Using a bridle when lunging...

[Ladyknight]

I was wondering if someone can do me a HUGE favour and possibly maybe post some pictures of how to put the lunge rope on/around the bridle for lunging? I have looked it up but cant seem to find decent pictures, and the explainations just make me confused.
I just need a bit more control than a halter when lunging a a big paddock. Have you found this is the case for you also, using a bridle? More control?


:D:D NR is so helpful.....(wink wink nudge):)

[Palomino Mare]

Hi,

on the side you are lunging, put the lunge line through the bit ring, up round the poll sitting on the head piece and then clip it to the bit ring on the otherside (outside):)

[chunky monkey]

Haven't got any photos. So I hope I can describe ok.

If you stand on one side of your horse facing him. Push the lunge rope clip towards him through the ring of the bit then take it up towards the back of the head behind the ears and back down the other side of his head. So the rope goes over the poll in other words behind the ears. Move round to the other side of his head and clip the hook onto the bit ring. When you lunge him you will obviously stand on the side which the length of rope is coming out of. When you lunge in the other direction you will need to unclip the rope completely and then feed it from the other side of his face the other way.

Other than that I will sometimes just feed through the bit and under the chin.

Round the back of the head gives you better control really.

Hopefully someone will post you a piccy.

[izzysmycat]

My instructor taught me to use a buckle fastening lunge rope and fasten the bit ring to the noseband on the side you are starting. He said that using over the head creates a lever and some horses (mine) will panic as the poll pressure increases. Fastening the bit ring to the noseband also ensures that the bit doesn't get pulled about in the horses mouth or that the lunge rein doesn't interfere if you are using side reins. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Jo x

[Siogfinsceal]

Hi, trying to remember from my BHS lectures! The bhs books pics are not bad. First thing is take the noseband off the bridle (so the cavasson doesnt rub)! Then put the head piece over your bridle but fasten the other straps under the bridle. hope that makes some sense!

[chunky monkey]

IZZYMYCAT I know people do attach differently. Youve lost me completely can you elaborate. whats a buckle fastening lunge rope, are they different to the ones that have clips. Also I don't follow the attaching to the noseband bit but maybe thats because the lunge ropes different.

I follow about the pressure on the pole bit. I have always wondered about the bit being pulled to the side through the mouth myself. Because mine doesn't lunge particular well I would like to find out about this method.

I was thinking of getting a lunge cavasson but at the moment still use the bridle.

[Joyscarer]

I highly recommend the Sylvia Stanier book 'The Art of Lunging'. It isn't a masively thick book and contains no waffle. (Incidently the long reining one by her is also worth getting.)

In it there are several ways of attaching to the bit shown, each set to achieve a different aim.

[Ladyknight]

Ok, I think I understand the method of putting the lunge line over the. I am a little concerned about his reaction to the poll pressure, but since I have trained him lower his head when I put my hand there he should be ok right?

Thank you for all your explainations! Maybe someone, somewhere has a pic for greedy me!:D

Hopefully I will get to try it tomorrow, if it is sunny

[fairlady]

As your horse begins to lunge properly there is no undue pressure put on the Poll, unless you are really yanking on the lunge line, if you feel the horse is feeling the pressure release the line a bit you are probably lunging on too tight a circle. I prefer to lunge with the lunge line thro' the bit up over the poll and down to the bit on other side. Attaching the line on the inside link of bit would probably put more pressure on I would think, and be pulling at the bit, at least up over poll to other side is distributing any pressure more evenly.

People do things in different ways, but I have never had a problem lunging that way.

[fairlady]

Don't forget to change it when you start lungeing anticlockwise, i.e. threading line thro' other way:)

[domane]

If you need a little more control, why not try lungeing with two lines (aka "long-lining") , each one fastened to each side of your horse's bit. The outer rein can then pass along your horse's side and round their quarters... that way you can steer and stop if necessary....

[izzysmycat]

IZZYMYCAT I know people do attach differently. Youve lost me completely can you elaborate. whats a buckle fastening lunge rope, are they different to the ones that have clips. Also I don't follow the attaching to the noseband bit but maybe thats because the lunge ropes different.

I follow about the pressure on the pole bit. I have always wondered about the bit being pulled to the side through the mouth myself. Because mine doesn't lunge particular well I would like to find out about this method.

I was thinking of getting a lunge cavasson but at the moment still use the bridle.


