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Lunge problem

1K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  Oldhorselady 
#1 ·
In practicing for an upcoming clinic, I have been put into a pickle with my horse. In the roundpen, free lunging, cues are very clear to move out, w/t/c, switch direction and impulsion. Now, when trying to do the same thing, but on a line, it has all fallen apart! When I point to go out with the line in my hand, she walks to me, even if I am not putting any pressure on the line. Rather than move away from the flag that is coming towards her face, she wants to walk up to it and put it in her mouth.

How do I get her to yield to the flag without hitting her in the face with it to get her out of my space?:oops:
 
#2 ·
Well I would hit her in the face if she is in my space!! LOL, maybe not, but I would for sure be after her with a whip if she is in my space!!

OK, stop trying to lunge her for now, instead get out there with a 12' rope and a schooling whip, or a lunge whip with the lash twisted up out of the way, you don't need it yet.

You are going to start by getting her to circle you quite close in, draw a 2' round circle in the dirt, stand in it, do not leave it, this is your space. give her some rope, and send her out, and drive her shoulder out, if she tries to come in on your space, tap her shoulder send her out again, if she tries to pull away, snap the rope and bring her back on a nice circle around you. If she doesn't move out of your space with a tap, then HIT her, one hard thwack, make her respect that space.

When you can get her to reliably circle you each way close in you ca then send her out further, until you have her on the lunge.
 
#3 ·
I guess I'm probably babying her....she is in my space, but not on top of me....if that makes sense. She comes to me with the 'I just want to be by you' look and play with the flag in my mouth demeanor. Then I get confused on what to do, because I have taught her to be desensitized to these types of things and not want her to react to them. Well, now I am asking her to become sensitive to it and move away from it. So I am confusing her I'm sure.
 
#4 ·
If she enters your bubble, she is on top of you, and that is not safe. I never worried so much about this before, but now it is my new mantra, I must have that bubble around me. I will invite my guys into that space, but no one, NO ONE, :oops: OK only one comes in uninvited, but he is special, thsi pic will give you a clue



Everyone else keeps away, you don't come in looking for love, head scratchies, or treats, you wait until I come to you...it is the only safe way to be around horses.
 
#5 ·
Think of it this way... Your rope. You desensitized your horse to it? But then it also tells your horse to move?

You with a relaxed body shows you are desensitizing, but if you walk towards him with meaning you want him to move he is going to move.
 
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#6 ·
I guess I'd try:
a shorter line, maybe 12-15',
be sure to make contact at the right place in the send,
follow by driving the neck/shoulder,
then if needed driving from behind up to the heels quickly.
(Upping each phase until proper response),
breaking it down if necessary.

Maybe a practice session of moving the forehand with direct and indirect pressure, from close in and stepping back some.


Well, now that I've typed this I'm afraid to post. Not a trainer, professional, or expert in any way. Don't know if right or wrong, you probably know better than me.

But maybe some one will pick apart my response and I'll learn something from it.

From another old horse lady,
Ann
 
#7 ·
Thanks for posting everyone. I think what I've learned is to take it back a couple steps. Thrill ride you are exactly right, and I think I had forgotten. My horses do know the difference with the body language...well, obviously not all the time now! This horse is a very well-behaved special horse and I think I've let my emotion get in the way. I need to take the fuzzy wuzzies out of it. Back to basics for this lesson.
 
#8 ·
This horse is a very well-behaved special horse and I think I've let my emotion get in the way. I need to take the fuzzy wuzzies out of it. Back to basics for this lesson.
It happens to all of us :lol: There is plenty of room for 'fuzzy wuzzies' but that is not in lesson time. Think of it like the difference between classroom behaviour and school yard rec time...
 
#9 ·
As soon as she starts to turn in that's when your have to give her a tap on the nose. Keep your direction hand pointing and have your hand a bit above the height of your shoulder. She's equating the line with being led somewhere so you're going to have to help her learn otherwise. Don't wait for her to come to you but you move toward her.
 
#10 ·
As soon as she starts to turn in that's when your have to give her a tap on the nose.

Agree with reacting as soon as she starts to turn, or even when you think about turning, but disagree with tapping on the nose. Ideally she would have her nose slightly turned in anyway, and personally I dont want to discourage that, it is those shoulders I want over. My vote would be a healthy wack on the shoulder over a tap on the nose!
 
#12 ·
Yes, I'm forgetting the shoulder. I think I start with her too close to me too. But if I try to start farther away, she turns and walks towards me, and if I try to stop her with a whip or flag etc...she just walks into it.....lol...like it's all in fun. I don't have the problem off a line though. Weird horse.
 
#13 ·
you may be starting with her too close, and , you allow her to make the wrong choice when you ask with your flag, and wait too long to correct it.

see, if she's out there and you ask for forward with the flag, and she take a step toward you, right there you make that choice uncomfortable, and make it uncomfortable enough that she very quickly seeks a different choice. you probably are waiting until she has taken more than the one step vefore you start trying to stop that. in fact, you can even catch that incorrect choice before she even takes a step toward you. watch her, you'll see her thinking about moving in on you, her body will rock forward toward you even before she moves her foot. right there, you use the flag in front of you, with a little flutter, and if she takes that step, get big faster. don't let her get in close before you start taking measures. do it when she is just thinking about moving in. the smaller her "push" on you (as light as a though, but not as heavy as a step) the smaller your push back needs to be. but, it always has to be just a tad bigger, so she feels that that is not the "right" choice and so she'll start again and make a new choice. wait, and somewhere she'll choose to go forward, and let her, then take all the pressure off for a bit.
do this a few times where all you want is for her to make the choice to go forward. don't worry about keeping that forward. once she is consistent on choosing forward when you ask for forward, then once she does step forward, focus the flag at her midsection and start turning with her, so she circles and walks forward.
 
#16 ·
I mostly lunge my mare at liberty as you do. Whenever it has been a long while since I used a lead and I employ one, she will walk right up to me. There is no malice behind her "passive resistance", and I don't believe it is her way of saying "aren't I clever? Ha! Top that!". IMO, it is b/c ordinarily when there is a halter and rope involved and I am at the other end of it, her position is "in hand"...right there with and beside me. So, I go with the shorter lead rope to "communicate" that I want her to lunge. The only thing I think is critical about that "refresher/communication" is where you are at and what you are doing relative to them. My mare often has a "confused" few moments when we first do this - she inverts, tries to stay with me, looks scandalized, then she has an "aha" moment and lines out.

I am not sure that is of any use to your particular situation...since they are all different.
 
#17 ·
Actually Missy, that sounds pretty 'right on' with my situation. Mine just didn't get the chance to get the 'aha' moment, since I stopped the lesson so I wouldn't confuse her more, until the next time. I think it's a timing thing that we can work through and find the answer.
 
#18 · (Edited)
sorry for the repeat if it's been mentioned already (i didn't read all the comments), but you know what i might try? lunging her with the line in the round pen you already use for free lunging, if you aren't doing that already. she knows the round pen means go round in a circle, so just add the line and then when she is listening well on the line, move out of the round pen.
 
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