out on walks, done some bombproofing. He has great manners and is really easy to deal with in general.

I'm finding that I need someone with me when I long-rein or he just doesn't have the confidence to walk off without someone at or near his head.

Trouble is it's not always possible as I am at the yard on my own alot. I've always said that lunging is not good for young legs... my question is... would 10 minutes on the lunge be ok a couple of times a week??

My theory is I can lunge on my own no problem, and I am hoping I can get him more confident acting on my voice commands without someone at/near his head. So if I can get him confident on the lunge, we might have more luck long-reining on our own.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?
 
I wouldnt lunge as this can put extra strain on legs even ten mins
I would just carry on with longreining and try to incurrage him to walk on by him self or try starting of like you are going to lunge with one lunge line around the bum and one like your going to lunge then just slowly go be hind and encorage him to walk on
cause have someone to lead they depend on that person and can become a problem to wean off
 
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try starting of like you are going to lunge with one lunge line around the bum and one like your going to lunge then just slowly go be hind and encorage him to walk on


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I'll try that tonight thanks..
 
even if you carry a small crop with you
you dont have to use it
im not the person to use a whip but i had carry one as i had the same problem.
 
As with all things, common sense is needed! Obviously if you're going to lunge him for 20 minutes every day, at a canter, then no, not the way to go!
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But sensible lunging at walk with a little trot would definitely help to establish your ground work better. You could lunge with double reins and set up trotting poles like train lines and aim him through them rather than over them (does that make sense?) so you're concentrating on steering etc...
 
'trotting poles like train lines'


what great advice to get a horse moving in front of u on long reins !! have a very tall 3yold i dont wanna lunge too much (strain on joints ect) but hes reluctant to go forward and i dont have anyone to help(n would rather do myself really) hes very keen to do the right thing just doesnt 'get it/know which direction to go in' gonna give this a try tomorrow n see what happens!!!
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When Chancer was that age I did (and still do) a mixture of lunging and long reining. I start on the lunge for a couple of minutes - but using the whole school and not staying on a circle. I normally use two reins for lunging so it is easy to go from working on the lunge to being behind and then doing some work on long reins I normally do this to change the rein, 5 mins long reining and then back to lunging for a few minutes round the school.

We did establish going round the school on a lunge rein - using long sides etc before working our way back and behind. He then needed to understand the rein aids but it only took him one session to do so.

Chancer is a chunky gypsy cob and we do about 15 - 20 mins doing a mixture of the two, mainly walk and some trotting twice a week. He now does some canter work on a 20 m circle but he is rising 4 and for a youngster, very balanced.

Once established in the school we went out onto the bridleway.

I do carry a schooling whip - he did go through a stage of walking back at me and a few taps made it clear that forward was the way to go. He was not spooky, just trying to see what he could get away with at the time, he can be a cheeky little bugger. That will not work for all horses but did for him.
 
WOW, theresa, sounds like your youngun is doing great. Phoenix is a darling, and we have a great bond, but (and I hate to say it) he's not the sharpest tool in the box - we'll get there eventually.
 
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