Teaching a young horse how to be lunged

Seriously, I would get help from a decent trainer who is used to starting babies. It is so easy for things to go wrong at this stage, and much trickier to put things right after a set back. The trainer can teach both you and the horse. It's all about timing and positioning.

I wouldn't continue with the loose schooling, if I were you. There is much potential there for accidents and misbehaviour.

I generally allow a week to teach a young horse to lunge correctly and calmly, and build it up daily in bite seized increments. I have done it a couple of times in half an hour (cantering unbroken 3yos in an open field, on both reins, during a vetting) but prefer to take longer.

It is very important that they never learn that they can break away from you, and leg it. Once that has happened, life becomes much more difficult.
 
If you know what you are doing and have been around horses for a long time, go for it, but if not ask for help off a trainer or maybe someone at your stables or yard. When there young it's really easy to kick bad habits out of them especially when there young.

If you have had him for a long time, he will be used to your voice, and properly will know some voice commands. If I was you I would differently go for it, it's fun teaching a new horse, and also seeing their progress knowing you taught them, hope this helped��
 
Make sure you wear a hard hat, body protector and gloves. Get the halt command down 100% before you even attempt to lunge. And get a professional in to get you both started.
 
I totally agree with what people have said about getting a trainer in
But also could I ask how old your horse is
I generally don't lunge a young horse on a circle under 4 as being on a circle puts a grate strain on tendons etc
If he/ she is old enough I generally use 2 reins one normally the second round back end to make the horse go forwards
Some people tend to get someone to walk with the horse
So there get a idea of what your asking of them
But if you havnt attempted it before get a trainer to start both you and horse off
 
I agree with the advice to get a trainer's help. I am just starting my Dales youngster who is rising4. We start with close work and gradually I lengthen the lunge rein. if he starts rushing and feels insecure we go back to close work. I keep sessions short and only once a week for him at the moment. It is amazing how quickly they learn. A good trainer will assist you with balance and whip desensitising etc also.
 
First point: lunging isn't easy! So the advice to get a trainer to teach firstly you, then the horse, is good. Second point: lunging is a very useful training tool, if you mess it up you lose a whole area of education that will be hard to replicate in any other way.
 
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