So when Redheadlins told me I needed to be lunging Courage once a week, I pretty much blew her off. I made sure he sort of understood the basics in case of emergencies and called it good.
Besides, he's this incredible calm, talented horse with an awesome work ethic. Why waste time lunging?
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| Fancy |
This.
I thought it might make sense to spin my freshly clipped horse around on the line, given the ten degree temp drop and gusting winds.
Initially, I was thinking some lunge/ride combo, but we ended up working through voice commands (whoa is apparently a hard one) and then I just threw his little lunging aid on for a few minutes.
Hot damn.
Am I right?
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| Looking pretty darn good |
By the time we were done lunging, I thought he'd probably done enough for a horse who was on his second day back in work.
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| You're just jealous of his punk rock hair. AND SPARKLES! |
If I'm going to lunge, I want it to be a productive training session. We've pretty well hit the limit of the usefulness of the harbridge martingale, just because he's carrying himself so differently now. Any thoughts? Who lunges and wants to recommend a tool?
I am all about the chambon for lunging. It encourages a downward/outward stretch, so the horse can't get stuck in a false frame. Courage looks fancy!
ReplyDeleteDitto to the chambon. The trick with that is to keep the horse moving forward into it. It can be easy for them to get sucked back.
ReplyDeleteEven if he's used his body correctly for this one session there's no need to leave it off or move on to other things. Like under saddle, there's a lot to be gained through repetition and muscle building.
I made my own hind end exercise band here: http://beljoeor.blogspot.com/2013/12/tristans-new-least-favorite-torture.html
I am not wild about the Pessoa system, because as I've most often seen it rigged, it teaches the horse to suck back because his hind legs end up bumping his mouth. That seems to discourage the idea of really pushing through to me. Look at a horse rigged up in one and follow the lines - they don't make sense!
I've always wanted to use vienna reins but other than that I don't have any suggestions. Courage looks mighty nice, though!
ReplyDelete:D :D :D
ReplyDeleteLunging is awesome, as long as you have a purpose and don't overdo it. Horses get to find their own balance and figure things out for themselves. Courage looks like he's working it out. :)
ReplyDeleteI always start my youngsters on a lunge line. It helps them learn voice commands and balance. You can use a surcingle or chambo. You do t have to lunge long but def incorporate it into your program. I have one finished horse who uses it to stretch and play. It's not a bad tool...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the pessoa for helping the find balance, straightness and lean about contact.
ReplyDeleteExcited to hear more about your lunging journey... I recently started lunging Miles and I think I like it, although like you I've never used it much before.
ReplyDeleteI put a chambon on Miles, and felt so-so about it. I think I wasn't asking him for enough forward.
I'm like you, I never really lunge much. But, I think it's useful for the young horse.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea behind the pessoa, but my trainer introduced me to a great little option that just figure eights a loop of rope over the shoulders (hanging in front of the chest, and x in front of the saddle) and loops it back over the haunch (resting below the buttock). It really helped the 2nd level horse she was working with engage his hind end and step up, without actually even engaging with his face. You could totally use that system with side reins or vienna reins to get a total picture.
Also, the Dressage Radio Show did a segment on lunging the other day. You might check that out, too.
Can we see a picture of that setup? Sounds like a great tool.
DeleteI love to work transitions on the lunge! I don't use anything fancy (sometimes I'll throw on the side reins), but the transitions do keep it from being boring and give them an opportunity to find the changing balance from one gait to another. I look for a quiet demeanor before, during, and after. If there is too much anticipation, I pick a spot they can anticipate, and allow them to 'learn the pattern' so they can start preparing themselves and not act surprised. Once they start getting that, I go back to asking them randomly at other places. If they are getting a little too relaxed about those transitions, I keep my whip ready, but as long as they are trying to prepare and change gaits, I leave them a lone and let them work through it. Fancy Pony likes to 'hop' into the trot, so each time she hops, I bring her right back to the walk and ask again as soon as the walk is established. Within a few reps, she is back to stepping into it rather than tossing up her shoulders. Time flies when I lunge!
ReplyDeleteI want more lunge lessons! I just want someone to lunge my horse while I ride without reins! ;)
I love what vienna/lauffer reins have done for Dassah. She's not forced into a frame but asked to balance and focus a bit. I keep reading that lunging without side reins of some sort are detrimental because the horse doesn't have to be balanced so, I rigged up my own Lauffers and can use them that way or as Viennas. Still struggling to get her to respond to downward transitions.... oh well. So happy you saw just a great response from Courage! Woohoo!
ReplyDeleteI lunge. And although I hate doing it, I have a much more responsive horse after...and Blake is the master. We don't just do the regular circle work though...a lot more involved. And my Pessoa system only requires a western saddle and a rope. Cowboy style! I am going to get shunned, aren't I?
ReplyDeleteNo shunning from me! It sounds like a great way to go about that! ;)
DeleteThose cowboys really did have some stuff figured out.
I have running reins, and like the action, but my mare goes behind the bit or gets tense in anything except a chambon.
ReplyDeleteI use the butt rope with no rein aids like Amanda and like that setup, I feel that it is very kind but it does make them work hard. I use a neck stretcher instead of the tubing. I have added a chambon to the equation - it's a disconnected Pessoa! - and it was a great setup.
I had an instructor who would tie two polo wraps together and have us hold them as butt ropes - so from one hand, around the butt, to the other hand. A Pessoa under saddle!
I don't agree with people who lunge every day for 30+ minutes just to lunge, necessarily, unless there horse just really really needs it. If I lunge before a ride, I usually just let him stretch out on a big circle and do lots of transitions, and only lunge for 5-10 minutes max. Really just to let him stretch and see where his brain is at (or judge soundness etc.)
ReplyDeleteFor a while Wiz was being a BRAT all the time,so I started lunging him before every ride, but he started just using that as an excuse to get really crazy and would carry that attitude into the riding. When I dropped the lunging and just braved it and got on and took a long time walking, he was much better!
That being said, I still feel like lunging is a good tool for a lot of things. To reinforce ground manners and voice commands. To let them figure out their balance themselves (with tools such as vienna reins/pessoa system! That way you're not up there messing things up and they can figure the whole get-on-the-bit thing without your "help"), lunging over obstacles such as small jumps/scary jumps/poles, free jumping (pref. off a line though) and that occasional time when no matter what they are being TURDS and you really have no other choice but to let them buck it out on the lunge (to save your life, you know- it does happen).
Also it's a good tool to have when you go to shows and can't turn out. And it's good to have practiced it at home so you don't look like idiots at the show haha.
Anyway, he looks gorgeous!
I do longlining instead. Much of it is on the circle. Gives me a chance to actively work the rein.
ReplyDeleteAll that being said, it does take some practice to learn how to do it well. But I've started two young horses on the long lines and by the time they were ready for the saddle, they steered, stopped, and generally accepted the bit as if they'd been ridden for years.
Hampton is very well broke on the lunge line because he has done quite a bit of it. Especially when he was young. I really believe in it as a tool to teach horses how to balance themselves. Side reins also help develop muscle, self carriage and can help teach horses to yield to the bit. I have always tried to use lunging as a tool, and rarely go over 10-15 minutes of it. Unless it is a zoomies day (rare with Hampton) in which case he is permitted to get his energy out but not tear around like a lunatic. I don't ever use lunging to "wear them out." I had a lot of luck with Vienna reins with my Morgan who liked to be inverted. They don't really do any good with Hampton who is never inverted (not built that way). But anyway yes I believe lunging is a great tool when used properly. Also, Courage looks like a rock star.
ReplyDeleteI hate lunging. Boring! But I have watched my trainer many a time lunge and longline several horses and could really see how beneficial it is as she pointed things out to me (cuz my newbie couldn't see anything at first). That said, I do still avoid when I can. But for some time I did use the Pessoa rig to build Sam's hind end and it is pretty awesome. Don't get a knock off, not nearly as nice of quality hardware and you do want the nice sliding hardware - so find the real dea. And some ppl don't know that they have a knockoff they are selling you :P I got to use my trainer's real one so that was handy :) The best part was, you don't have to use the rig for a long durations to get results. :)
ReplyDeleteI only use lunging to get the crazies out of Henry.. esp since I am prego and don't want to be a lawn dart- balance and agility are long gone ha!
ReplyDeleteI don't lunge often mostly because Mollie just doesn't need it so I am no help... Just wanted to say C looks adorable :)
ReplyDeleteI found the pessoa system worked (and still works) wonders for Kika - she really seems to enjoy it too, as she finds her balance without a rider interfering. She just floats when working with it, something she struggles to do under saddle as she spends too much time trying to think up ways to avoid working properly - however this is a non-issue with the pessoa and she works away happy out.
