Problems when on the lunge-speeding pony!!

devonlass

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May 20, 2006
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devon
Well I lunged my lad today (grumpy fat fell pony for anyone who doesn't know),and he acted totally rediculous,silly muppet!!

Seems to think going from walk to gallop and churning up his new paddock is funny:rolleyes:

Have not lunged him a lot before now as had no facilities,but have doneit a few times at old yard and was fine,still a bit keen to be speedy to be fair,but practically lunged himself if you know what I mean,didn't need a lunge whip or anything just point and go kind of thing.

Well tried him today in field (sectioned off part,not ideal I know but don't have anywhere else),and he just acted stupid running around,bucking,snorting,trying to pull away etc.Did get him to slow down eventually (think he wore himself out as is quite lazy lol),and gave him lot's of praise when he did as I asked,but does anyone have any ideas why he might have acted so OTT?? He *seemed* either stressed or excited,I really can't decide which TBH,so rare he is either of those things that I don't have a lot to compare to (blowing and snorting,wide eyes,tense/jumpy etc).

I have moved him recently to this field,so am guessing that could be a factor,but have to say he seems chilled in every other way and his usual self.Only other thing I can think is it's because we've not done it for a while??

I have decided to try and do it each day,just for a few minutes,and to do it in his bridle so have more control (used headcollar today as like I said he doesn't need a lot of control or direction usually),does this sound like a plan,or is there a better alternative??

Any help gratefully appreciated peeps,I am not an expert on lunging,I don't even like it much TBH (more of a long rein person,get less dizzy!!),but it needs to be done at the mo to help keep his weight down and get his fitness up.

Sorry so long winded,and thankies in advance for any help:)
 
Imagine you are on a triangle with the horse at one point and your two arms are the other corners (horse going round to the left). If you move to the right so you are slightly behind the horse's shoulder you encourage movement, if you go to the left you will block/slow the horses movement. Could it be that you are inadvertently encouraging your horse forward? Try getting slightly in front of your horse anyway to "block" his forward movement a bit.

Alternatively he could be one of those full-of-beans-really-excitable-completely-over-the-top types like my old TB :rolleyes: Nothing you can do except tire them out...
 
Is it purely misbehaviour or is it possible that he's lacking balance so is tanking off to try and balance himself?
 
Joy will be like this the next time I try to lunge her I expect since she hasn't done it for so long.

It wouldn't matter where I placed myself if she was in that sort of mood.

What I will do is to start out is to start out in walk with her effectively like she's on a long lead rein. I'll walk with her and then turn that into circles where I walk with her. Then I'll allow her a bit more rein and not wander about as much. Gradually I'll have he going about me whilst I'm basically in the same place and extend the circles out.

Once I've got to this stage I'll then return to wandering along with her so she's doing ovals. That keeps her attention fixed on me.

Once I'm happy I have her focussed I'll try for some trot. I'f she turns into a numpty then I'll shorted the lunge untio I can get her under control. I'll keep experimenting with how much lunge I can give and of course I'll be using my voice to praise and admonish when appropriate :)

The ley thing I'll be looking for is to have her attention and control. The moment I feel either slipping then I'll reduce circle size and wander along with her.
 
Imagine you are on a triangle with the horse at one point and your two arms are the other corners (horse going round to the left). If you move to the right so you are slightly behind the horse's shoulder you encourage movement, if you go to the left you will block/slow the horses movement. Could it be that you are inadvertently encouraging your horse forward? Try getting slightly in front of your horse anyway to "block" his forward movement a bit.

Alternatively he could be one of those full-of-beans-really-excitable-completely-over-the-top types like my old TB :rolleyes: Nothing you can do except tire them out...

I *think* I know exactly what you mean about the body language thing,I used to use those exact methods when schooling a mare I had on the long reins,get behind her to give her a space to go into or move out to the side in front of her shoulder to block her kind of thing (am guessing that's what you mean??).I'll be honest and admit that I wasn't paying that much attention to where I was today,so you could have a point there.I will pay more attention next time,and do as you suggest with the blocking to slow him down thing.

Luckily he certainly isn't usually the full of beans excitable type,let's hope he hasn't suddenly become a TB in a fell pony body:eek::p

my horse used to race on the lung line he is a old video of him lunging and it was a lil hard for me when he pulls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdHENO4M1A

and after b4 i ride i always lunged him to get better not tack up

in the winter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uWmmXlOgoo

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHhryD8P_7M

yes he walks to me when he is done bad boy :p but he hasent being doing that im trying to get him out of the bad habit

Yep that first vid looks like my lad today,hurtling round in out of control circles:rolleyes: Any tips for how you got from that to the nicer behaviour last vid;)

Is it purely misbehaviour or is it possible that he's lacking balance so is tanking off to try and balance himself?

I don't think it would be balance.He isn't always the most balanced in his work it's true,but that's purely down to lack of schooling (my fault,I'm more of a happy hacker than a schooler!!),but he can work nicely when he minds to,despite the lack of practice,and it's not like he's very young or hasn't done anything etc.I will bear it in mind though,and take a bit more notice next time to see if he' appears to be struggling in any way.

Joy will be like this the next time I try to lunge her I expect since she hasn't done it for so long.

It wouldn't matter where I placed myself if she was in that sort of mood.

What I will do is to start out is to start out in walk with her effectively like she's on a long lead rein. I'll walk with her and then turn that into circles where I walk with her. Then I'll allow her a bit more rein and not wander about as much. Gradually I'll have he going about me whilst I'm basically in the same place and extend the circles out.

Once I've got to this stage I'll then return to wandering along with her so she's doing ovals. That keeps her attention fixed on me.

Once I'm happy I have her focussed I'll try for some trot. I'f she turns into a numpty then I'll shorted the lunge untio I can get her under control. I'll keep experimenting with how much lunge I can give and of course I'll be using my voice to praise and admonish when appropriate :)

The ley thing I'll be looking for is to have her attention and control. The moment I feel either slipping then I'll reduce circle size and wander along with her.

Those are some very good ideas JC,thanks for that:)
He is perfect to lead,so maybe I will try what you do and just sneak the lunging in at an appropriate moment!!

Perhaps the 'numpty' moments are a native pony thing;)
 
You say you haven't done much lunging type stuff with him. Has anyone else? Ie has he actually learned what to do & not be afraid of you waving a whip at him or whatever? The body language you describe of him sounds like he was terrified. How about you - do you know how to do it & have you led him up to it, or just kind of sprung this exercise on him? It sounds like your past experiences have been more like put the horse on a long lead & let him run, rather than developing any kind of communication & responsiveness at a distance. If things aren't working, taking a step(or however many necessary) back to a place where things are going well, then moving forward more slowly & gradually is generally most effective.

The horse is new to the place, so probably feeling unsettled & a bit more on edge anyway. You don't say anything about his management. If he's over fed &/or under exercised, if he's locked up &/or not allowed to live with/play with other horses, that will also effect his reactiveness & energy levels.

I wouldn't advise doing it in a bridle. He needs to first learn what you want, and to trust that nothing you do will hurt him. I don't agree with using something that creates pain to control the horse, and using a bit on an uneducated horse will do this, especially on a long lead, so heaps more leverage.
 
i just keep lunging b4 ever time i rode him for 15 mins i would ask him to trot make the troting sound same with canter i try to use the whip less but my horse is hard to get started to lung im happy he lunges and listons to my words even if im riding him now i say canter he canters lol i never use a chain lunging tho and there is alot of people that lung there horse like this

i know a girl at my barn she always lunges her mare b4 riding its been like 3 years now but now she only lungs if she didint ride in the week as she has a hyper mare she uses a chain and her horse gets lungs more then my and races still and

my other friend is lunging her 5 year old mare that just broke to ride she lunges like this and it works great for her mare

14malxu.jpg


but also can be bad if your horse freaks out
 
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