Need some lunging inspiration please.

[Doormouse]

Storm has woken me up, so am wide awake now!

I have managed to give my horse a sore back and he is on antibiotics, feeling rather guilty, and so am grounded for a week. Lunging to keep him fit but am struggling for a bit of inspiration to make it a bit more interesting for both of us and to make this time productive.

He is a 5 year old ISH, weak behind and goes disunited in canter, especially on one rein (back has been done and is ongoing, need to build the muscle) so have been doing raised trotting poles and lots of transitions but otherwise i am a bit uninspired with ideas. He can't wear a roller so is just on a rubber bit with lunge over head as I can't hold him on a cavasson without side reins.

He is being very good considering he is hunting fit and not really used to masses of schooling but I can tell he is very bored after about 10 mins as am I but I know he needs longer than that to keep his fitness up.

All ideas very welcome please.

 

[be positive]

He should not be bored after just 10 mins, even if you are lunging him each day, that is only 5 mins on each rein in walk and trot to warm up ready for work. Once he has done the initial 5 mins loosening up start to ask for more activity within each pace and through the transitions, focus on how he uses his hind leg if he is working well there should be no time fore either of you to be bored. Move him around the school onto straight lines, back onto a circle, make the circle different sizes, use poles in different places, different distances, raised one side, alternate sides.
Try using 2 reins so you can move about onto long reining for a change it may help get him using his back more correctly, lunging effectively getting the horse really working should be a challenge if you are bored it is probably because you are not asking enough of him, if he is not really focused on work he will also appear bored, work on slightly different things each day just as you would under saddle, the basic requirements remain the same the approach can be changed so it is not too repetitive.

 

[nianya]

Can you ground drive/long line instead of just lunging?

Vocab getting me again, I don't know what a "roller" is. I used to ground drive my old girl once she was unridable just to keep her from getting bored. Always with a bridle/bit and surcingle.

 

[Wheels]

What be positive says!!! Lunging done well is far from boring