ReplyDeleteIf i can better establish the lunging basics with Nancy (we had our first productive lunge session in months on Monday evening) I hope to introduce her to the pessoa system. 15-20mintues with a training aid used correctly stands to them in ways 45 minutes under my saddle never could.
Ah mares, lol
DeleteI don't lunge often coz I'm not very good at it, but when I do I like the double lungeing method, where nothing is fixed and you control both sides of the horse with your hands.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of lunging but making it a training session as well. I don't like lunging just for the sake of it.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly lunging to my mare is a way to get the crazy out for 5-10 min. I find after a few laps she really can balance herself out better. I would love to try a chambon or something to really get her stepping under but not curling her head down.
ReplyDeleteMy trainer does lunge sessions when she's got too many to ride, then my pony get jumped over varying jumps and really put to work without a rider messing her up (ahem me).
Where I did my working student program, we weren't allowed to lunge unless it was for vaulting. After that I have never been very excited about lungeing, but it has it's uses. I think it's like any training tool, beneficial as long as it's used in moderation. I think the Pessoa can be useful if it is put on in a way where it encourages the horse to carry themselves properly, but not forcing them to. I also think less is more with it as far as how long you use it in your sessions. There are so many things out there, I really think how you use whichever one is more important than what you use.
ReplyDeleteI use different things depending on the horse. For Jetta, I love the vienna reins. For Misty we use the chambon.
ReplyDeleteI've found each horse responds to all the tools differently, so my advice would be to try a bunch and see which one he relaxes into. Pong hates the vienna reins, tolerates the Pessoa and but will stretch down nice with just a halter & line. Mostly I just use a side rein on the outside, then run the lunge line through bit, up to the saddle d-ring on the inside. Keeps his outside shoulder straight and allows me to play with a tiny bit of bend on the inside.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the experimentation. I'm going to try this approach sometime.
DeleteI hate lunging too, but my trainer is always on me to do more of it. Lex needs to learn to take responsibility for her balance without me up there correcting it for her all the time. And it IS working - she's still cutting in on circles on the lunge line, but less often and with less severity. And she no longer tries to stop and stare at me.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used any lunging gear except side reins, adjusted loosely and attached at the girth (sometimes I use hay string to lengthen them because I don't want them cranking the horse's nose in). I also don't put them on a fresh horse. When I use side reins, I will sometimes ride first and THEN lunge, because I don't want a fresh horse hitting herself in the mouth and I also don't want to lunge for a million years. I haven't used side reins on Lex, but I should, probably.
Just posted on ETT if interested https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=681635805190012&set=gm.640994715966968&type=1&theater
ReplyDeleteGet creative and design a lunging routine that isn't boring. I like to incorporate spirals to encourage lateral warmup which leads to nice stretching. Harley learned to do this in just a halter and he used to be super zoomy on the line. Trot poles add variety and can improve balance and impulsion. Have fun! He looks very good!
ReplyDeleteI have to be bone tired to enjoy lungeing experienced horses, because yep, boring. One reason why not to do it too much or the horse will get bored too.
ReplyDeleteThat said, lunging has done absolute wonders for my horses in terms of fitness, muscle tone, balance, and self-carriage. I know a lot of people detest side reins, but they've worked beautifully for me, and I can really feel the difference under saddle. Also a great way of getting a horse fit - circle work is really strenuous. Of course if overdone it causes issues, but I'm usually not afraid of making them work hard if they're ready for it.
As long as I keep them moving forward into the contact with the side reins and lunge them exactly the same amount of time on each rein (important!!), lunging is brilliant for me.
I lunge every time before I ride even if it's just for five minutes. I do it because it helps Finn warm and and get the feel without a person on him, and if he gonna do anything stupid he'll do it then. I think side reins are useful to contain a horse that's fresh and keep there head down but for teaching how to keep contact there completely unusefull. A horse can tottaly pull through them. I do love the Pessoa system though, so many different options to teach contact, though very spendt it is completely worth it in my opinion. If you have a horse that hangs use it, a horse that is to light use it, a horse that gets to deep use it! It's pretty cool the options that it gives you!
ReplyDeleteVienna reins :)
ReplyDeleteTry the Cavalletti book by Klimke...it will give you everything you need for lungeing and more.
ReplyDeleteLongeing with side reins has really helped Hemie get more confident with contact. I do lots of exercises on the longe: spiral in and out, doing square turns, "walk the dog" around the arena/free form longing not on a circle, moving hips in and out, moving shoulder in and out, etc. Keeps it more engaging, mentally and physically, for both of us!
ReplyDelete