teaching a youngster to lunge/longrein

[catwithclaws]

i've been asked to help a friend with her NF youngster this spring. he is 3 years old and ready to start doing a little bit of gentle work. although i've done a fair bit of work with young horses, i've never taught them to lunge/longrein from scratch.

had a first go this morning, luckily he seemed to pick it up fairly quickly (i.e he knew how to walk in a circle without turning in) however he was very reluctant to go forward and kept stopping. talking to him didnt work and he was not at all bothered about being touched with the lunge whip.

any suggestions??

 

[Sparkles]

Have someone by his head or use body language/positioning correctly. When I first lunge if I'm doing it by myself, I'll do around playing with groundwork first getting them soft - ie, backing up, moving round from you, walking forwards, ground tying, etc. Then, as you're sending them back/forwards/sideways, just incorporate it into lunging, so you're sending them out away from you, keep slightly behind their shoulders at an angle to them and walk round with them first in a position where you're almost where you would be long reining [though slightly out - not right behind them, just enough to be behind them enough to push them forwards] and then just gradually ease yourself in more and walk round less with them, till they're lunging with you just stood, parallel to their shoulder like normal.


Same with long reining really after, do the same first on the circle but just with the two lines - I stay fairly close to them [NOT correct I know, but however, I'll take that risk providing it's not a horse I think would kick easily] and then again, just ease the lines out once they start getting it more. I never long rein with a stick, I'll just waggle the lines by their sides and use voice and body again. They generally get it pretty quick.

I've always played around getting them mouthed up for a couple of times before this, just leaving them with a bit in to think about, then getting them used to yielding to it in-hand first - flexing them lightly both ways with the bit and turning them on the spot etc. Ideally, if you can have someone else there, then I'd suggest it if you're running into problems, but it's not essential.