Long reining

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

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Oct 10, 2004
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As part of Ben's rehab I have been advised to long rein him to enable him to build up his back muscles without my weight on top of him. I need to find someone to teach me how to do it as no-one on my yard long reins. I have never seen anyone do it in real life.

I have searched you tube for videos and there are loads from America, but hardly any from England. Why is long reining not popular over here?

So you long rein on a regular basis and what are your top tips? What equipment would you advise I buy? I have read that heavy reins are better than light ones for example? Do you use a surcingle or your saddle with the long reins through the stirrups? We have lots of off road land so roads are not an issue.

Any advice welcome. x
 
And also what is the best length of rein? I have found a site that sells them in 4, 5, 6 or 7 metres? Some of the you tube videos say that one top tip is not to make the reins too long and ensure they are heavy rather than light as this helps with the aids. The ones I found have rubber grips which I think is good? But how long is the ideal length?
 
I've never used special gear, started out with 2 lunge lines and my normal lunge roller (much like the ones you linked to), I've used driving reins with Hank as lunge lines are ridiculously long on him. I don't like too heavy a rein, or find they drag down and don't give the release I want, no clue if that's right or wrong, just my preference, I do like enough weight for some feel though. I probably wouldn't choose rubber grips, but I don't like rubber reins, I guess that's just preference too.

I honestly don't know what length I use with Jess, I could have a measure. I would guess twice the length of the horse plus a bit, I just like to be out of swiping range but not so far away I've got too much line to deal with, but I'm not using it for 2 line lunging, more just ground driving in straight lines.

Perhaps look up teaching a horse to drive? Its a pretty normal first step for that.
 
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I LOVE long-lining....but I'm the only one on a yard of 35 who does. I like to do it in the school over lungeing because you can change direction a lot more and easily with two reins and I can walk miles, tandem style behind Gracie, around the lanes.

Would deffo suggest keeping it simple to start and opt for tandem style. Lunge lines are fine to start with, you don't even need a roller. Put his saddle on, drop the stirrups and tie them together under his belly so that they can't swing outwards, not tightly, just so that they hang straight as if the twine wasn't there. Thread a line through each stirrup and clip onto his bit. As a learner this will help keep your reins up. If you've never long-lined, I would definitely advise a starter session in the school, in which case I would also recommend a headcollar under his bridle to start with and clip the reins either side of the noseband on this....its easy to be heavy-handed, especially when you are learning and you wouldn't want to jab him in the mouth. Obviously LL is mostly about voice as well.

Ask Ben to "walk on" and just follow him, with equal rein pressure. Practise stopping and starting. When you feel like you are both getting the hang of it and Ben is relaxed, lengthen your outside line and veer slightly to the inside of the outside track. So you are effectively still behind, but just walking a smaller loop than Ben.

In time, with lots of practise, you will be able to walk a straight line from A to C but Ben will be serpentining back and forth in front of you.

When you get the hang of it, its great fun...and very versatile.
 
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Here, I'm still behind Gracie, but I've lengthened the left rein to retain equal contact, but I'm walking the line down the centre of the lane. I have my hi-viz coat on, so this makes me a lot more visible to oncoming traffic than if I was directly behind Gracie and hidden by her fat belly!!!

20180226_195025-1024x588.jpg
 
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I started with lunge lines and roller. My lunge lines in all honesty were too long. It's ok if you learn to loop them in your hands but when your starting out to be honest you want shorter as it easier for you if horse panics. You get in a flap drop the line and it gets wrapped round your feet. Alternatively you can use one very long one and thread from one side round, you have the middle bit and if you have a spare rug clip or similar you can add that to other end of lunge line and onto bridle.
I obviously drive and I have two sets of driving reins. Both are different lengths. One set are again too long for a beginner. I actually use them for harrowing where I need more length. The set I use on the carriage are also perfect for long lining. I can measure them for you tomorrow. Of course I have a 14.1 horse, can't remember what size yours is. I'll measure both my sets for you to give you an idea.
I wouldn't use saddle until your more confident as you have to thread reins through stirrups and it's best to tie stirrups under belly to stop them flapping. So better to use a roller. I just have a basic one.
The biggest problem is that when the horse panics they can end up facing you whilst your holding the reins. The lines then are in front of them and the horse sees them and panics more.
When starting out rub the reins all over body particular down the back legs and along the belly.
Two things to definitely practice with horse at stand, 1. with the reins which are going though the roller and your holding behind swing each rein individually and gently so they hit the legs, both high up and low on the knees and below. 2 I also at the stand gently pull the rein round the hind legs so that it goes tight. This all helps to desensitise. So if your going round a corner and the rein goes tight on the back leg it is less likely for the horse to kick out.
Frequently stop the horse and ask for him to stand. Then lots of praise. I find that by stopping you can catch your breath. But also it helps the horse to be more responsive. Do a bit stop give him time to think, praise that he's doing right and then ask him to walk on a bit more.
 
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I've found one of us pulling harrows. These are my longer driving reins. These are the ones that are really a bit too long if you were just training. After lunge lines these are what I progressed to, shorter than my lunge lines but still a bit too long.
When I was training I was advised that I did have a tendency to get too close but I felt I had more control some how.
Where the traces are at the knees this is where I am suggesting you desensitise. Although you are not using traces to pull you can find your long lines dropping down to here and touching at this point and when your turning it pull tight and can cause the horse to kick out.
Hope this is of some help.

IMG_20180226_204648.jpg
 
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Thank you all for such helpful replies. I have a few questions (and sorry if any of these are stupid!).

1. How to you ask the horse to walk on? Ben isn't great with voice commands (yet! - something to work on). On the you tube videos there seemed to be 2 approaches, either to flick with a whip or to flick the reins against the horses side. This is why heavier reins were recommended. Which approach do you take and why? Do you even hold a whip?

2. I also prefer the approach to lunging a horse with 2 long reins rather than a single lunge line. However, when you are lunging with 2 lines, I presume these 2 lines will need to be longer than if you were walking out in a straight line? If any of you could measure your reins that would be really helpful. My horse is a 16.1hh shire x. Also, should the lines have loops in the end?

3. If I don't attach the reins to the bit how do I turn and stop? There wouldn't be enough pressure on a headcollar surely? I understand the importance of not pulling him in the mouth, but as he has never done this before I am not sure he will understand what I am asking him to do if I don't attach the reins to the bit?

Thank you for the advice.
 
Don't flick the sides this can travel down the reins to the bit. You must think of long lining like riding. Would you flick your reins to ask the horse to walk on. Probably not. (However I have done this myself. It is so tempting and very easy to get in the habit. Try to resist. I have done this in desperation as I have had the horse back up a couple of times in the carriage when we've been at junctions. Stupid cars pull so close so to stop him backing into the car I have clicked the reins). I found it difficult when long reining in the early days to carry a whip. If you can train now using the voice commands you will have a better horse for it. Ask softly but also firmly.
No loop ends. If they are too long and drop on the floor you could get your foot caught in them.
If you are going to long line at a trot and canter on a circle then yes the longer lines would be better. For that I prefer the set in my picture.
You could use a head collar I guess it's more akin to bitless. I have used a three ring lunge Cavesson(not really recommended I'm sure but I have done).
If you want to be gentle use a soft flexible rubber bit if your working in an enclosed space.
Out on the road I would use your normal riding bit.
This is also why I say take regular stops. What tends to happen if your horse is forward. You get left behind and then you end up inadvertently pulling on the mouth. By stopping it gives you a breather so you can then readdress issues.
 
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Yep I'd agree, no rein flicking as it flicks in the mouth. You'll need to teach him voice commands or learn to carry a whip, which is quite a challenge when you're first learning as you already have a lot in your hands.

@chunky monkey reins in the pic are about the length I go for, to be out of kicking range. I would avoid loops on the ends if you can, though all my lunge lines did and I'm here to tell the tale. To lunge with 2 lines at all paces I would want lunge line length, I'm not fast enough to run while mine canter :p

3 if he's halter broken he should understand pressure on a headcollar well enough to yield to the pressure, but personally I go straight to a bit but I always do the first session with a helper to lead them a few steps so they don't keep trying to turn around and figure out where I am, once they have the basics of walk on, stop and steer without turning right around to face me I go without my helper.
 
