Struggling to lunge, can anyone help?

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CobsGalore

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5 year old who has never been taught to lunge. Long reins beautifully and will walk round me on a circle on both reins (with 2 lines) but as soon as I ask him to trot he panics, runs round as fast as he can getting closer and closer to me until he eventually turns in to face me.

Because he is on 2 lines I can then turn him back out onto the circle and try again, but he just rushes and the circle gets smaller and smaller until he is right next to me.

I don't know what to do to teach him not to rush round?

He is a dream to ride, so shall I just forget the lunging and ride? I feel it's something he needs to learn though, if I even can't ride and need to exercise him.
 
If you have two reins you should be able to hold him out with the outside one before he gets to the point of turning in. I would start by long reining with you following but just to one side, when he can trot like this gradually bring onto a circle, if he starts rushing go larger or all the way round the school, use your outside rein to regulate the pace if you need to.
It may be that he will settle on a circle, if you can hold him out, dont worry about him rushing at first, as long as you can hold him he will eventually run out of steam.

He may be better on one rein than he is the other so try some figures of eight, they will also help with control. Plenty of transitions once he has learnt to stay in trot but get him forward first.

Just to say I have one that did not get lunging but having left it for a year he now understands much better what is required so if you do not need to do any leave it for a while.
 
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Thank you, I will try some of your suggestions. I did try and hold him out on the circle with the outside rein, but it doesn't last for long, he spins one way or the other and stops. I feel he gets frustrated, which then makes me frustrated too.

I wasn't sure whether I should persevere now, or just leave it if we are not getting anywhere and wait til next year or something to try again :(
 
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