Talk to me about lunge lessons

Sprat

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Are they worth it for improving an independent seat and hands?

What regularity would you recommend?
 

be positive

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Definitely, they can really help because the rider is able to focus on their seat etc without having to influence the horse.
I think it depends on the rider as to how often but like most lessons the more you have the more you benefit and the faster the progress, with beginners I have done a few 'crash courses' and most will get a long way in 4-5 lunge lessons that they would not if riding in a normal group type of lesson.
 

Mule

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I did some when I was re-learning to ride after about 15 years off. I found them great. I had trouble sitting to the canter without tensing up and bouncing and the lunge lessons really helped.
 

humblepie

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I think they are really good but struggle to find anywhere local to do them. I have had a couple of courses of them at a large well known dressage centre and on the first occasion after a couple of lessons they moved onto off the lunge lessons despite my having said I wanted lunge lessons. I just gave up and never went for the last lesson of the course despite having paid. The next lot at the same place a number of years later was better but instructor did always seem to look like they had something else they would prefer to be doing. Despite being a big training centre they just always seemed very disorganised. May try again at some point but very few places seem to offer them within an hour of me.
 

Mule

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An ideal place to go would be a riding school that trains people for the BHS exams. They are always happy for students to have people to practice things on.
 

ihatework

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They really are invaluable, even for fairly competent riders. But you also need a good instructor, one that really understands biomechanics.

When I took on a sensitive dressage horse I had to really pull apart my riding to start with. Over about 6-8 months I must of had about 10 sessions on a mechanical horse (with 2 different, both good) instructors and 2 concentrated residential spells at a big training center where I had lunge lessons in addition to regular lessons on my own.

A one off is fine, but to really make a difference you need to invest in re-education of your body!

If I wanted to go back to dressage now, I’d probably have to go down that route again, it’s anazing how quickly you can fall into bad habits 🙈😁
 

Littlebear

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I have one nearly every week, I am an instructor so do them for people regularly at the riding school I work at, some of the riders really need to be made aware of how good (or bad) their own balance and core strength is so that they start to focus on themselves and the effect they have on the horse.
At my yard one of the other liveries lunges me every week in trade for her own lesson. It really pushes me out of my comfort zone and I can really feel it the next day in all the right places, I do about 20 minutes which is enough for me (and the horse) but I definitely recommend them!
 

Sprat

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Thanks for the responses all.

Ihatework - following your 6-8 months of lessons, did you find there was much of a difference in your ridden work?

I'm not a novice rider, however I do think I have a whole host of issues with my ridden work that I'd like to crack this year.
 

DressageCob

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I find them very helpful. Intense and painful but very helpful. They offer them at my yard in the riding school. If you are in the Chester area send me a message and I'll forward you details :)
 

Cortez

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The first time I visited the stables where Reiner Klimke (father of Ingrid) kept his horses he was having a lunge lesson, being instructed by his groom. They are the making of the seat, and riding posture in general. I wish every riding instructor gave them/was competent to give them.
 

Red-1

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I think they are great as long as the horse and trainer are competent. Not much point going on a horse who is tense, hollow and in counter flexion as you will find you brace against it. Nothing finer than learning on lunge lessons on a horse that is balanced and soft through the back, you can sort yourself out.

A good trainer is key too. I used to be an exam assessor and the entry level trainers often did little more then repeat exercises with arms and legs, that would be fun but to little gain. A bio-mechanics aware person can make a huge difference in a short time.
 

Cortez

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When I first went out to Germany, I spent 3 months on the lunge with no reins and stirrups. It was an absolute revelation in terms of my riding - I hated it, but it worked!

Me too! I proved much light entertainment for a very long time as I discovered just how much I actually couldn't ride at all....
 

ihatework

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Thanks for the responses all.

Ihatework - following your 6-8 months of lessons, did you find there was much of a difference in your ridden work?

I'm not a novice rider, however I do think I have a whole host of issues with my ridden work that I'd like to crack this year.

Yes there was. I’d say more of an understanding of how my body and seat influenced things, how to plug my seat in etc. I certainly didn’t transform into Charlotte Dujardin (unfortunately) but it definitely added an extra layer of awareness and knowledge
 

Blazingsaddles

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When I first started riding in late 70’s, lessons on the lunge for beginners was statuatory at my riding school. No worrying about your hands & what they were doing, just focusing on your balance, seat aids etc. I wish more riding schools started beginners off with this method. I would love a lesson on the lunge now.
 

Mule

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I think they are great as long as the horse and trainer are competent. Not much point going on a horse who is tense, hollow and in counter flexion as you will find you brace against it. Nothing finer than learning on lunge lessons on a horse that is balanced and soft through the back, you can sort yourself out.

A good trainer is key too. I used to be an exam assessor and the entry level trainers often did little more then repeat exercises with arms and legs, that would be fun but to little gain. A bio-mechanics aware person can make a huge difference in a short time.
Surely all lunge lessons are given on horses in sidereins. There wouldn't be much point bouncing alone on something with a dip in its back.
 

Red-1

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Surely all lunge lessons are given on horses in sidereins. There wouldn't be much point bouncing alone on something with a dip in its back.
Side reins don’t automatically mean a horse is going well underneath you!!

No, many horses don't go well in side reins!

Wish it were that easy :p
 

Mule

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Never had a lunge lesson or even ridden on the lunge in my life... I can understand doing it if you're a beginner or something but whats the benefit?
Gives you a more independent and balanced seat and helps you feel the horse's movement. It's also good to teach you to use your seat to control the horse.
 
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Cortez

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Never had a lunge lesson or even ridden on the lunge in my life... I can understand doing it if you're a beginner or something but whats the benefit?

Basically, if the horse is well trained and the instructor knows what they're doing, it means that you finally get to feel what a horse going properly feels like without you mucking it up.....
 

Littlebear

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Never had a lunge lesson or even ridden on the lunge in my life... I can understand doing it if you're a beginner or something but whats the benefit?

If you are on a horse with no reins and no stirrups, there is nowhere to hide! You have to work on your own balance, co-ordination and core strength, by doing so you can create a feel for the movement and be able to ride in harmony without gripping in the wrong places, hanging onto the reins for balance or a whole host of other issues you may have, once you can do that and build up the strength and co-ordination you can start to ride with an independent seat and use the reins only for what they are intended - not for balance!
While you are going round you can work on exercises to improve the flexibility in your hips, depth of your seat, suppleness of your back etc, it gives you an awareness of your position in an way not much else can.
I was at the Arthur Kottas clinic yesterday and he was lunging some riders, most of those attending are professional riders/trainers and they are still being lunged!
 

teapot

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The problem is finding somewhere that offers them in walk/trot/canter, and having the staff to lunge properly.
 

FestiveFuzz

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I've had a few on M over the years as a means of being able to focus on my position without having to worry about him. As LittleBear says, there's nothing like no reins and stirrups to shine a light on your weaknesses, although it helps if you trust your horse/trainer implicitly!
 
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