Teaching my youngster to lunge

asommerville

asommerville

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I bought a 3 year old gelding a few weeks ago, have been taking my time doing groundwork with him and walking him over poles and getting him used t listening to me and to my voice commands. He is coming on really well considering he was quite nervous when i bought him. he has had a bit in for about 5-10 minutes at a time, just to start getting him used to it. I am looking to start lunging him but woudl appreciate if anyone has any tips. I feel like i have spent all this time getting his trust and getting him to come to me and now he can't understand that i want him to go away from me. We have only tried a wee bit of lunging, i have tried getting someone else to lead him while i stay in the middle however he is still more interested in what i am doing! I know it will tkae a whhile for him to understand what i am asking for and i don't expect him to do this overnight at all, however if anyone has any tips then they would be much appreciated!
 
I found 2 lunge lines helpes - one each side of horse. Helped me keep my baby out as she did the same. Now she is all growed up and a good girl :p
 
my youngster was the same when i tried to teach him to lunge. I would get him doing one lap of a circle around me, then he would stop and turn towards me! coming in for a cuddle lol. Took me ages but one lady helped me and said the best way to keep them out is to position yourself slightly behind them in the middle of the circle to encourage them forwards. if he is nervous perhaps do a few laps then make him stand then you walk towards him and fuss him and reward him. that way he wont learn to come in on the circle.
Also long reining may help and teaches them to stear, though that depends if you have bitted him.
Hope this helps!
 
You need to stand level with the girth line of your horse, so slightly behind his shoulder. Stand in an open V with your arms - so the lunge whip should be up and behind him. This will stop him from coming in to you all the time.
 
lunge off a headcollar with 2 lines- the outside line clips to the side ring on the headcollar and then comes over the wither (preferably threaded through a balance strap on roller/saddle).

you can then use this outside line to show him you want him to stay out and i find they learn a lot quicker like this than with one line and a lunge whip.

the inside line is clipped to the inside ring on the headcollar and used to help keep the shape of the circle.
 
I found an extra pair of hands was great. I lunged from the centre as normal, somebody walked at his head and gradually crept in closer to me, he got the hang of it pretty quick. If he creeps in towards you, walk toward him and gently push away with the whip, dont walk away from him, he'll keep following you:) 2 reins is great, but again I got a bit of help at first, i wasnt brilliant with 2 lines tied myself in knots! It takes a bit of practice but is great when you get the hang of it. Make sure pony is OK having the ropes over him and near his legs etc before you start, stops them having a panic attack when they go behind their legs. Have fun!
 
thank you so much for all the advice!! I'll give it a go :) I think i have spoiled him a little bit since i got him and every time i tell him he's a good boy he expects a sweetie.....gradually weaning him off that idea though!
 
Mine was also the same last year. I'm not the hugest fan of lots of lunging for a young horse so we were only really doing it to get him used to the feel of tack etc before backing him, and then if he had a week + off would just lunge quickly to check wasn't too much pent up energy!
I found (and I know its not 'correct') that even with whip at his back end he would till drift in, but if I kept whip at his mid section he didn't so much. He was pretty useless to lunge tho all last year - had to lunge him for vet in November after he had been kicked to look for soundness and vet was in hysterics, he just used to go straight, then have to turn a 90 degree corner, then straight again, and would unintentionally be dragging me accross the school!
I didn't lunge all winter as he was on holiday, and TBH just got back on when brought him back into work in spring, and cos he's a sensible chap haven't really lunged at all. However I did the other day as instructor suggested it, and OMG he has improved SO much through his ridden work. He now has the muscles and balance to circle, so lunging is suddenly easy. So don't lose heart if it takes a while! Going to learn to long rein as well as being a big-ish horse I don't really want to lunge too much atm.
 
I tried and failed with Buster when he was 3 & 4 so i gave up!! Not the best thing to do but however much i tried he wouldnt! I went for just walking round the field with him! He was already broken in (ex racer) so that might have been it!
 
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