what age do you start long lining?

i started mine a few weeks before her second birthday i think. we had be doing a few ground work lessons many months before that.
i discussed it with my instructor who knows my horse very well an between us decided when the time was right
 
I was going to start at the end of this year (2.5) but decided to leave her until next year. She's going to spend the rest of her life being worked so I'm going to leave her to be a baby for as long as she needs.
 
28 months... he was a git and bored. 3 small 10 min sessions a week in the school at walk, just the basics kept him from going off the boil mentally, his behaviour improved no end with it.
 
Wouldn't really bother till late summer after turning 3. Don't break till 4 so quite happy to leave it till spring they're 4 too. If the handling sides there learning to longline is straightforward.
 
Iv just began with my girl. she was 3 in springtime, and is an irish draught heading for 16.2hh so I just want to bring her along very slowly, but teaching her manners along the way incase she gets to big for her boots!
 
tikino said:
3yrs old is way early enough for any young horse to start working
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It completely and utterly depends on the horse :D

My 2 year old thoroughly enjoys it, he's been walking out in hand for a year with me at his girth guiding him with reins over his back, long reining was merely a natural progression of this.... and worse :eek: shock :eek: horror :eek: scandal :eek: he will often be wearing a saddle or harness too. Walking is hardly work. One of these days I will just slide on to him and he'll think absolutely nothing of it.

He can lunge too, took 10 minutes for him to figure it out, walk, trot, halt and change, he's been on a lunge rein all of twice. He thinks it is enormous fun and lunges at liberty around me in the paddock of his own free will.

Longreining at two is fine if your horse is ready for it, mentally some are quicker than others, physically I think it does no harm whatsoever as long as you have the basic walk, trot, halt commands firmly established first so that he understands what you want.
 
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tikino said:
3yrs old is way early enough for any young horse to start working
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I don't think long lining is working, it is part of his education, it is asking for a bit more than ground handling to date, but this is still essential.
Long lining is only walking and a bit of trotting if the handler is fit enough, yes there is a mild bit in the mouth but horse should have been getting used to the bit, and first off long reining with a spirited animal, one would start off using a second person at his head in order to relax him and control without gymnastics.
It teaches the horse to walk out boldly, not to hang on to the handler.
A well fed three year old with good conformation can be lightly backed using a light rider, I don't think one can always wait till he is four or five, that means he will be much stronger and more likely to have his own ideas.
PS my foal was led round the yard in a saddle age 10 months, and was put out into the arena in light harness [no reins or bridle] as a yearling, she had a buck and then ignored the whole business.
 
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2yrs. He was going for short walks in hand and had had a roller on. He MUCH prefered it to being led : he totally though he was the bees knees, being allowed to go out in front. :D

It depends what you class a long lining too: some people like me use it as an alternative to being led at the head. Others use it like lunging, but with two reins.
 
I started long reining mine at 3yrs old, he had been walked out with saddle/ bridle on a few times before that. I backed him at 2 weeks short of his 4th birthday with no problems at all, in fact I don't think he particularly noticed me getting on his back - he was far too interested in my friend standing by his head holding a carrot!
 
Thanks guys. Here's my dilemma I have a 16 month old gelding who is an absolute star he has been walking out inhand round the village across the fields ect for months and is as good in traffic. As you could ever expect a youngster to be. He has his moments of course he does but he is so quick to learn new things and accept things it's fab. He knows the basics of longlining and was only thinking of doing it off a headcollar for very short periods occasionally and thought that this might be a useful next step to increase his confidence (he is already pretty independent)?
 
My filly is 3 1/2 and goes around the farm and fields with longlines, saddles, bridle and bit. I shall jump on her in the next week or so. she is a sturdy 14.3 irish bred coloured cob, not heavy but just "sturdy" and is very well matured in her head. Any problems then I will revert back to walking in hand and starting a bit later. She will guide me as to when she is ready for the next step.
 
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