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Pony too desensitized to lunge! :(

3K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Crickett 
#1 ·
Hi i was hoping to get some advice. I have a pony and apparently i've trained him so well to lead that when try to lunge him he thinks im leading him and just keeps following me around. I cant evens startle him enough to get him to go away from me! I dont know what to do, can someone please tell me what i can do? My friend whois very experienced has helped me numerous times and we can get him to listen to our cues. He just follows us around. Help!
 
#2 ·
What tack set up are you trying to sung him with (length of lead, lunge whip?)

First I would get him to back away from you. Once he has a good back up cue get him backed up about 10 ft or so away from you, then point the direction you wan him to go, if he doesn't go, raise your lunge whip toward his shoulder/neck and apply pressure until he moves off. Start by gently shaking the whip 1-2-3-4, if he doesn't go tap his neck 1-2-3-4 and if he still doesn't go give him a good solid whack on the neck- as hard as you need to, but keeping rythm until he moves off. You may have to really give him a good whack with the end of the lunge whip to get him to move, but as long as you remember to ask with as little pressure as possible and release the instant he moves off you'll be able to get him moving with your initial ask eventually. So long as you give fair warning, it's fair, don't just go smacking him out of the blue though!

Good luck
 
#8 ·
It's not that he's so good at leading, or he's so desensitized. He simply doesn't know what you want. Get him on a lunge line and chase him off. Be firm, no half-hearted attempts and then being flattered that he doesn't want to leave you. Send him off, keep your arms out to the side and really drive from behind. Keep the circle small and walk with him. Praise like mad when he's doing good. It's also a good idea to teach him to stay out when you are done as opposed to him walking into the middle. And when you change directions, circle him to the outside. The middle of the circle is YOUR space.
 
#10 ·
And when you change directions, circle him to the outside. The middle of the circle is YOUR space.
On a lunge line you can't have a horse circle "out" to change directions, or he will wrap up in the line. So not sure what you mean here...

Another case in point, I don't WANT a horse showing me his hindquarter...his hinder is for defense, and I don't care how "kind" he is, that needs to stay away from me unless I 'want it' near me (like brushing, or handling his hind feet...but even then, he doesn't get to swing it toward me.
 
#9 ·
Where are you looking when you send him off? Don't look at him--always look in the direction you want him to go. If he does come towards you, gently flick the end of the line toward his neck to push him away. If you keep him walking around you (even if it is small circles) you will eventually get a lunge.

Do you have a round pen you could practice in without a lunge line? I learned to lunge in a round pen without the line first--it was a lot easier to get the hang of it that way (for me, anyway).
 
#13 ·
Well before I even consider lunging a horse, or teaching him to lunge rather. He will know that when I ask him to move his feet, to move his feet NOW. I have almost always had to work in grassy areas, and that's not a problem if the horse truly understands that YOU control his feet. I don't attempt lunging a horse until he backs out of my space willingly, yields his hips and shoulders, and does simple sending exercises between a fence and myself; this is an EASY way to teach the beginning stages of lunging to a horse! Get him to go foward and through a smaller space between you and a fenceline for example, and get him to yield to you, and send him back through the other direction...I also teach them to go over objects using sending exercises.
 
#15 ·
Well before I even consider lunging a horse, or teaching him to lunge rather. He will know that when I ask him to move his feet, to move his feet NOW. I have almost always had to work in grassy areas, and that's not a problem if the horse truly understands that YOU control his feet. I don't attempt lunging a horse until he backs out of my space willingly, yields his hips and shoulders, and does simple sending exercises between a fence and myself; this is an EASY way to teach the beginning stages of lunging to a horse! Get him to go foward and through a smaller space between you and a fenceline for example, and get him to yield to you, and send him back through the other direction...I also teach them to go over objects using sending exercises.
I will be trying that lol, although I have a feeling its gonna take a long long time to get a 38" miniature horse to yield etc. She knows how to lunge and can do it on dirt its just funny to see she thinks shes to good to work on grass. She's been better lately though. Leading/riding (i dont ride her im to big, little sister does) she doesnt even think about putting her head down. lunging is a different story lol.
 
#18 ·
Take your stick or whatever it is you're using and drive the front end away. Hit the horse toward the top part of his neck 6" or so back from the head. Start off with a tap and keep tapping him,slightly harder and slightly harder, till he gives that first tiny hint of moving away, and then stop with the stick or whatever. Point the direction you want him to go, and tap with the other hand. And yes, you might have to hit slightly harder each time, before the horse to realize he needs to move. I'm not saying hitting abuse type hitting. Just hard enough to get the job done. He'll catch on quicker when you release the pressure (stop tapping) after he gives the try. Just remember to point, and stop tapping when he does the right thing, no matter how small the try. Start small and work your way up. You may even have to tap his jowl area a few times to get that head going the right way. Once he understands what it is you want him to do, he'll be on his way. Then you'll have to do the other side. It might be easier, it might be just as tough to get him moving. Be patient, remain calm, and reward the smallest of tries.
 
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