Struggling to get to grips with lunge/ground work...

[karen_c]

Looking for help/tips and recommendations for good books to help me with lunge/ground work please...

I have a 4yr old WB gelding and this is my first time with a baby pony. We are having regular lessons both with his previous owner (who is a good friend of mine and very experienced) and very good RI so we are working on lunge work as well as ridden work regularly.

I had never lunged before this so new to me - we are making progress but sometimes I am still struggling with the body language aspect especially when it comes to getting him to move forward or working on lateral movement on the lunge. When I watch my RI lunge him she barely seems to have to move and he picks up what she is asking for and I don't seem able to generate the same effect...any hints or tips gratefully received!

If any of you can recommend a good book on the subject would be very grateful

G&T/tipple of your choice for all of you who made it through my ramblings!

 

[Snowysadude]

I dont have any tips it just to practice and perseverance (on both my and the horses part!) to get anywhere with him, bit different because I had many horses before but he used to bolt off and get free on the lunge. Just posting really to bump this up for you and see if anyone has any helpful hints

 

[the watcher]

Lungeing is hard work for a horse that is still growing and that is one of the reasons it wouldn't be my first choice for schooling and exercising.

However, if you are determined to do it...your horse has worked out that at the moment you are a bit of a pushover, this isn't so much about technique as about him not respecting your instructions therefore I would start with leading the horse. Walk on, halt, turn, everything you can do on a lead rein carrying a short stick if necessary until your horse responds instantly to your aids..then lengthen your lead rope until the horse is still responding at the far end of the lead rope and is constantly waiting for your next instruction. Then you can progress to the lunge line.

For lateral work and training I much prefer long reining and I find that horses pick this up really quickly, especially if already broken to ride....a few weeks ago I taught an unbacked 3 year old to long rein, he had been lunged but had no understanding for pressure through the rein...within 20 minutes he was zigzagging happily across the school on two long lines

 

[BeBopTalulah]

...your horse has worked out that at the moment you are a bit of a pushover, this isn't so much about technique as about him not respecting your instructions therefore I would start with leading the horse. Walk on, halt, turn, everything you can do on a lead rein carrying a short stick if necessary until your horse responds instantly to your aids..then lengthen your lead rope until the horse is still responding at the far end of the lead rope and is constantly waiting for your next instruction. Then you can progress to the lunge line.

This is good advice. My 4yr old is just broken, and we started on the lunge 6 weeks ago. Keep the sessions short, like 20 minutes short. And always end on a good note. A good book is The Young Horse Breaking & Training by Jennie Loriston-Clarke. There are some good sections on basic training, and although a lot of it is aimed at professional eventers, I found it useful. Keep getting lessons and it will come. When I first lunged Lu, she walked round in one perfect circle, decided she'd had enough and took off for the gate (obviously forgetting that I was attached ). Luckily this was before we introduced the bit! She caught-on very quickly, and I really think she enjoys it now Good luck with your baby!

 

[eatmoremincepies]

Recommend you get someone to video you lunging and then compare it to what your RI does. Can be cringeworthy! but will really help you see whay your horse sees and why he isn't reacting the same way.