My old horse I lunged in a degogue as it was nice and gentle on her mouth as long as she worked as she should and she didn't like anything round her back end.
My new horse is 17.2 and too big for the degogue so I'm lunging him in a pessoa.
um, nothing I'm afraid! She is loose with nothing on when lunging as she is learning to carry herself. As long as I make sure she is going on well and 'collecting her' with my position in the circle, then she works v nicely. She is a clever girl and a bit of a bugger so anything else and she will spend her time working out how to evade it - not so constructive! At least this way she works correcly and learns to respond to my voice and body language. Useful for a bargy mare who would rather ignore these things!! She is getting there v well like this and I think when she is more established and has the strength through her back then we'll try a de-gouge as it will encourage more of a long and low outline without catching her mouth - that is why I don't use a pessoa as I don't like that the movement of the back legs affect the mouth.
I just lunge mine to tire her out before taking her places as she is very fit atm following the eventing season and I'd like to keep her that way so I just use a headcollar and lunge line .
I think a variety! I sometimes just lunge with no tack as this gives the horse chance to stretch and move freely, sometimes i use a back pad and side reins, sometimes I long line, maybe trot poles and I occasionally use a pessoa. I agree with the earlier post that it's good to let the horse carry themselves rather than holding it all together. But as with anything in life variety is good! You work different muscle groups and keep the horse thinking.
normally the boy gets lunged in his harness (when he gets lunged) as he is still learning this driving lark, as for big lass she lunges in a cavasson when she gets lunged as she is a star & does what you want when you want.
Usually in draw reins used through front legs and aover back. Simple and easy to use. There is a thread in comp riders and it was in horse and hound (Laura B uses it).
Lunge line and a head collar....doesn't look very 'pro' but that's all they require for the moment and ideally that is all I'd want to use when lunging anyway.
It's good to see your horses going pretty well enough natually without needing anything else but having said that if my horses were doing other things and competing on a regular basis or to a high level then I'm sure they would benefit using them in some shape or form but I'll also admit it's nice to just sling a line on without messing around with various lunging equitment which I have slung in my tack room somewhere collecting cobwebs, no doubt they will come out again at some point if needed.