To Lunge or not to lunge....

[Levigal]

How should lunging be incorporated into a horse's routine? I'm recently frustrated by my horse who formerly performed fine on the lunge line, refusing to do much when lunging right.

Can a person over do the lunging? Should it be a regular part of ground work or not? I'm thinking my horse is bored and frustrated with it, and may be acting up on the line to make that point. Do I keep driving him to do it, or do I give it a break?

[Dina]

Horses become bored of lunging quite quickly so you should try to make it more interesting like introducing poles and jumps or maybe cones or something to make it abit more exciting for your horse.

[Styric]

I agree, but also find lunging can be very difficult and strenuous for the horse. Small doses are recommended.

Long reining sounds like something you should try, your horse may enjoy the change.

[Ross]

They definitely get bored with it - my lad did, and got thoroughly naughty. I just backed off for a bit and then didn't do so much with him, and he was fine.

Ross

[teabiscuit]

hi levigal did you post that your horse has been with you about a month and is starting to be naughty? if that was you, this may be your horse trying to evade with you, if so be careful long reining if you're not experianced at it-it's very easy to get in a tangle. If he is being cheeky, i would clamly but firmly insist he lunges, maybe 2 -3 times a week and each session would be approx 20 mins. i'd finish earlier if he'd been good, and keep going until i'd achieved a positive response form him if he's not doing so well, i'd make sure i was asking him something he was capable of and something that i knew he could do, so that i would be within my rights and be fair to the horse when insisting he do what i ask. Good luck. don't lose heart.
(edited PS i'd use the exercise to establish my authority with a stroppy horse and would stop lunging when my horse had got over his stroppyness. I wouldn't lunge as part of a weekly routine permenantly.)

[jUmPingIsLifE]

you can definatly over-do longing. i think longing is a helpful tool once in a while. it helped tahoe losen up and become more supple, i introduced sidereins and saw amazing results which helped how he worked under saddle also.

however they are just mindless circles to a horse, they get bored, its hard on their joints and to them sometimes it can seem very pointless to a horse.

[iloveshearer]

is it possible that you loose schooled/lunged him in an enclosed area, so he can be more free?????

[kirstie]

I wouldn't overdo the lungeing as it very hard for him 20 mins - 10 mins on each rein is supposed to be 1hr hack in walk trot and canter. Horses also become restless if they are doing lungeing everyday its not essential for them. I don't think it should be done as a regualr exercise but maybe once a week. He maybe acting up because he is made to do the same thing or he could just be naughty if he is being naughty keep him going and then give him a break. Like Dehydrated_rat said adding something new in will keep him interesterd and he'll find it fun.

refusing to do much when lunging right

If you mean he is worse on the lunge this way then it could mean that he is more stiffer on this side circles on him will make him more supple and extra work wiull need to be added on this side.

[kirstie]

Message got repeated

[Levigal]

Yes, it was me who has had the horse for one month and he has recently become naughty. We had three days of fighting on the lunge line for him to go to the right without rearing, bucking, or all out running. Previously (the first three weeks) I lunged him 1-2 times a week for short periods and he did beautifully on both sides.

I'm thinking I'll give it a break. I think he is having a tantrum phase because other bad behaviors appeared (biting, rearing on the lead rope). And, I hate to fight him all the time...But, tomorrow I have a lesson with him and my new trainer, so hopefully she will give us some direction to. He also just moved to her facility, so maybe having more contact with horses will lighten his mood. I hope so....stay tuned.

[Tangle]

however they are just mindless circles to a horse, they get bored, its hard on their joints and to them sometimes it can seem very pointless to a horse.
Lunging doesn't have to be just mindless circles - but if that's all you do then I'd agree it gets pretty boring ;). You can do a huge amount on the lunge, including straight lines, squares, squares with a small circle in each corner, squares in walk with a small trot circle in each corner, squares in trot with a small circle in each corner (walk or trot)..... Lots of transitions between paces, work on transitions within paces - you can do half halts on the lunge to contain and balance the energy and use the whip as a "leg" aid.

Sorry - as you may have gathered, I find lunging fun :o:D

[Skyhuntress]

Look at lunging as a training exercise...you wouldn't do the same thing repeatedly all the time in any other training exercise, why would you do the same with lunging?

I usually like to lunge my horses 1-2 times a week (those lazy times when I don't feel like riding) and it does a lot. First of all, how the horse travels on the lunge line is a very good indicator of how he travels under saddle; so you learn what you can work on with him when you ride him.

Personally, when I lunge, I like to do a lot of transitions, small grids, halting, even a bit of backing up. Lunging isn't boring and really helps with the training of the horse if done right