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Thank you. So perhaps the very first step is to work on my voice commands. Any ideas how?

My horse is the 'go slower' rather than 'go faster' type. I have dabbling with lunging in the past and got a 'professional' to help teach me. However, all this really involved was her telling me how bone idle my horse was and chasing him with a whip. Her only advice was that if I wanted him to go faster then I had to literally smack his back legs with the lunge whip. He would then take off bucking and farting round. I was told that if I didn't hit him, he wouldn't move. This didn't sit right with me so I just gave up the idea of lunging. I see some horses who walk, trot, canter all off voice commands without a whip in sight and I would like to train Ben to do this. But when he isn't naturally forward it is difficult to know how and where to start?

No-one on my yard long reins and those who lunge never do it without pessoas or similar type gadgets.
 
You could start the voice commands just in hand, rather than you walking off and him following, give a chipper 'walk on' and try to get him to take the first step, initially you may have to lead but in a 10 minute session of stop/start you can normally get most horses taking the first step and gradually build on it from there :) clicker training might be an idea if he is a foodie :) or doing it in a direction/at a time when he is keener initially, like when you are leading him to his stable for his hay net (if that's something that he is normally enthusiastic about) or when taking him to his field, generally once they put 2 and 2 together they figure out what it is you are asking for with out having to force them into it :)
 
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We use the simplest gear possible whether we are in the field or out and about. Normal bridle, a roller, and two lunge lines. I don't carry a whip.

Ziggy is very steady to long rein so I always feel safe. That means we vary my position depending on where we are. When we're on the roads I prefer to be as close behind him as a carriage, as then I have finer control over his direction and getting him into lay bys etc (we are only ever on single track lanes). In the field I vary between close behind, a long way behind, and two rein lunging. It all sounds very smart but I found it very easy.

Don't flick the reins, carry a lunge whip if you need to or use the end of the rein as a whip. Ben will learn his voice commands quickly, I'm sure, and you can teach them to him in hand first if you want to.

It's great fun, you'll have a ball once he is into it.
 
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Well I would start talking to Ben when you are leading him in from the field etc. If you just put a head collar on and pull him and he walks great but literally start from now putting in voice commands. Walk on, whoa. Tell him what you require. If he's a plodder in some ways the better as everything is taught super controlled. Rather than him rushing.
I have some videos of me driving and harrowing with my voice commands. You made my watch them all last night. I could try to up load them although Im not sure the best way. I can do pics but not sure on videos unless someone can advice me the best way.
Got to whip off to feed the sheep before dark, I'll nip along the yard and measure my reins for you. Please nag me if I forget.
 
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I know lots of leople that long line, so don't think it's a US/UK thing :)

I start by leading with 1 rein, then falling further behind so horse takes the lead with his nose/feet/shoulder (I walk where his saddle would be basically), then walk further behind still until I am walking behind.

Only then do I introduce 2 reins when I know the horse is ok with ropes being thrown over, lying the ropes on the floor.

I do lots of preperation too, to really make sure the horse is OK behind - so make sure they are ok with tail being lifted up & pulled around, ropes over bum/around legs, seeing a whip if you plan to use one out of both eyes when you are behind, flapping and noisefndrom behind ...

I just use 2 featherlight NH rope's, but only as I have those anyway.

Have fun :)
 
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Always have a whip with you.

A trainer told me that.
So you can send the horse forward.
She broke her own rule a horse freaked out
Reared then went over backward.
I don't think that extreme is very common but it did happen.
The horse ultimately had severe Injury and had to be out down.

It's quite a few years ago so I don't totally remember exactly how things happened
But it's burned in my mind to always have that whip.

Longlining is really fun and if you ever see people really really fluid with it it's sooooo pretty to watch. The fluid motion is awesome to see.
 
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