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Discussion on Beginning Longing
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Julie (April)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 18, 2001 - 11:42 am: |   |
I am training a yearling filly to longe. She keeps wanting to come toward me instead of going around. I move the longing whip by her head to keep her from moving in toward me, but she equates that movement with stopping. I keep my body closer to her rear and that helps, but I also end up moving all over the pasture. Any suggestions to help us progress along a little better? |
Christine C. Mills (Chrism)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 18, 2001 - 2:36 pm: | |
Hmm.
I have a yearling filly and have no plans to begin her on the longe line until she is 3 years old.
As far as starting one, it helps if you work in an enclosed area, such as a round pen.
When first starting, a 2nd person can help by leading the horse while the person in the center begins to establish control.
After a couple of times, the leading person can just walk with the filly.
Eventually, the 2nd person is not needed.
Additionally, the 2nd person can help with "forward." I think taking 2 fairly firm dressage whips and tapping them together near the horse's heels usually gives an encouragement without endangering the person. The horse should already have a forward command while being led around to ease this.
If you watch your body position and turn sideways (you are smaller in the horses' eye) to bring the horse to you and turn full frontal to move them away, this can help, too.
Don't forget to praise when the horse is doing what you want - frequently, but then quiet.
I usually point the whip at the hind end to help with forward. Typically, to move off, the green horse also moves out as it is more comfortable.
Watch that you aren't expecting too much. Circles can be hard on young bodies. And the minds take a while to mature and develop any attention span. |
Holly Edwards (Hwood)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 18, 2001 - 8:22 pm: | |
Ditto.
A yearling probably should not do much longing. Leading, ground work for simple lateral moves, some backing, just general handling (getting her used to plastic bags, newspapers, dogs, bicycles, etc.) will be sufficient for a yearling whose bones and joints are still in a state of formation. Circles are very hard on those young joints and can stress them unnecessarily.
Holly |
Julie (April)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 19, 2001 - 9:40 am: | |
What are the "simple lateral moves" we could be working on? |
Jackie Dayman (Becky)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 19, 2001 - 6:57 pm: | |
Try pointing the whip at her shoulder to get her to move away. Or if that's not successful, step back to get your distance and have her continue moving forward. Its very hard when you start teaching them to lunge to just stand in the middle like you would with an older horse.
However, Iagree with the other posters that even the longest lunge line is probably too tight a circle for a yearling . But if this is just a teaching exercise, why not. |
Holly Edwards (Hwood)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 19, 2001 - 9:54 pm: | |
Hi, Julie,
By "simple lateral moves" I mean getting the filly sensitive to light pressure on her side to move her body away from the pressure. It will be a great help when you DO start riding her if she already understands that pressure from the rider's calf means to move her body to the right or left (depending on which leg is applying pressure).
A touch on the shoulder or in front of her withers with a verbal "MOVE" cue should result in her moving her front end away from pressure. Light pressure from your fist just behind where a rider's leg would hang along with a verbal "MOVE" cue should result in the filly moving her hind end away from the pressure. These cues followed by individual steps away from pressure, will result in turns on the forehand, turns on the haunches, sidepasses and leg yields. Leading work is so important; to get the filly to lead on a lightly held leadline and move foreward, backward, away from you and toward you by following your shoulder, not by hauling on her or pushing her.
You don't want to do too much at once, but use consistent cues around her when you are grooming her, and spend fifteen minutes to a half hour doing leading and ground work with her, and when it comes time to get on her back, you will already have laid the groundwork for a very light, responsive horse.
Have fun.
Holly |
Julie (April)
| | Posted on Friday, Jul 20, 2001 - 9:29 am: | |
Thank you all very much for your help! |
wendy clower (Wendy)
| | Posted on Friday, Jul 20, 2001 - 7:20 pm: | |
I've learned that staying BEHIND the girth line when you want forward movement and IN FRONT of the "line" when you want a change makes a big difference to the horse. I use a plastic garbage bag (torn open on the closed end) doubled around the end of the long whip to get slow movers or those not responding to move on. After they learn what I'm asking, I can go to just body language or a twirling rope (and then I don't have to work as hard). The horse of mine that does what you said (comes in to you) is eleven years old, so with him I can get a little more aggresssive in sending him away, but I agree with the others - too much too soon and really young might be contraindicated. |
Holly Z.
