Lunging problems, help!

[tabithakat64]

Have been lunging a friends horse and am having real problems with it, I use two reins to lunge as the horse tries to turn in, walk is fine but encouraging the horse to trot exhausts me, he is just so stubborn, I use my voice and back it up with strong body language and a flick of the whip but it is still a battle of wills, any ideas what I'm doing wrong?
I'm keeping the circles large as he is not very well balanced and only use loose side reins after warming up (if we get that far) I know he understands what trot means as he responds to it when long reined in the school or ridden. He also starts spooking at the sand and running backwards when he's in a particularly unco-operative mood
Any advice would be much appreciated as I'm becoming increasingly frustrated.

 

[Pibstar]

i cant give you any great words of wisdom but I have just started to learn lunging myself and have been lunging molly. her previous owner is a RS and she couldnt get mollie to lunge on the left rein without her having a paddy. I have had one lesson and two demostrations from experienced friends one of which managed to get her doing it. I did it on my own yest. without any pack ups. i have to be really strong with my voice and keep going on pushing her on all the time. i can get her trot and canter on the right but trot on the left sometimes results in over excitement and squeels but we are working through it. i know my horse and i know how she responds to things eg: if firm she will listen, take my eye off for one second and she takes the ****... just get to know the horse, ask the owner and be firmer.

If i can progress (complete novice) with a lazy untrained cob I know you can - keep at it

 

[tabithakat64]

stupid question to check I'm doing it right, how do I push him on?

 

[Est]

It sounds ever so frustrating!

This might be a stoopid suggestion, but would it be better to stick with long reining for a few months to build his strength and balance, and then re-introduce lungeing after that?

I've been long reining my gelding alternate nights for a few months now, just at walk because he has had some medical issues, and the difference in his muscles and balance is amazing! He couldn't trot on the lunge at all before the long reining, and now he can.

If your friend's boy already long reins nicely, it could be worth putting some serious time into that (for example, my gelding has long reined at walk every alternate evening for about 2 months now).

It can be made quite interesting compared to lungeing, because you can still include some pole work, but also weave in and out of cones, do loads of changes of rein, pop in a few circles, go round the yard, throw in loads of transitions and generally keep his interest levels high. It gives you more opportunities to praise him for doing well, instead of having to keep "chasing" after him (which I guess must be a bit depressing for both of you!)

I do agree that eventually he'll need to lunge at trot and even canter as it is useful for him to be able to do this, but perhaps by working on something else for a while you can achieve what you want in the lungeing, without having to keep battling away with the lungeing itself (if that makes sense!)

 

[sheryl]

You're not lungeing my horse, are you?

No seriously, do you think she understands what you want from her? If not, start from scratch, and keep lessons short. Try to always end on a good note, even if it means only doing 5 mins.

If she does understand, and you think she's just messing about, I think its just a matter of being firm. Don't over do each lesson. Give loads of praise as soon as she does it right, and growl and glare etc, when she's messing about, so that she clearly learns right from wrong. You need your full attention on her at all times, so that you can catch her out immediately she goes to be naughty.
Sometimes I find it easier, when mines messing about, to walk a small circle with him, so that I have him on a shorter line, and have more control

Have you tried lungeing her with a rider on? It may help

I'm sure we'll get there eventually

 

[fairlady]

Horses that are unbalanced etc find lungeing hard and they always seem to go better on one rein than the other. Part of the point of lungeing.

Persevere, it will be worth it in the end, but if you find your frustration turning to anger, cos you think she is messing you about, stop. Keep the lessons short and long rein in between if she finds that easier.

When she does turn in, move in behind her and push her on with the whip and strong voice commands, and if that does not work, I have always found walking to her and starting her walking in a circle again and gradually moving away from her back to the centre works.

 

[Joyscarer]

There are a few points I'd raise.

1. He might has a physical reason for not wanting to trot.

2. Are you getting in front of him in the circle.

3. If I really need Joy to pick up on a big circle and she is just being lazy and not esponding to my voice and body language, I take a quick step or 2 in (because I need to be closer to have better control but she needs to be on a larger circle because she is unbalanced), at the same time I use my whip hand to gather up the excess line, once I am to where I want to be I snake my whip towards her along the ground and then get back out again so she maintains the bigger circle.