The buckle fastening one has a leather buckled strap fastening instead of a clip, so you can securely fasten the noseband to the bit ring kind of diagonally. I go to whichever side i'm lungeing from then thread the leather strap first upward through the bit ring, up through the noseband then buckle firmly together. (i'll try to take a pic!) I got mine from jefferies but I have since realised shires do one too which would no doubt be more reasonably priced. If I pass the lunge line over Star's head she gets really upset, snaking her head, trying to pull away etc. If I just fasten to the inside bit ring the bit is pulled about a lot. Fastening under the chin to the furthest bit ring creates a lever again, so I do it my instructors way! He's real old school, classical army trained so it may be a method that has fallen by the wayside. The only thing I would say about a lungeing cavesson is that if your horse get's strong it's quite easy for them to tank off in a straight line and you can do nothing about it! Jo x

[frazz_starlight]

I have pics, shall i post them?
xx

[izzysmycat]

I have pics, shall i post them?
xx

Go for it!! :)

[frazz_starlight]

Right, they aren't very good, but you want pics lol...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w55/frazzstarlightbay/20122006898.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w55/frazzstarlightbay/20122006897.jpg
xxxxxx

[Sammii]

Right, they aren't very good, but you want pics lol...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w55/frazzstarlightbay/20122006898.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w55/frazzstarlightbay/20122006897.jpg
xxxxxx

I don't personally like to lunge like that, because I think that it causes pinching between the two bit rings behind the mouth.

What I do is you know how the clip to the lunge line has been passed through the left hand side bit ring? Well I then pull it through and up, following the line of the cheek pieces, up over the headpiece/poll and bring it back down following the cheek pieces again and clip it onto the other bit ring.

This will be the procedure for when you are lunging on the left rein. The lunge line will need to pass through the right bit ring and up over the head etc for lunging in the opposite direction. :)

[frazz_starlight]

Ah ok, i suppose, but Jake doesn't mind.
He wears a pelham anyway, and that's like a curb.
xxx

[Sammii]

Ah ok, i suppose, but Jake doesn't mind.
He wears a pelham anyway, and that's like a curb.
xxx

That's fine :) I wasn't having a go, or trying to offend. Lunging that way doesn't agree with my pony, so I was just detailing an alternate way of doing it :D

[frazz_starlight]

Ahhhh yes, good idea then. Might try it on Jake as i don't usually have much control!!

xxxx

[Sammii]

Ahhhh yes, good idea then. Might try it on Jake as i don't usually have much control!!

xxxx

Yeah, could be a good idea because of the added poll pressure :)

[izzysmycat]

Or.......the added poll pressure could freak him like it did with Star!

Jo x

[coss]

you could simply use a lunge cavesson as that gives a lot more control than a head collar. when my horse is going on the lunge after a long break from it i use a cavesson instead of the bridle as he is more responsive.

Otherwise as said before, through the bit ring on the inside of the circle, up over the head piece and down the otherside to clip on to the outside bit ring. it doesn't need to be tight but not loose.. here are some pics..
http://file034a.bebo.com/5/large/2007/05/26/20/1359860817a4493696502b606983425l.jpg
http://file034a.bebo.com/5/large/2007/05/26/20/1359860817a4493696680b761589372l.jpg
http://file034a.bebo.com/5/large/2007/05/26/20/1359860817a4493696325b936448879l.jpg

[Ladyknight]

Thank you SO much coss!:D:D I can see now what they mean. That is what you do with a bridle also, I am guessing? Very nice horse by the way. I actually have been thinking of getting a lunge cavesson but would rather work with what Ive got since I have little finances at the moment...not that Im blaming that on horses in any way....:p


Also thanks for posting frazz_starlight, even though it was a different way it was useful to know what you meant,plus who doesnt want to look a horse piccies! I liked your browband:)

[coss]

yeah, i use the bridle if about to ride or if i've lunged him a lot. the cavesson is so much easier unless you want to ride. make sure you change the set up when you change rein though ;)

[frazz_starlight]

Thank you SO much coss!:D:D I can see now what they mean. That is what you do with a bridle also, I am guessing? Very nice horse by the way. I actually have been thinking of getting a lunge cavesson but would rather work with what Ive got since I have little finances at the moment...not that Im blaming that on horses in any way....:p


Also thanks for posting frazz_starlight, even though it was a different way it was useful to know what you meant,plus who doesnt want to look a horse piccies! I liked your browband:)

Thank you:D pony club colours hehehe
Good luck lunging!
x

[Ladyknight]

Yay! I just got "The ARt of LUngin" out from the library for reference. I was amazed they had it, I never thought to check. I though they only had a limited section of horse books but then realised that horse ridinh is in teh sports section:rolleyes: