Training an unbroken horse....

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marley123

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We have a 3 1/2 year old irish sports horse who came to us with ringworm, we have used a number of different treatments to get rid of this and we think it is finally going after 4 months.

Due to this horse has had to live in as he cant come into contact with other horses (he goes out in the menage for a run probably 1 hour a day whilst we muck out). He is going away to be broken in March and we are trying to do all we can to start him off before he goes so have tried lunging him.

When we start to lunge he just bolts and we cant hold him (he pulls too hard) then we have a problem catching him for a while and when we do and try again to lunge he bolts straight away.

When we first got him he was a very nervous horse and we couldnt even get near him, 4 months on we can get close, brush him, we put a bit in for the first time the other day and it didnt bother him. He ocasionally gets jumpy at things hes not sure of but hes much better than he was.

Can anyone give us any advice on how to lunge him without him bolting? We want to do all that we can to help him out before he goes away to be broken.

Thank you
 
If he was mine, i would Maybe try long reining with somebody at his head, then slowly just long rein with noone at the head, and then one day quietly ask him to move out onto a small lunge circle and go from there.

If problems persist, it's probably worth just abandoning lunging altogether until he goes to the professional.

There's lots you can do with a young horse without lunging!!! Bombproofing and leading in hand/ longreining for example.

Good luck!!! Just take things slow, I suspect he can't cope with being lunged ATM so just go steady and listen to him :)
 
He has never been long reined, I've never trained a horse before. We were trying to lunge him in a rectangular menage.

I am inclined to just leave him until he goes away I would just like to start helping him along before he goes. If not lunging what else could I do?

Thanks for your comments
 
You could try to desensitize him to all sorts of things. Try touching him all over with your hands, or if he won't allow that tie a glove on a stick and use that. Flap over his back and neck with a numnah, rub first if necessary. Then try a plastic bag! Keep testing his comfort zone with what you are doing, watch his ears and body language, so that you progress without him going ape. Kelly Marks has written some good books on horse manners they will be worth a look.
I wouldn't persevere with the lunging unless you can get a pro to help you get him going correctly, he'll only learn bad habits.
Good Luck.
 
CadfaelSportHorse said:
If he was mine, i would Maybe try long reining with somebody at his head, then slowly just long rein with noone at the head, and then one day quietly ask him to move out onto a small lunge circle and go from there.

If problems persist, it's probably worth just abandoning lunging altogether until he goes to the professional.

There's lots you can do with a young horse without lunging!!! Bombproofing and leading in hand/ longreining for example.

Good luck!!! Just take things slow, I suspect he can't cope with being lunged ATM so just go steady and listen to him :)
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I did the above with my youngster, I started off with long reining and once he was good with that and knew the voice commands (walk, trot, stand) I started bringing him onto a circle, continued with using 2 lines and then down to one line.
He did try to bomb off round the school bucking etc at times but this was due to excitement and I had let him off in there to let off steam a few times (mistake for me), he used to know he could get away with it in the cavesson as he is strong but I then started lunging him in a bridle and now I can lunge him in the cavesson again and he behaves.

Im not advising you to put him in a bridle to stop him bombing off though, he probably doesn't understand what your asking and as you say he has been turned out in the school for a run around everyday, he won't be associating school with work.
 
Turn him out first, poor thing is probably desperate for a bit of freedom! Surely there a field where he cant touch others or he could go out/ before/ after others?

Then I would guess your time would be better spent getting him used to the roller then the saddle quietly in the stable and in hand. Don't lunge him if it's going wrong- let the professionals deal with it when he goes there
 
Echo the Mule. If you don't know what you're doing and the horse is already scooting off when you try to lunge it, carrying on is more likely to result in a longer/ more difficult job for those breaking it in (and more expense for your purse). Unfortunately it's easier starting a blank canvas than sorting out problems caused in trying to quick start the process!
 
Forget the lunging. Simply get him understanding how to behave when being lead in hand. So he walks when you walk, stops when you stop without overtaking or bumping you with his shoulder and backing up willingly. Also, as has been said already, it's good to be able to touch him all over. Especially the saddle and girth areas.

Considering his behaviour from what you have said, I personally wouldn't try putting a saddle or roller on him in the stable. What if he objects? It's a very small space to be in with a horse that's trying to buck a saddle off!!
 
winterwood said:
Forget the lunging. Simply get him understanding how to behave when being lead in hand. So he walks when you walk, stops when you stop without overtaking or bumping you with his shoulder and backing up willingly. Also, as has been said already, it's good to be able to touch him all over. Especially the saddle and girth areas.

Considering his behaviour from what you have said, I personally wouldn't try putting a saddle or roller on him in the stable. What if he objects? It's a very small space to be in with a horse that's trying to buck a saddle off!!
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Very good advice there!

We take a lot of 'problem' horses for restarting and - TBH - it's almost always either the owner - or a trainer they've sent the horse to previously - who is the problem. We'd FAR rather horses had done VERY little - just normal day-to-day handling but nothing else. Far easier to teach them properly than have to undo what they have learned!:rolleyes:
 
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