lunging a horse

[bindi]

What do you do??

I have bought a lunging rope but I don't have a round pen and this is going to have to happen in a paddock. I also have the switch to get her going but would like to do this properly from the start.

Any ideas or good websites??

[ClaireLV]

Cherry Hill has a couple of good books, with exercises and instructions for beginners. You should be able to get hold of them.
Is there someone there who can show you how to do it? There is a world of difference between the way some people (especially around these parts) lunge to exhaust a horse, and actually lunging properly in order to train them to go better.
I always use a lunging cavesson, and with a green horse I don't lunge from the bit. In fact I rarely attach the lunge line to the bit unless I'm taking short cuts lunging before a ride on an experienced horse. I will move up to attaching side reins to the bit. Starting with no side reins, before attaching those to the cavesson first.
Just remember to use the whip as an extension of your arm to cue the horse, not to connect with him. There is a lot of body language involved.
It can be very hard to start a green horse lunging with a green lunger, so see if there is someone to help you out with this. Lunging is so useful, but it is important to do it right, otherwise it can be dangerous and damaging.

[adcooper]

Yep. What Claire said! Lunging can be tricky. I'm terrible at it , because I get so dizzy and Cypress gets so jazzed! I don't use special equipment--just clip the lunge line to her halter. I keep it simple and lunge only when I want to see how she's moving (check for stiffness, etc.) but since I'm so inept, I don't use it for training. What are you hoping to accomplish with lunging?

[jennifer2]

Lunging is FUN. I take my wildebeasties out in a big field and send them straight down the "wall" and spiral around the edge of the field (LOTS of running on my part- I should do it more!)...

Don't just drill...take them OUT. Make them do smallish quiet circles then reel them out and then make them go straight a bit so the circle moves and lunge over feed sacks and over little jumps and up banks...

It's good for their brains. It develops their minds. It helps them connect a lot of things when they can look at you while they are learning.

As to not knowing how...I'd recommend, again, Pat Parelli.

Just remember it's okay to start small and close, just don't do it fast, and you are PUSHING your horse AWAY from you- lunging is really ground-driving on one rein.

[Amy]

Get RFD-TV!! I'm not kidding...they have Pat Parelli and Clinton Anderson programming that talks about just this. I found Clinton Anderson to be especially useful. He doesn't really have any new concepts, his style just hit home with me. He has a series of tapes on "Lunging for Respect". Both his tapes and programming show him working with beginners on how to properly ask the horse to do things. That was very helpful to watch all the dorky moves, and awkwardness that they had to work through and helped me recongnize it in myself.

I also had a trainer to help me get through some of the rough spots. It is very helpful tool to get my horse listening to me before I hop on and ride.

Good luck!

[bindi]

I want to use it for a few reasons. To teach Lily to listen to me and learn different commands. I want her to get some exercise AND make it something interesting for her and I to do together. I want it to be fun for us and break her day from eating.... eating ... oh and eating.. ;D - that is her expertise.

Down here in NZ we don't have that tv channel so will hunt out some books at the library. Emma the Bowen lady... her new name... is hopefully going to give me a bit of time to show me. I am hoping that Lily has had it done to her as she has raced... I might ring the her old trainer.

Now it's off to work I go so I can pay for the big baby of mine.. *L*

[niaru]

Bindi, does Lily already know how to longe? If not, it's going to be interesting to compare notes LOL.

Yesterday Charm was so quiet and well behaved that I decided to introduce her to the notion of longeing. But I made the mistake of doing it AFTER a few other things.
See, we started with walk, whoa, moving hind quarters away from me, which she did well, and she already has the 'back-up' thingy down pat, all I need is to say it.

So, when I tried to have her circle around me (just in her halter and long leadrope, as it was just a first try) she obediently backed up and moved over so as to stay as close to me as possible. LOL.

After a few tries, though, and thanks to the 'kissing' and 'clucking' signals she knows so well, she finally walked a small circle around me. Yay!

[CC]

Bindi,
Does she ground drive? I have started horses ground driving first with 2 reins so that they get used to having something around the back of their hindquarters. Than I just "drive" them in a circle where you are actually holding one rein as a lunge rein and the other acts as an outside rein coming from the bit or caveson around the hindquarters and to you. This outside rein keeps them out on the circle.

However, I was taught to long-line by a very experienced trainer and it should probably be done under supervision. It is very easy to get uncoordinated with the reins and cause unwanted behaviors

I have also taught to lunge using a helper to lead the horse from the outside of the circle (works best if the horse is trained to lead from both sides). Gradually the helper moves away as the horse gets the idea.

Good luck! Lungeing can be so beneficial. Although I am lazy about it. Carambi will free lunge so I never use a line anymore!

[Vida]

I'd look into the Parelli steps. There are videos and booklets available to show you how to do alot of groundwork. The Parelli stuff turned Eagle into a great horse on the end of the line and made it really fun. Before I'd have to wait until he'd galloped around crazy and half rip my arm out before he'd calm down enough to do anything worthwhile but after the Parelli steps I can snap on a line anytime and do some fancy groundwork with him paying attention from the first second and never pulling on the line.

[Skye Pilot]

This is my opinion only and I know my methods aren't alway accepted but, I generally don't start lunging until a young horse works well in the round pen first free lunging. I don't lunge a horse to wear a horse out/down. I lunge a horse to get them to move off pressure when I ask. When I start to lunge a horse I use simple equipment, a rope halter and 15 foot lead with a popper on the end. Anything longer you may get tangled and dragged. I don't use any restrains because the young horse may not know how to give to pressure and could flip on you. I twirl lightly the popper (don't have to have a popper just helps) of the lead until the horse moves off the pressure. DO NOT smack the horse hard. You only give as much pressure as is needed. Start off softly and only increase intensity if you receive no response. As soon as the horse move off the pressure I STOP and praise and rub the horse to desenitize the area I just worked...it may be only 1/2 inch but in that horses mind it was a mile. Be careful with a new young horse because they may strike with the front foot or cow kick. I ask again asking for more steps each time... it usually takes three times for a young/untrained horse to figure out what you are asking. Then I work the other side of the horse like I never taught the horse anything on the other side. A horse's brain is not attached to both hemispheres.... what you teach on one side is to that side only... you work both sides independently. When a horse gets into trouble is when they are switching eyes (switching brain sides)
I spend a lot of time accustoming my horses to right/left brain switching in everything I do.. I mount both sides. Most of the time I work the bad side of the horse longer than the good side.
A month ago, one of the guys that was boarding asked me to teach his horse to lunge... This horse is very saddle broke. He had been trying for a year and still couldn't get his horse to lunge..... I showed him how to do it and had the horse lunging in 15 minutes. The key is you have to ask the horse in its language how to move off pressure. They do it everyday in their herd. You just have to think how one horse moves another horse off.
SORRY THIS GOT LONG