[Cinnys Whinny]

Things have been going very well with Cinny so far. We have really worked on the issues of "personal space" and who the herd leader is. I can walk him in and out of the barn, the trailers, and I even walked him onto a grain scale today no problem.

I started lunging him yesterday and I have come up with a problem that I think I know how to work out, but I am not sure. I think for one he has only ever been lunged or worked in the round pen going clockwise (right), and then only at walk and trot. Yesterday whenever I try to go the other direction with him he would go for a little bit and then suddenly stop and spin in towards the gate going all the way around until he is facing me and the lunch line is wrapped around the back of his neck. Today I worked him at a trot 10 minutes each direction for and on his "bad" side I only had him spin around on me about 5 times today.

Now the part I really really need help with is the canter. He flat out won't either direction. He almost acts like he either doesn't know what to do, or he is afraid to. The more I ask (telling him and then snapping whip) the more frustrated he gets until he spins around like above and gets the lunge line wrapped around him and then I have to stop and get it off.

I work him in a round pen. I double checked my positioning and I make sure that I am facing and going towards his hip (I don't stand in the middle like a lazy butt) with the arm holding the lunge lie straight out the direction I want him to go and the hand with the whip gently following about 4 to 6 feet behind him...never actually hitting him just snapping at him when he gets lazy...which he does on occasion.

I'm not sure how to fix the issue of him spinning around and tangling up on me, or the refusals to canter. The only thing I can think of is to take the lunge line off and working him without and trying to get him turned back around as soon as he spins on me to assert myself...would this be the correct way to go?

Any and all advice and/or critics will be appreciated. Thank You

 

[churumbeque]

Things have been going very well with Cinny so far. We have really worked on the issues of "personal space" and who the herd leader is. I can walk him in and out of the barn, the trailers, and I even walked him onto a grain scale today no problem.

I started lunging him yesterday and I have come up with a problem that I think I know how to work out, but I am not sure. I think for one he has only ever been lunged or worked in the round pen going clockwise (right), and then only at walk and trot. Yesterday whenever I try to go the other direction with him he would go for a little bit and then suddenly stop and spin in towards the gate going all the way around until he is facing me and the lunch line is wrapped around the back of his neck. Today I worked him at a trot 10 minutes each direction for and on his "bad" side I only had him spin around on me about 5 times today.

Now the part I really really need help with is the canter. He flat out won't either direction. He almost acts like he either doesn't know what to do, or he is afraid to. The more I ask (telling him and then snapping whip) the more frustrated he gets until he spins around like above and gets the lunge line wrapped around him and then I have to stop and get it off.

I work him in a round pen. I double checked my positioning and I make sure that I am facing and going towards his hip (I don't stand in the middle like a lazy butt) with the arm holding the lunge lie straight out the direction I want him to go and the hand with the whip gently following about 4 to 6 feet behind him...never actually hitting him just snapping at him when he gets lazy...which he does on occasion.

I'm not sure how to fix the issue of him spinning around and tangling up on me, or the refusals to canter. The only thing I can think of is to take the lunge line off and working him without and trying to get him turned back around as soon as he spins on me to assert myself...would this be the correct way to go?

Any and all advice and/or critics will be appreciated. Thank You

\

Since you have a round pen I would free lunge him and then you should be able to manuver quicker and not have to worry about the line. Also make sure you are staying behind his shoulder, if you get too far forward they will stop and may turn. How old is he? You the cluck for trot and kiss for canter. If needed crack him on the butt to get him going. I also kinda move my energy like I am cantering when teaching that cue

 

[Cinnys Whinny]

He's 7 and was green broke at 2 and then turned into a pasture pet until last summer, then the person I got him from decided to actively ride him and did well for a month or so until he dumped her and then she stopped again.

He's pretty smart and learns fast. I am just unsure how to teach this too him. I don't think I'm getting too far ahead, if anything maybe too far behind...but tomorrow I will definitely check my position again.

 

[churumbeque]

[
He's pretty smart and learns fast. I am just unsure how to teach this too him. I don't think I'm getting too far ahead, if anything maybe too far behind...but tomorrow I will definitely check my position again.[/QUOTE]

If you are far enough behind and free lunging (no rope) just spin him back around the way you want him to go with the whip and your body encroaching on his space or you might try a crop with a plastic bag tied to the end when he changes directions.

 

[Cinnys Whinny]

thanx churumbeque, I'll try that next time I work him.

 

[huntergirl84]

I would def. try free-lunging. Clearly cantering is hard for him and he needs practice. Right now, however, he has learned that if he simply spins around, he can stop and not have to canter b/c you must stop him to untangle the lunge. As you suggested, I would focus on getting him to canter while free-lunging and only after he does this with ease would I add the lungeline back into the equation. Also, should he spin while free-lunging, be sure that when turning him around, you aren't stopping, turning him around and starting over---get him to turn around while moving, similar to how he did when out asked. This again instills in him that he doesn't get to stop when he spins.

Once you are back on the lunge, really focus on your body language. Sounds like you're doing everything right, but don't forget eye contact---direct eye contact tells the horse to stay away (i.e. no spinning, turning in, etc.). If it looks like he's going to try to spin---try to stop it before he does it by taking a deep breath, step forward as you raise/ crack the whip, and tell him to go forward with your voice (I usually say cluck, but if the horse is testing me, I'll say assertively, "get up"---your tone is everything, sound serious). You are not trying to get him to change gaits, but simply keep his mind and his feet on moving forward---remember, he must slow/stop (granted it may be a split second!) before he can totally spin around.