Member
Username: Cowgrl
Post Number: 136
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 - 6:03 pm: | |
When the time comes to teach your youngster to lunge, what I did worked really well and you can use this now to prepare him. Teach him verbal cues to associate with moving forward (walk, trot). When he is solid on this, start moving away from him while repeating the command until he is walking alongside but several feet away. Before long he will continue on a circle around you. It took my horse about an hour to learn (broken up into two sessions) but he's older and more mature. Your baby still has the attention span of a nat.
I teach all my horses to move forward with just verbal cues. The tone is very important. Upward transitions indicate and upward tone - trrrot, can-ter. Downward are the opposite, whhoooa. Hope ya'll getting a good laugh here.
Good luck with your baby. |
Dorene A. Guarnieri
New Member
Username: Dovene
Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 3, 2005 - 10:09 pm: | |
I have a ten year old gelding, who we believe is not very familiar with lunging. Any suggestions on how to begin. My daughter was able once or twice to get him to trot in a circle, but we really do not know what we are doing this is our first horse. Also how often should you really lunge your horse?}} |
Angie Judson
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 268
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 4, 2005 - 10:20 am: | |
Welcome Dorene!!
There are many different ways to go about this, but I think Clinton Anderson's Lunging for Respect is the best. You can do his method alone. You do need, in my humble opinion, a few key pieces of equipment: a "be nice" halter, which is a rope halter. Different lengths of ropes, 14' to start, then I go to a 30'. I make these myself but you can use a "lunge line". These though are usually a webbed line and I find these are a pain that they get tangled up easily. A pair of gloves for you, a helmet too, and a whip. Usually about 4'-5' long with a sash. That's a great size to do alot with and easy to handle.
Have you horse face you, stand back maybe 6' at first. Point with your left hand. Your thumb is facing him, your little finger is the direction. Put your hand up and out the way you want him to go. Then start swinging the whip at him, a circle overhand motion, go towards his shoulder. You are walkin straight at him, giving direction with your other hand. He may back,that's o.k., go with him. Just keep doing what you are doing til he moves off to the left. If he goes the wrong way, tug him back. Keep 2 eyes on you when he's facing you, that's keeping his attention. Point, and try again.
Once he moves out, you can let him circle around you. It takes some coordination because you do have to feed the rope out, and sometimes pull the slack back. Plus you have the whip. Which you keep the end on the ground except if "pointing, or swinging it at him". I find letting the extra rope lay on the ground works better than trying to keep it coiled in my hands. That's where the 14' rope is nice.
There is more to this, which CA explains in his book, and I've seen on tv. Like to stop, you need to step towards his butt, swing whip overhand again at his butt, pull his head in towards you, 2 eyes on you again. Butt facing away.
This was a little aggressive I thought when I first taught myself to do it. But now I think it is the best way. I have 4 horses of different breeds and personalities. One I just point, and zoom, she's gone!! Another looked at me, and "huh?" then liked to back, and back. But I think it makes more sense than say, point the whip up to stop, or have someone else lead the horse in a circle with you. I don't think a horse can focus on 2 people at once! Some can't focus on 1 at a time even.
I do this stuff, but can't explain it well enough to teach so I'll say again, find the book CA has, videos, check if you get RFD-TV and his shows.
And how long & often to lunge? 6 outa 7 days won't hurt a 10 yr old. Don't be surprised if your first session is an hour, you are working on technique. After that, 20 min is plenty if you are working on perfecting techniques. 10 minutes before riding, or anytime introducing something new. I lunge before rides, over poles, when trying a different bit, etc. But that's me, I always figure I do ground work better than I ride!! |
Linda Lashley
Member
Username: Lhenning
Post Number: 80
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Sep 8, 2005 - 10:02 am: | |
Hi Dorene,
One other thing in addition to Angie's good advice is to position your body toward the horse and imagine a string extending from your chest to just behind his shoulders. To keep him moving you need to keep "aimed" in that fashion. If you move your chest toward his neck or head, that will stop him.
I don't think the point of lunging is to just move a horse around and around, nor is it to wear them out. It is to build strong skills on the ground which are then transferred to the saddle. I lunge my horse every time before I ride him to help get his mind focussed and prepared for what I will then teach him in the saddle.
I also think Pat Parelli has excellent books and videos teaching lunging and ground work. His games not only teach but also help to build a strong bond between you and your horse.
Happy trails,
Linda |
Dorene A. Guarnieri
New Member
Username: Dovene
Post Number: 2
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 11, 2005 - 11:10 pm: | |
Dear Angie and Linda,
Thank-you very much. I will definitely look for those books and videos, but what you have stated should help me alot. Thanks again and wish me luck. |
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