Lunging with 2 lines .... what is it and how do you do it?

[Bay Mare]

Hi

I was reading a book about working the horse in hand the other day (ok, at work). It talked about lunging with 2 lines but how is this different from long reining?

Has anyone done it?

What kind of benefits does this have?

How on earth do you set up the lunge lines?

Ta


x

[Mossy]

I am no expert but I two line lunge quite a lot. The second line goes around the outside either through the roller rings or not depending on preference. It is very similar to long lining in that you have two lines but the second line can control the quarters and stop turning in and spinning, also falling in and falling out on the circle. it can also give encouragement that "walking" means NOW, not at some point at your convenience!. :D
The only point to watch is that your lines are long enough as the outside line has a long way to go. I have a pair of Richard Maxwell 32ft lines, and need every foot of them when cantering with two lines.
When you have the skill, which I do not, you can do all sorts with two lines!

[can't_decide]

haven't done it myself but on work experience (sorry mention all the time but learnt soooo much) watched a little pony doing the most fantastic things on a pair of lunge reins. wow, obviously a fantastically schooled pony showing everything it knew, extension, collection, the most subtle changes of bend and amazing changes of direction all from the tiniest pressure either way and muttered voice commands. easy changing between long reining and lunging, and pretty much everything between!

ever since i've wanted to try soo much, but don't have anyone who could "teach" me as such. poppy is very good to lunge, is it ok just to have a go and see what we both make of it do you think?

[JaniceH]

I dont know how to lunge with one line :rolleyes: I've only done lunging with two lines, taught by my driving instructor. It can be done with a lunge cavesson, but I have only done it with a bridle and the saddle of a harness, but you could do it with a lunge cavesson and a roller. Everyone seems to do it slightly differently but we have the inside lungeline going from the bit/side ring of the bridle or cavesson through a low ring on the roller and to your hand. The outside lungeline goes from the bit, through a low ring on the roller and sits just above the horse's hocks and then to your hand. It is very important that this line is not allowed to drop, or the horse could trip or get tangled, or gets too high and the horse can buck. The advantage of lunging in this way is that if the horse starts to turn in, then you can put more pressure on the outside rein, and you can 'balance' the horse on the circle. You dont have to stop to change direction as you get the horse to turn out and around to go the other way. You can also get the horse used to voice commands and I feel that I have much more control than with one line. Shandy84 was given a lesson in longline lunging by my instructor and has never (as far as I know) gone back to one line lunging with Shandy!

There is a really good book that deals with longline lunging in detail that you could probably get from a library, called 'Breaking a harness horse' by Sallie Waldrond. You dont want to break to drive, but it describes how you get the horse accustomed to two lines going round them (as they need to be absolutely happy with it before you do anything), and how to school on two lines.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Bay Mare]

Thank you :) I can't find the bit in the book that I was reading now but it sounds like the 'set up' is the same :D

[Esther.D]

I count it as the same as longreining, you are just longreining on a circle. :) There are a few good books and videos out there on longreining for ridden work too, but as Janice says Sallie Walrond's one is a nice straighforward description - also available by order through libraries if you fancy a flick through it with no commitment. :)

[shandy84]

I have lunged since without the second line.....needless to say I won't be bothering again, Shandy is far more responsive and happy and collects when lunged with two lines, I felt like although I was in full control with a single line as i want getting the collection and movement I wanted from behind there was very little point in reverting back to one line.

[Laetitia]

There is a school of thought that advocates long- reining in preference to lungeing, the benefit being as mentioned previously.
I long-rein as recieve more attention and reponse from my mare, lungeing she switches off and becomes downright arguementative.
Lungeing and Long-Reining by Jennie Loriston-Clarke is a brilliant book. L

[Drummers mum]

I have JUST started the two rein thing with Drummer, we go from longreining to circling and back again and he really listens, not like when I lunge him and he has a paddy! :eek:

Only problem is, sometimes I get in a bit of a pickle with all those reins dangling and I have to stop to sort myself out, lol! :o

I have an idea for an invention actually!

You know the retractable dog leads, well if you had 2 extra long ones of those, you could retract them and wind them in easily so that there were no loopy lines to get tangled in!???!!??? I don't think they don't make them long enough though!:p

[galadriel]

I believe I've seen something like that somewhere. Not widespread though. And the problem, of course, is that a horse is MUCH stronger even than a 100-lb dog. So you need a thicker line, and therefore need a larger hand-thingy, especially since you want the line to be longer as well as larger in diameter. Probably the best way to do it would be to have only part of the line retractable. Whatcha think?

I usually just let the loose ends dangle when I'm using 2 lines. Sometimes I manage to throw it over my shoulder. Neither of these is particularly the best idea out there...

[Ansiosa]

I lunge with two lines because it gives me more/finer control. I have a cobby mare who is very one sided and doesn't work well on the right rein. By long reigning/lungeing with two lines I can change the rein without stopping whenever I like. I can also use the whole school to perform schooling manoevers like serpentines if I wish. Frequent changes of rein rather than just 'going in circles' mean I can keep her thinking and concentrating on what she's doing and work her in both directions. At the same time it avoids getting into a battle about not wanting to circle right :mad: