Is lunge lines can hurt my horse?
- Thread starter Ellie24
- Start date
First of all no horse is trained perfectly, they are thinking creatures - hard as that may be to believe at times - not robots.
Secondly if you are a beginner you need a trained horse, not one that you have to train. At least one of you needs to know what you are doing. If you've already bought an untrained one then, for everyone's safety, get a pro to train him, get a lot of lessons yourself ideally with the same person and then be guided by how suitable a pairing he or she thinks it is.
Thirdly lunging can be beneficial or harmful depending on how it's done and for how long. If you don't know what you're doing don't do it.
Lastly I have removed the link in your post. We know what a lunge line is and I assume you know that since you are asking us about them, so don't try to slip advertising past me!
Secondly if you are a beginner you need a trained horse, not one that you have to train. At least one of you needs to know what you are doing. If you've already bought an untrained one then, for everyone's safety, get a pro to train him, get a lot of lessons yourself ideally with the same person and then be guided by how suitable a pairing he or she thinks it is.
Thirdly lunging can be beneficial or harmful depending on how it's done and for how long. If you don't know what you're doing don't do it.
Lastly I have removed the link in your post. We know what a lunge line is and I assume you know that since you are asking us about them, so don't try to slip advertising past me!
A lunge line on its own cannot hurt your horse, it all depends on what you do with it. Lunging is a skill that needs to be taught, if you do it correctly it may be of benefit to some horses, if you do it incorrectly you can cause real damage. You need to research, understand and have some lessons before you go anywhere near a horse with a lunge line.
Some people do think that lunging on a circle with a single lunge line can be bad for a horse.
You need to look at how and why the horse is being lunged.
20 years ago when I started to ride, it was common for people (owners and RSs) to lunge a horse before riding in order to tire it a bit.
Some trainers such as Maxwell use lungng on a circle with two ropes as a major tool in training.
Teaching horses to lunge and then giving lunge lessons was and is an important part of classical traiing at the Spanish school and it isnt going to hurt the horse at all if done properly. I had many lessons on the lunge and also had a couple of lessons on lunging and on long reining.
But using a horse on the lunge involves frequent and regular changes of rein, that is, changing direction.
It also needs proper equipment: a lunge cavesson, probably side reins and you may like to watch the BHS video on adapting UK tack for lunging
You need to look at how and why the horse is being lunged.
20 years ago when I started to ride, it was common for people (owners and RSs) to lunge a horse before riding in order to tire it a bit.
Some trainers such as Maxwell use lungng on a circle with two ropes as a major tool in training.
Teaching horses to lunge and then giving lunge lessons was and is an important part of classical traiing at the Spanish school and it isnt going to hurt the horse at all if done properly. I had many lessons on the lunge and also had a couple of lessons on lunging and on long reining.
But using a horse on the lunge involves frequent and regular changes of rein, that is, changing direction.
It also needs proper equipment: a lunge cavesson, probably side reins and you may like to watch the BHS video on adapting UK tack for lunging
Skib.. yes lunge lessons were fabulous.
Ellie24
I can't add much to what was said.
You need to work with a trainer.
It can't be the blind leading the blind.
I learned a long time ago
NEVER EVER long line without having a whip.
I wasn't there at the time.
This trainer broke her own rule the horse balked was backing. spinning..turning into the lines
She didn't have the whip to send the horse forward he got tangled and flipped.
He broke something and had to be put down.
Ellie24
I can't add much to what was said.
You need to work with a trainer.
It can't be the blind leading the blind.
I learned a long time ago
NEVER EVER long line without having a whip.
I wasn't there at the time.
This trainer broke her own rule the horse balked was backing. spinning..turning into the lines
She didn't have the whip to send the horse forward he got tangled and flipped.
He broke something and had to be put down.
It all depends on the horses confirmation, fitness and the demands put on it. Lunging is extremely hard work for the horse and for a horse to complete a 30 minutes lunge lesson it would have to be very fit indeed with no physical problems. If you attempt to lunge an unfit or even slightly lame horse, you could cause real problems.
I dont think this is true. We had 45 minute lessons of which at least 30 mins was on the lunge. With the lunge cavesson and side reins. And mostly in walk, The old lesson horse was not peak fit. She was stiff on the left rein. She was a retired livery horse and later my share.
However, having since been to other riding schools, I realise now that a great deal of work at my RIs school was done on bend (start of lateral work) and on bringing the hind legs under. No one else taught as she did.
And her purpose was to make one secure in the saddle. She wanted to keep me safe hacking, she said and so far she has managed it.
There are really two topics here - teaching with lunge lessons with a rider on the horse, and just lunging a horse.
However, having since been to other riding schools, I realise now that a great deal of work at my RIs school was done on bend (start of lateral work) and on bringing the hind legs under. No one else taught as she did.
And her purpose was to make one secure in the saddle. She wanted to keep me safe hacking, she said and so far she has managed it.
There are really two topics here - teaching with lunge lessons with a rider on the horse, and just lunging a horse.
Just because it happened, it doesn't mean it is right. Personally I am not a fan of lunging, other than to assess lameness. I would never ride a horse solidly on a 20 minute circle for 5 minutes yet alone 30 minutes. In the world of horses people will always gravitate to different training methods and we need to individually make a decision which sits right with us. The strain on the joints and the potential for injuries which results from constantly working on a circle makes it a no for me.
@Skib it's a well known fact that lunging is hard on a horse, the size of the circle it's own puts strain on the joints and the constant bend through the body is hard on muscles etc. Adding in side reins with the aim of keeping an outline and correct bend makes it harder. With a rider to balance it's even more work and strain. Just because the school you rode at did it doesn't mean it's not very hard work for a horse, and the fact they did it with an old stiff horse doesn't make me think highly of them - maybe the instruction was good for a rider, though I'm not convinced riding an old stiff horse is a good education, but it sounds like their concern for horse welfare wasn't the best. I had three lessons at one school when I'd lost Little Un and hadn't found Luka, I left when she brought out a lame horse for the third lesson and insisted he'd be ok when warmed up - we're talking very noticably lame in walk - and I said I wasn't prepared to ride him. Just because it's a riding school doesn't mean standards are good, the sad thing is too many riders don't know any better and believe what they are told.
Like @Mary Poppins I'm not a fan of lunging simply because of the strain on joints. Done well it has a place but I feel it's over used and too often done for the wrong reasons.
Like @Mary Poppins I'm not a fan of lunging simply because of the strain on joints. Done well it has a place but I feel it's over used and too often done for the wrong reasons.
No there is just the one topic, what the op asked.
How to lunge a horse.
@Ellie24 get some how to lunge lessons. Imo it's an important skill to have as it allows you to introduce longreining. If you are a beginner can your current riding instructor help?
Its not just for starting youngsters, rehab, fitness etc. It's just part of what mine does. I can take her out inhand, add in a few circles of trot and carry on.
I use it to see how she's moving.
If you are unfortunate to have to box rest or have the horse off work, bringing them back with longreining and a bit of lunge won't be a big deal for either of you, if you do it already.
I actually enjoy it, just as much as riding.
An old horse on the lunge that's stiff on one side in side reins is almost cruel.
I know the yard and you dont. Very highly regarded yard, as is the teacher.
I knew the horse and rode her twice a week for many years. Not everyone's cup of tea.
Lunging much influenced by Podhajsky, Charles Harris and the Spanish School.
@carthorse has never replied who taught her. But even among leading dressage instructors there are differences of opinion on how to sit and how to give cues. l have no complaints about my RI, nor her yard. She has taught three of my family over the years.
The side reins were there because we often rode with no reins. But there were no side reins when we rode bare back with no reins, as there was no girth.
If anyone on NR wants to know more about this method of teaching on the lunge you can find details about the Spanish riding school training methods on line. But I am not ashamed of having been taught in this way.
