Problems lunging my mare!

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odette123

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Hiya im new here and was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice on lunging my mare as she doesn't seam to know how to do it?
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Shes 6 coming on 7yrs old. I've tried lunging her in tack and in the cavasson and roller but that doesn't seam to change anything. When i ask her to walk on she doesn't seam to understand what im asking her to do, and turns towards and walks to me. If i carry on working on it with her she gets fed up and starts mis-behaving and trys turning her bum in towards me, aswell as this the other day she turned towards me and done a very small rear. She often pins her ears back and comes in towards me, like she is lunging at me and telling me off! She is normally very kind natured and wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose.
I would like to lunge her as she lacks body muscle and i would like to build it up, and its hard to ride now that its winter as im short in time because it gets dark so early
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Does anybody have any advice or tips they could give me? Thanks.
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You could try getting someone to lead her so they show her where to go whilst you are asking her to move away from you. That person could then walk round the outside of the circle with her until she learns to do it herself. I would be quite firm with her, most horses do mess around abit when being taught to lunge. Do you know about the lunging triangle? (Handler forms point of triangle, horse is opposite side and then whip and lunge line form the other sides.) Try to stick to this shape, if she tries to turn towards you get behind her more so that she can't. Try never to get infront of her. It may help to long line her (if you know how to do this) as then you have a hold of her outside rein so can stop her from turning in.
 
I've tried that once, (forgot to mention it in the OP) and got my sister to walk round with her, and she got nibbled on several times! lol, but i will continue to do this and see how she progresses.
No im not sure about long lining her? I know its basically ground driving them without a cart? but i wouldn't be sure on how to do it properly?
Thanks PaintedLucky.
Anymore advice?
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Turning towards you, i have been told by my instructor, is a sign of dominance, I think the best thing you can do is start from square one, walk her in the circle first, and lengthen the line gradually so you are walking into the middle of the circle, just keep persisting, and try not to let her turn on you, she will learn that she has dominance over you and play up even more.
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Thats another thing i was going to suggest, remember to keep behind her shoulder, try and keep her in the "triangle" this is when you keep the whip and rein as the sides, and her as the base. (as explained by PaintedLucky)
 
yes, i have tried to maintain that position, but im finding it hard as she turns sharply. Another thing is with the lunge whip she always keeps her eye on it and follows where it goes, she doesn't seam to keen on it being behind her where she can't see it as well. Could this be another reason why she turns into me?
 
Could you get someone to ride her on the lunge?
If she is unsure about what the lunge is, it may help to get her used to the line, the circling, the whip etc.

It helped my horse who was as thick as a plank when it came to lungeing, now at least he will go properly (with the occasional bit of stubbon-ness!)
 
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Could you get someone to ride her on the lunge?


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I haven't tried that yet, but it seams like a good idea! The only thing that makes it worse is that she doesn't enjoy being schooled much, inside a field/school. She is so much happier out on a hack and works so much better. I think its to do with boredom.

thanks slinkyunicorn. How much roughly do instructors cost, on average?
 
If you are working in the grazing place, some horses get a bit narky, seeing it as their territory and not a work place
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If you have an area out of the field, maybe that would help too.
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yeah, its in her field, but we have a section sectioned off to school her in, so all though its in her surrondings in the field shes never actually grazed in their before.
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You need to be careful where you are pointing the lunge whip,

If you are pointing it at her 1/4's you are asking her to move her 1/4's away - ie turn and face you.

If you do this and she obeys what you are asking and then you either tell her off or give another unclear signal she is likely to get cross - along the lines of - what the hell do you want then?

Just a thought - might be completely wrong.
 
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It might also be worth getting an instructor to give you a lesson in lunging - will be able to give you loads of tips to get you both working best way.

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Ditto - my pony knows how to work on the lunge but until I had a 'proper' lesson with an instructor I didn't realise how much of it is about body language too - it made a big difference.

I pay £20 an hour for a lesson at her yard
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chumsmum thanks.
and the price isn't too bad. might be worth looking up an instructor if we dont progress then.
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thanks everyone!

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I would look around for a decent instructor anyway - there is always something you can learn even if you can only afford a lesson a month. A decent instructor will give you homework!! My instructor is £30 an hour and worth every penny. Over the years has helped me with loads of things I didn't know about - not just riding but tack, lunging, assessing potential purchases etc etc - is a walking and talking reference point for me! Look around and talk to different intructors to find one you 'gel' with - lessons are a big cost from which you can get huge benefit BUT it will only happen if you and horse get on with your instructor.
 
use two lines and the bridle, i had this problem. 1st i long reined for a week or two, using two lines, then started to lung still on two lines as the out side lung line will keep the horse going (as you can push the horse on with the lung line) then once you and the horse are going well, take the outside line off. The horse should no by now, what you expect him to do. Don't rush the lunging, if you can help it
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I never use a lung whip unless i feel unsafe with a horse, as if you take yr time with two lines to begin with the horse should understand yr aids...
 
She may also play up if she is fresh. Perhaps you could try practicing the lunge as a warm-down after a good hack when she is tired and not so sharp, that way she should be more tuned in to you.
Either way, if she simply doesn't know how to lunge and you aren't confident neither of you will get anywhere so you should definately get some help from an experienced lunger/instructor.
 
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This is what I would do.
Firstly, always tack her up in her lunging tack; bridle (with reins twisted up and secured with the throatlash), cavesson, roller, boots.
Then teach her the voice aids in hand; she should know 'walk on', 'trot on', 'whoa and stand' as well as 'over' and 'back'. If she is not inclined to bite, you could reward her with a treat occasionally when she gets it right.
Next, with a schooling whip, walk round the school with her, but introduce a bit of distance between you, enough that you have space to point the schooling whip at her hindquarters and even tap her hocks with it if she doesn't go forward. Make sure she remembers all the commands, and praise her for good behaviour. If she creeps towards you, flick the schooling whip at her middle, saying 'over' or 'out', whatever your command is.
If you can gradually let her get further away from you, while walking large round the school for you, with her still being obedient, that's great - start using a lunge whip instead of the schooling whip.
If she has trouble grasping the idea, you can try a different approach - recruit a human to walk round on the lunge circle with her, halting when you say halt, walking when you say walk etc, but staying silent. As she progresses, your handler should gradually move along the lunge line, towards joining you in the middle, leaving your horse alone.
Hope this works.
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thanks everyone so much.
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im going to work on lunging her for a while, and just see how it goes, if i take it nice and slow from the begining hopefully she will grasp it..
everyones advice has been really useful and has taught me a few things!
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do you think it works best with the bridle on aswell then as i only have used the cavesson? She may respond better with her bridle on.
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Firstly, always tack her up in her lunging tack; bridle (with reins twisted up and secured with the throatlash), cavesson, roller, boots.


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Everyone is sayinig the right things.....when I start a youngster i would always have someone walk round with the horse first as they can lose confidence when they first move away from you. Keep the circle fairly small so that you can drive on with the lunging whip (or smaller whip if that suits her better) by moving it (waving it) at an angle that hits just behind her quarters.

Most important is body language and your voice. You need to vocalise in the right way- firm bright sounds when going up the gears, long drawn out vowels and quieter when slowing down. If the horse turns in and challenges you, stand up straight and tall, look it in the eye, say walk on and flick your whip to its quarters. Once the horse moves on, reward it by taking the pressure from the whip away (stop waggling it!) and relax your body somewhat.

Remember not to get ahead of the horse on the circle and cut it off - can done when you are new to lunging and are not sure where to put yourself.

I would say a lesson would be worth its weight in gold
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thanks everyone so much.
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im going to work on lunging her for a while, and just see how it goes, if i take it nice and slow from the begining hopefully she will grasp it..
everyones advice has been really useful and has taught me a few things!
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do you think it works best with the bridle on aswell then as i only have used the cavesson? She may respond better with her bridle on.
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Firstly, always tack her up in her lunging tack; bridle (with reins twisted up and secured with the throatlash), cavesson, roller, boots.


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I would take the reins off, as no need for them,cavesson depends on if you use two lines or one, and what works for you.
 
okay, ill try it with her bridle on next time, and take it step by step and have someone else with me so they can help guide her next to her and see how that works..
i'll also try to long line her and see what shes like with that.
thanks everyone so much.
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You do need a bridle if you are intending to work her to build muscle; that will require her to be in some form of outline, usually achieved by attaching side reins to the bit rings.
Personally, I would twist the reins up rather than removing them as I am too lazy to keep removing and reattaching reins!
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You do need a bridle if you are intending to work her to build muscle; that will require her to be in some form of outline, usually achieved by attaching side reins to the bit rings.
Personally, I would twist the reins up rather than removing them as I am too lazy to keep removing and reattaching reins!
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LOL, me too
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so i got an old bridle that i only use for lunging
 
I much prefer lunging from the bridle, in fact always do - people have all sorts of preferences, but I put the clip though the nearside bit ring, then pass it up and over the poll and clip it onto the offside bit ring, then attach side reins. My trainer also recommends this method - it gives some level of feel on the mouth and helps to improve control.

If you can work up to using two long reins while staying on a lunge circle, then even better as you can talk down both reins and also control the bend a little more.
 
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