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How to get your horse away from you so you can begin lunging him around a circle

4K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  Tennessee 
#1 ·
There have been a LOT of threads where people talk about trying to lunge their horse but the horse just stays facing them so they can't get it to move AROUND them, they can't access his side where his driveline is because he keeps his head pointed at them. Here, in my short, homemade video, I show the very rock bottom basic of getting your horse to step away , out to the side and be in a position where you can the turn and drive them forward and around you in a lunging circle.

Keep in mind that I am doing this in a very small movement. If I were going to have Mac then lunge, I might put a little more energy into my request for him to step over, and out, and I would follow through right after that with pressure to ask him to keep moving, but move forward.


I just wanted to show the thinking that goes on with focussing on moving one foot at a time. It can be very engaging to practise this on days when you cannot ride.

 
#5 ·
Thank you. I thought that might be what you were saying, but a little part of me was thinking, "is she serious? I don't know what to say because I wouldn't want that fellow to spend a minute with my horse at the end of his line"

Just remember, I am pretty straightforward and maybe a bit dull upstairs.
 
#12 ·
Froggie, you will get there one day, and you will be SO proud of yourself because you will have EARNED your way there. Nobody gave it to you, you earned it!

Mac, the appy, is a doll baby and a really well trained horse. I should have done that thingy with a less trained hrose. Next time.
 
#14 ·
very good. though if the man in the 2nd video had better timing and brought his pressure on far more gently he'd achieve a similar result.

your emphasis on suggestion is brilliant. something i personally do but don't see many others spend time refining, except the suggestion of the seat in reining.
 
#15 ·
Forgive me for being redundant, but look at your Mac! The ham, stealing all of this attention. :P

I'm also going to put out the norm -- there is no "right way" in horse training. A prime example would be a man I recently met who broke horses the "Cowboy Way," and just a year or so ago transitioned to Monty Roberts training methods. The man obviously came to the conclusion that his way wasn't the "right way," and moved to a better, safer training method. "No right way."

I can see that you and Mac work well together, otherwise I don't think he'd be so willing to comply with your 'suggestion.' Something I've taught Creampuff to do is a hand signal. When I put my hand up, palm out toward her and hand flat, and make a "SCHT" noise, she knows it means, 'go away.' I use an unusual noise cue to go with the hand signal so none of the other barn hands "accidentally" send her away when they're trying to catch her. She leaves, turns to look at me, and waits for me to invite her in by changing my body posture from head-on to 45-degrees, and a call (just a whistle).

You're very subtle with Mac, and I think he enjoys it. And its that sort of "compassion" with your horse that makes good trainers, I'm told. :) My only "beef" with the video is when the wind blows... you were talking, and it (the wind) drowned out what you were saying.
 
#16 ·
Forgive me for being redundant, but look at your Mac! The ham, stealing all of this attention. :P

I know, Mac is really a charming individual. Something about the way he rolls his eyes. he is incredibly personable.

I can see that you and Mac work well together, otherwise I don't think he'd be so willing to comply with your 'suggestion.' Something I've taught Creampuff to do is a hand signal. When I put my hand up, palm out toward her and hand flat, and make a "SCHT" noise, she knows it means, 'go away.' I use an unusual noise cue to go with the hand signal so none of the other barn hands "accidentally" send her away when they're trying to catch her. She leaves, turns to look at me, and waits for me to invite her in by changing my body posture from head-on to 45-degrees, and a call (just a whistle).

You're very subtle with Mac, and I think he enjoys it. And its that sort of "compassion" with your horse that makes good trainers, I'm told. :) My only "beef" with the video is when the wind blows... you were talking, and it (the wind) drowned out what you were saying.
Thank you for compliment. To be called "subtle" is about the nicest compliment I could get.
I realize that Mac moved over with the tiniest of "suggestions" and other horses might not do this. Of course. In such a case, say moving horse off to his left, as I did the first try, I would suggest off in that direction AND I would back it up with pressure on the horse's other side to "push" him off to his left. It might be as big as using a large propeller blade and if the horse didn't move over as I got closer to him , the propeller would rund right into his neck/shoulder area. I keep my body facing the direction I want him to step toward, I keep suggesting with the lead line , and I may have to grab onto it and put REAL pull on it, and push with the propeller, and the horse may back up, may rear a little, may try to go the other way, may get upset, but I just keep asking. Eventually, he will step the direction I asked. Release! total realease. Do this enough times and he will move toward that suggestion with the smallest of body pressure pushing from the other side. Mac is a 'been there, done that " horse.
That's what I need. I am not a person who can train a horse from the bottom up, nor am I qualified to deal with a really troubled horse. I know that and freely admit it.
 
#18 ·
Love this horse!! I enjoyed watching him (or her; couldn't catcha good view) Wish I could basically point and mine move!!
 
#19 ·
I enjoyed the video Tinyliny and believe it or not, I was even able to get something out of Spyders "informative" video! It's interesting what you can pull out of even the uh "most interesting" stuff. I like that you took the time to explain things and show things. It's really neat to be able to SEE things you know?
 
#21 ·
I have to say a huge THANK YOU because I tried this with my girl Elly this afternoon and we did it!! Many times AND both ways as well! And amazingly, for the first time ever, I got her out into a lunge, both ways!!

I was amazed to say the least, and thrilled, excited and had a terrific sense of satisifaction.

Did I use enough adjectives I wonder...

THANK YOU!
 
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