"An Eleve (apprentice) spends his first three years getting longe lessons. For the average Eleve, his initial six months is spent exclusively on the longe, and after that time, he receives regular riding lessons in addition to his daily longe work. Some remain riding only on the longe for a longer time, depending on their individual development.
New riders begin with stirrups but no reins until they have mastered the rising trot and developed strength in their legs. Then, after two or three months of this, they spend two years without stirrups or reins. “When the student becomes more experienced and the teacher can see that the student has more independence in the seat, we take away the stirrups, too,” says Hausberger."
I knew the horse and rode her twice a week for many years. Not everyone's cup of tea.
Lunging much influenced by Podhajsky, Charles Harris and the Spanish School.
@carthorse has never replied who taught her. But even among leading dressage instructors there are differences of opinion on how to sit and how to give cues. l have no complaints about my RI, nor her yard. She has taught three of my family over the years.
The side reins were there because we often rode with no reins. But there were no side reins when we rode bare back with no reins, as there was no girth.
If anyone on NR wants to know more about this method of teaching on the lunge you can find details about the Spanish riding school training methods on line. But I am not ashamed of having been taught in this way.
"An Eleve (apprentice) spends his first three years getting longe lessons. For the average Eleve, his initial six months is spent exclusively on the longe, and after that time, he receives regular riding lessons in addition to his daily longe work. Some remain riding only on the longe for a longer time, depending on their individual development.
New riders begin with stirrups but no reins until they have mastered the rising trot and developed strength in their legs. Then, after two or three months of this, they spend two years without stirrups or reins. “When the student becomes more experienced and the teacher can see that the student has more independence in the seat, we take away the stirrups, too,” says Hausberger."
I may not know the yard but I can assure you I would not be happy with any yard that did a lunge lesson on an old stiff horse and they wouldn't be getting my money no matter who they had trained with. But names that you can drop really matter to you don't they @Skib, far more than what the person actually does themselves and how the horses are. I did actually once reply to you about the standard of teachers I'd had lessons with, but because I don't name drop it clearly didn't register with you, and anyway I still maintain most of my best teachers have been horses - interestingly a view that Mark Rashid, whose name you love to use, has taken in the past and you never question his credentials! Realistically I'm happy that I can and have been able to ride my horses and they've been willing partners, horses which I think I'd only dared have put you on one of because your posts give the impression that you would be incapable of riding them safely. When I was younger I also tended to be the person who got on so called problem horses, though in many cases it was more a case of problem riders who needed to see the horse wasn't at fault and they needed to ride the individual not the text book. Real problem horses I'd leave to the pros, I never wanted a rearer on top of me, or to sit on someone else's bolter etc.
Lunge lessons were common when I grew up, but they were short and on fit horses that didn't have problems such as stiffness. In walk and trot we tended to do without stirrup work off the lunge, with an extra set of reins on the headcollar to protect the ponies mouths - there was less regard for protecting us
Interestingly there was a study a while ago that showed lunging a horse in side reins only fixed the head, it made no difference to hind leg activity or how it worked over the back.
Lunge lessons were common when I grew up, but they were short and on fit horses that didn't have problems such as stiffness. In walk and trot we tended to do without stirrup work off the lunge, with an extra set of reins on the headcollar to protect the ponies mouths - there was less regard for protecting us
Interestingly there was a study a while ago that showed lunging a horse in side reins only fixed the head, it made no difference to hind leg activity or how it worked over the back.
Having been to the Spanish Riding School (twice), studied a bit and observed with some incredibly talented biomechanic trainers over the last few years and having regular (twice a month at the moment) classical lessons with my own horse I still wouldn't lunge a stiff, old horse for 30-45 minutes in side reins (to be fairly, I wouldn't use side reins to lunge anything old or not) and I do consider myself fairly classically minded, although no expert by any means.
