Quick Longlineing Question

[Rarah]

Inspired by NN and the others who are doing the longlineing at the moment.

Can someone please tell me............

Are you supposed to remain static like when lungeing or are you supposed to follow you horse around as though you're on an imaginary carriage? or perhaps a bit of both?

I did try it last summer with Logic and did a bit of both and she was very responsive, but now I'm at my new yard where there's loads of people around I didn't want everyone watching me if I'm doing it wrong!!!!

Cheers :)

[domane]

You can walk directly behind or if you are doing large circles (or looping the school), serpentines or figure 8's you walk on a smaller circle. If you are are two-line lungeing, you move as if you would if you were one-line lungeing. The length of the lines depends on how relaxed your horse is with the sensation of them round their quarters.... if they don't seem sure, give them room to lash out without being able to reach you! :p Try it and you will soon realise how versatile it is.....

ETA: In terms of being worried what people think.... here's my faux pas (again - I'm sure you must have seen it anyway, but have a giggle)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a179/domane/th_Whoops.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a179/domane/?action=view&current=Whoops.flv)

Mine was caught on CAMERA!!!! :o)

[Imp]

What Jane said :D !!!

I tend to follow Megan around on fairly short lines until we trot. If she's grumpy about her work or it's windy she's have the odd half-hearted protest buck so I need to be fairly distant at that point. I also find it less tiring to give her a longer line in trot on a circle as I don't necessarily need to stay in her hoofprints.

Enjoy and never mind what everybody else thinks. If they say you're in a tangle say it's your first go! I do know what you mean though; I've been publicly tangled up, standing on one line with the horse looking blankly back at me :o

[Cabbitt]

The longing I do is always on a circle, unless I am long-lining, in which case I'm behind. I always walk a small circle on the inside, while the horse makes a large circle on the outside. I've seen people who just stand still while longing, but I thinking moving gives you a more dynamic feel.

[Jay.o]

I do a bit of both. Having a bit of a spooky TB, I find going behind gives him confidence. He's a horse that likes to take the lead from another, or a person. So him trotting and walking out infront of me has done great. It also gets him used to ropes and thing flapping behind him. I also use this technique for doing serpentines/figures of eight etc.

I do long rein on a circle too. I do this for more focussed work. I can ask to shorten the stride or extend and actually see what I am getting. Also with playing down the reins and voice, he can work lovely, coming down on the bit, raising his back etc and its clear to see.

Do a bit of both, vary it.

[JOJOBA]

As my horse tends to lean and doesnt bend too well I stand in the middle and let him circle round me too.
No point in running if you dont have to ;)

xxx

[Esther.D]

If you are longreining to teach driving you tend to use a big circle (with you static) to get them used to voice commands, basic harness etc but you stay close behind slightly to the side for most work in harness.

I use longreining on a circle at times when I would lunge (eg voice commands, exercise etc) and longreining with me walking with them for more complicated stuff or going out on the road/tracks etc (obviously only on very quiet lanes with a horse who is very used to longreining and who you know well and bring someone with you at their heads at least at first).

[hackedoff]

I longrein parallel to horse's hip/hock and make the same shapes on the ground they do. I lunge on a small circle like Cabbit does, with young unbalanced Cob it avoids the 'maypole effect':o