I need help training my horse to lunge?
My horse used to know how to lunge but then I stopped lunging him! Whenever he lunges he always yanks the lead out of my hand and takes off! Can you help me! Cause I dont know how to train a horse to lunge!
First , it is a drag when your horse runs off like that, I know how frustrating that is!
Ok, you will need another person to help, if you don't have a round pen, which is sounds like you don't. Have the helper walk the horse (keeping on the outside) and you will be in the middle. When the horse is going ok at the walk, have the your helper just let go of the horse, and walk away. The horse should keep going forward on the line. You should be standing facing the middle of the horse, your leading hand and the lounge whip making a triangle, pointing at his muzzle and rear. If you get behind your horse, he probably will take off, if you stand in front of him, he'll probably stop.
You said that your horse knows how to lounge, so he shouldn't need too much practice, but make sure you start out slooowly. A lot of horses get excited when they run, and that's when they dash off. Re-teach your horse to go, whoa, and halt at the walk before you go faster. When he has that down, do it at the trot. Cantering on the lounge is hard for horses, and unless you have a good reason, it's really not very productive, but it does get them excited. Also, you shouldn't have to whip the horse (and if you're on a proper lounging circle, you won't be able to reach him anyway), just flick the whip at his back feet at first, then as you progress, you can just point the whip at his rear and he'll speed up.
You can swing the lounge line in a slow wave to help him learn to stop. If you are lounging to get extra energy off, you should expect some action for the first few minutes. If you're lounging for training purposes, again, work on slow first then speed up. Also, you may know this, but don't loop the line around your hand or fingers, you could lose them! hope this helps!
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May 22nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Is it possible you have spooked him to get him to move out?
Try walking him out and slowly letting out the lead and ask him to move out into a circle, and be prepared to hold on if he decides to get the jump on you.
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May 22nd, 2009 at 7:52 am
When he yanks the lead from you, make sure you go get him and do it again, or he is gonna think its ok. Make sure do it all the time! Maybe you should invest in a lunging ring…or just make a temporary one, until both of you get back into the swing of things….just start by walking around in circles and make them bigger….practice makes perfect, and dont give up! ~good luck~
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you could also try getting a lunging whip, and rest it on his back legs. just to let him know you mean business and also to kinda help train him as well. follow him with the whip in the circle.
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:09 am
First , it is a drag when your horse runs off like that, I know how frustrating that is!
Ok, you will need another person to help, if you don't have a round pen, which is sounds like you don't. Have the helper walk the horse (keeping on the outside) and you will be in the middle. When the horse is going ok at the walk, have the your helper just let go of the horse, and walk away. The horse should keep going forward on the line. You should be standing facing the middle of the horse, your leading hand and the lounge whip making a triangle, pointing at his muzzle and rear. If you get behind your horse, he probably will take off, if you stand in front of him, he'll probably stop.
You said that your horse knows how to lounge, so he shouldn't need too much practice, but make sure you start out slooowly. A lot of horses get excited when they run, and that's when they dash off. Re-teach your horse to go, whoa, and halt at the walk before you go faster. When he has that down, do it at the trot. Cantering on the lounge is hard for horses, and unless you have a good reason, it's really not very productive, but it does get them excited. Also, you shouldn't have to whip the horse (and if you're on a proper lounging circle, you won't be able to reach him anyway), just flick the whip at his back feet at first, then as you progress, you can just point the whip at his rear and he'll speed up.
You can swing the lounge line in a slow wave to help him learn to stop. If you are lounging to get extra energy off, you should expect some action for the first few minutes. If you're lounging for training purposes, again, work on slow first then speed up. Also, you may know this, but don't loop the line around your hand or fingers, you could lose them! hope this helps!
References :