Proper way to lunge?

[Anro]

What is the proper way?
i lunge my pony and i think I'm doing it right

any advice or whatever

i just checked this out it doesent really look right the way shes shaking the rope

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/Horse_Fever/My%20Horses/th_P1020030.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/Horse_Fever/My%20Horses/?action=view&current=P1020030.flv)

[Rarah]

I'm sure someone else could explain better than me, but I'll try.....

My instructor has said to me that I need to use side reins otherwise my pony won't be working correctly and is doing nothing more than stretching her legs. The side reins should not be so tight that the the horses head goes beyond the vertical (don't attach the side reins until the horse is warmed up first though).

If you're using a lunge cavasson, attach the lungeline to the ring on the noseband.

If your pony was going to the right, then you should be holding the lungeline in your right hand and the whip in your left.

You shouldn't threaten the pony with the whip, just lightly flick the air behind the pony's hocks to encourage him to go forward.

If your horse is not used to lungeing keep your sessions very short. I wouldn't do more than 5 mins on each rein to start with. It's very strenuous on their joints.

[Wally]

I don't know why you are flicking the lunge line at the horse, Lungeing should be encouraging a quiet outline and way of going. Flapping the lunge at him will only hake him tense and throw his head up, undoing everything you are working towards.

I NEVER lunge the BHS way standing face on to the horse. The horses I work with are just getting used to people, face on is too threatening to them.

I stand side on with the whip under my arm nearest the horse. If I need to use it I can flap my elbow and the whihp together, then once the horse understands the whip I can just do away with it and the horse will move at the sight of my elbow.

By standing side on I am inviting the horse to come with me, rather than staring him down and chasing him away from me. He is more likely to work quietly and without rushing.

[Marmite]

I agree with Wally, front on is threatening, ok with very dominant horses, but yours doesnt look like that sort.

I use my free arm as a signal if the horse goes without a whip, a sharp movement means an upwards transition, just held out means hold the pace as it is and dropping the arm and my body language down means a downwards transition. Flicking the line like that could hurt your horses mouth, or scare/confuse him.

On the sidereins comment by Rarah, I partly agree. Once the horse has warmed up, to encourage working into a contact/relaxed outline they can help. However, they should not, in my opinion, restrict the horses head in anyway, just be something for him to work forwards and downwards into, not holding his head on the vertical constantly. If you do decide on the sidereins route, dont be tempted to put them tight like too many people do, they should hang loose when the horses head is up, and give them enough freedom to stretch down through the back. :)

[Anro]

I don't know why you are flicking the lunge line at the horse.
ohh thats not me i fond it while i was looking on the website:o

[Rarah]

ohh thats not me i fond it while i was looking on the website:o

It's OK - I knew it wasn't you!!!

Lungeing like that can't be very nice for the horse ??? bit wiggling around in mouth = go faster???? :confused: not a good thing to teach your horse surely.

[Wally]

Sorry I didn't read that bit....must get better specs!

[Skyhuntress]

I don't know if she's encouraging the horse to move forward so much as she's trying to slow him down...because it looks like she's yanking back most of the time.


Anyways though, lunging is useless unless you lunge WITH something (degogue, side reins, pessoa, whatsoever floats your boat) because the horse ends up going flat without much engagement from the hind whatsoever, so its counter productive. So if you are actually planning to WORK your horse instead of just letting him run off some extra energy, he does need a foundation that'll help him engage the hind

As to where to stand - directly behind the horses' eye. you don't want to be in front or parallel, because not only is it threatening, many horses take it as a sign to slow down. And by standing to the side, you move with the horse. A lunger should never be stationary - you want to encourage the horse to keep moving, and so you'll be moving (a clinician once told me that you should be making a 5ft circle pattern, but that always seemed a bit big for me, but you get the idea)

[Shadowlark]

http://www.sustainabledressage.com/tack/gadgets.php

That article may give you some thoughts/insight into lunging equipment that could be used. I personally can't stand side reins, and have never gotten their use.. contact should be fluid not hard set, and the restriction of bend/yeild.. but anyway..

What a cop out I am.. here is another 2 articles
http://equine-trader.com/wordpress/?p=236
http://chrisirwin.com/pdf/HorseSport-2004-November.pdf

Seeing Chris Irwin work a horse on a lunge line is a unique and fantastic experience.

Good luck :)

[Anro]

thanks maby ill take a video of me lungin so yous can really critise me.




he he he:p