Difference in cues - for example mine can canter from a kiss kiss vocal aid (my classical instructor doesn't use voice aids), a traditional canter aid and an intention of energy - are one thing but intensely working an old, stiff horse and calling it 'classical' horsemanship others are too numpty to understand is another IMO.
However good a RS might be, it is increasingly difficult to always put the horse's needs first over profit from clients. I wouldn't condemn them for it on that one example, but I wouldn't hail it as a good example either.
Difference in cues - for example mine can canter from a kiss kiss vocal aid (my classical instructor doesn't use voice aids), a traditional canter aid and an intention of energy - are one thing but intensely working an old, stiff horse and calling it 'classical' horsemanship others are too numpty to understand is another IMO.
However good a RS might be, it is increasingly difficult to always put the horse's needs first over profit from clients. I wouldn't condemn them for it on that one example, but I wouldn't hail it as a good example either.
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And then there’s the lunging of gaited horses. Nupe. Shouldn’t be done in a space that a trotting horse would be lunged in.
Even some experienced horse people who have only ridden trotters don’t know that gaited horses do NOT ever get lunged in tight circles — a 60 foot round pen is too tight as far as I’m concerned. I had a 100’ round pen and my 16.1H TWH had difficulty gaiting around when I sent him at Liberty for the chiropractor.
Gaited horses need lots of room for their shoulders to make those wide sweeping motions. Line driving down the rail yes, lunging no.
The only times any of my horses were ever lunged was to teach them so the chiropractor or the farrier could evaluate them.
Years ago, one of the biggest jokes I saw at the beginning of a big trail ride was a woman lunging her poor horse at the trailer, until it was worked into a lather. Even my my horse was looking across the way wondering what’s the hay that fool was doing to her horse.
Agree 200% to please get a trainer who knows something for yourself and your horse so you can learn properly, together
Even some experienced horse people who have only ridden trotters don’t know that gaited horses do NOT ever get lunged in tight circles — a 60 foot round pen is too tight as far as I’m concerned. I had a 100’ round pen and my 16.1H TWH had difficulty gaiting around when I sent him at Liberty for the chiropractor.
Gaited horses need lots of room for their shoulders to make those wide sweeping motions. Line driving down the rail yes, lunging no.
The only times any of my horses were ever lunged was to teach them so the chiropractor or the farrier could evaluate them.
Years ago, one of the biggest jokes I saw at the beginning of a big trail ride was a woman lunging her poor horse at the trailer, until it was worked into a lather. Even my my horse was looking across the way wondering what’s the hay that fool was doing to her horse.
Agree 200% to please get a trainer who knows something for yourself and your horse so you can learn properly, together
That's really interesting about gaited horses, thanks for sharing.And then there’s the lunging of gaited horses. Nupe. Shouldn’t be done in a space that a trotting horse would be lunged in.
Even some experienced horse people who have only ridden trotters don’t know that gaited horses do NOT ever get lunged in tight circles — a 60 foot round pen is too tight as far as I’m concerned. I had a 100’ round pen and my 16.1H TWH had difficulty gaiting around when I sent him at Liberty for the chiropractor.
Gaited horses need lots of room for their shoulders to make those wide sweeping motions. Line driving down the rail yes, lunging no.
The only times any of my horses were ever lunged was to teach them so the chiropractor or the farrier could evaluate them.
Years ago, one of the biggest jokes I saw at the beginning of a big trail ride was a woman lunging her poor horse at the trailer, until it was worked into a lather. Even my my horse was looking across the way wondering what’s the hay that fool was doing to her horse.
Agree 200% to please get a trainer who knows something for yourself and your horse so you can learn properly, together
Something I didn't know.
I’ve seen that happen too
luckily the horse I saw was fine bar a few cuts and scratches. It happened very quickly (I was just a bystander)
And always cut the handles.
Having been dragged round a school, I always cut it.
And loop them, don't wrap them round your hands. Wear gloves, and it's about the only time handling a horse that I wear a hat.
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