The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Help! We are STUCK.

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  friafreedom756 
#1 ·
Hi,

I am working with two green horses. I am a green trainer myself. I am trying to get them past stopping when they longe and standing there and staring at me and not moving a muscle. I swear they are saying: "You can't make me."

I am positive it is something I am doing. I can get them both to back up and side step very easily. However when I try to longe them the either go for a few steps or not at all. It's so aggrevating I've been to the point of tears. I had to stop today because I was getting so upset about it.

How do you correct this? I made the mistake of hitting them both in the butt with the whip. I have not done it again when I realized that it was counter productive.

Any advice? I am so sad about one of them. He was a star on the ground (with my little experience anyway) until I rode him (he did GREAT), then suddenly he no longer has interest in moving on the ground. I am afraid that I am also teaching them that they can get away with stopping when I don't want them to.

Thank you so much.

Gena
 
See less See more
#4 ·
When lunging, imagine a pizza slice or traingle. The horse is the crust or base, you are the point, and your arms are the sides. The lungeline and whip are extensions of your arms, no more. Lets say the horse is going left. Your left arm needs to be a straight line from the horses head, down the lunge line to your shoulder. Your body should be angled slightly behind the horses movement to "push" him on. The whip is in your right hand to "close" the triangle. The whip should not be flailing around, but pushing towards the horses butt to drive the horse forwards. If you need to flick it, flick it towards the horses butt in a sideways motion, again pushing the horse forwards.

If the horse stops and stares at you, shorten the line and keep turning your right shoulder (going left) so it is angled towards his but. Don't smack him with the whip, but feel free to push it up behind him. If neccesary, pratice with a lead rope and just make him walk in a small circle. Then you can gradually expand the circle.

Good luck! I hope I helped, it's difficult to explain
 
#5 ·
If you get RFDTV, I highly recommend watching some of the trainers on at 10:00pm. Most of the shows involve starting young horses. Most take place in a round pen, but he basics of longeging are the same. Longeing works off a triangle principle. You are one tip of the triangle. Facing the horse, (about 10' away usually) your left hand holds the longe line and points toward the horse's front end. Your right hand holds the longe whip. (It's a 6' whip with an equal length 6' tassle on it) This points toward the horse's hind end. That's your triangle. When you're standing square to the horse's middle, that neutral position. If you step or look more toward his front end, that tells him to slow down or stop. If you move toward his back end or flick that whip at his butt, that tells him to move forward. That's what's referred to as the drive line. If you don't have a proper lunge whip, you definitely need one. You need a long whip to allow you to stay a safe distance away from the horse. Maybe try watching some demonstrations on youtube to get the feel of it. Sounds like your horse's are just standing there because they don't know what you are asking. I'm sure they'll move once it's more clear to them. good luck.
 
#6 ·
You can try making the horse move forward by using the lounge whip behind him, but when that doesn't work GO FOR THE SHOULDER.

I'm going to guess that when you go for the butt, the horse will just move his back feet around to disengage his hindquarters. He'll still want to try to face you, but he knows that you also want him to move so he'll just stick his front feet in the ground and move his back feet. All good & dandy, but that doesn't get him lounging a circle around you.

When you un-stick his front feet, he'll start moving off for you. Work on getting his to yield his shoulders. Swing the rope at the area between the point of his shoulder up to the withers. Get him to move away from you and the swinging rope. Guess what - he'll have to take a step and now you have him thinking about where to go. He will figure out that when you push his shoulders away, that you no longer want him to be facing you.

Using the whip at the hindquarters is a good cue to get the horse to change gears into the next gait. But getting the shoulders to move is the first step to start the horse off around the lounge line.
 
#7 ·
My horse does that sometimes, especially when its raining! Just make sure you are stood behind your horses shoulder or you will be blocking them from moving forward. And make sure the lunge line is slack for them to move off,especially if you are using a caavesson as any pressure on the ring will to them mean stop. Make sure any signal you give is from behind. I usually gently wave my hand behind and usher mine forward but do not touch him with anything, just will him on.
 
#8 ·
Using a lunge whip is not mean... You are asking for the horse to move forward. Ask the horse to move forward... by kissing or clucking... Move the whip behind him and ask again... If he still stands there pop the whip behind him... It may take a tap on the butt to move him forward... by no means am I saying beat your horse but you ask the horse to move forward twice then you are telling them you are moving forward. All of my horses learned to lunge this way and none of them are crazy or freaked out by a whip and I no longer even need it when I lunge them.
 
#9 ·
My boyfriend's mom just gelded thier eight year old stallion, and hes really starting to shape up. He was trying to lounge him the other day, and was getting mad, he was doing the same thing described. We have walked him around for hours since learning walk, trot ho. and he still did the same thing when he tried again. I gave it a wirrl, even though im scared of the horse!!! I flipped the whip behind him, and at first he just starred at me. After a while he got tired of it and took off, and we had to get him to slow down. Hes learning, but slowly. The horse has to know youre in charge, no matter what. Are you using the same word commands, like walk trot whoa? Use them same as you did under saddle, and don't change them, not even a variation. this helped the gelding too. Hope I helped!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top