[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

when i first got her she didnt know how to lunge, so i taught her (i dont use a whip)

 

[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

any sugesstions? should i be using a whip?

 

[kevinshorses]

any sugesstions? should i be using a whip?

First, what is the purpose of lunging her? What are you teaching that you can't teach from the saddle? If you are going to lunge you should have a goal in mind. I would use a whip rather than continuosly pestering her to stay in the gait. I don't like to do a lot of clucking and smooching to a horse because it looses effectiveness when it can't be reinforced. Too many people lunge just because there is a long whip and a line in the tack room. Lunging is not great for a horses joints and does little for thier training. Unless you lunge for an hour your not getting much energy out of your horse either. It may serve to focus your horse on you but that focus is lost the longer you go around and around.

 

[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

well, i like to be able to do it at shows, because she likes to look around alot so i rather her being looking around on the lunge line, because she settles down faster, than trying to ride her and have her trying to look everywhere...

 

[riccil0ve]

I'm with kevinshorses, at least about using a lunge whip. She's going to build an immunity to your clucks and arm-waving if you do it every two seconds. Ask her once and make her step up, and the easiest way to do that is to light a fire up under her bum, I.E. crack that whip at her heels.

I don't see anything wrong with lunging in moderation. Usually, I only lunge Ricci when I don't have time to ride and she needs to move around. It is a very rare occurrence though, because it is better to ride. So in that case, or in a situation when your horse is sound to move but not to a rider, lunging can be an effective tool if used properly. There is also the benefit of double lunging, or long-lining, where you can work your horse and allow them to carry themselves and gain muscle without having to worry about a possibly hindering rider.

Mostly though, just quit clucking at her. =]

 

[7Ponies]

I disagree. I think lunging has important uses. I use it with my older horses to help keep them moving (when I can't ride them). Also am using it with my heave horse to build up some lung capacity (because I can't ride her yet). I actually have goals when I lunge. I do lots of transition work with my girls and teach them to verbally "walk" "trot" "canter" and "whoa" which helps very much in the saddle.

I do not use a lunge whip either. I step in toward my horses to get them moving out. I pretty much use the same body movement, technique as free lunging in a round pen, but I no longer have a round pen. To say that you can't reinforce a command on a lunge line is not true, you certainly can. All I need to do is give them "that look" (they know "that look" and they respond accordingly

 

[riccil0ve]

I do not use a lunge whip either. I step in toward my horses to get them moving out. I pretty much use the same body movement, technique as free lunging in a round pen, but I no longer have a round pen. To say that you can't reinforce a command on a lunge line is not true, you certainly can. All I need to do is give them "that look" (they know "that look" and they respond accordingly

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said she needed a whip. My point was that the OP needs something to get her horse moving without constant clucking. If she can get her horse going without one and without clucking at her over and over and over, that's all she needs. =]

 

[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

thanks guys, and i was lunging her b/c i could stay long b/c i had a load of homework i needed to get done, and she does love to work...so its something besides being in the stall, or eating all day...and like 7ponies says...when she gets old i want to beable to have a form of exersizing her w/o over doing it...yes will prob. use a whip...i understand that, but somedays she doesnt need it and others she does, so should i use it as needed or all the time?

 

[riccil0ve]

There's no harm keeping it with you, and then you only have to use it when she doesn't respond to a cue to step out. I always have mine on me, even though my mare mostly responds instantly to a cluck for trot and a kiss to canter.

 

[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

yeah, i prob. dont have to keep re-cuein her...she pretty much would go with out me asking again...its a nasty habit i picked up from training babies at my old job lol

 

[Hunter65]

OK I agree with riding to exercise your horses that are old enough to ride but I have a 2.5 yr old whom I no longer have the option of ponying. How do you suggest I exercise him other than lunging. BTW I don't agree with using a lunge line but I also no longer have access to a round pen. I need some exercises that I can do with Hunter.

 

[kevinshorses]

OK I agree with riding to exercise your horses that are old enough to ride but I have a 2.5 yr old whom I no longer have the option of ponying. How do you suggest I exercise him other than lunging. BTW I don't agree with using a lunge line but I also no longer have access to a round pen. I need some exercises that I can do with Hunter.

Ride him!! 2.5 is old enough for light riding.

 

[mom2pride]

Aside from the constant hand and clucking cues in order to keep her going foward, I think she looks nice and relaxed, and is listening pretty well; she did take a long time to stop, though, so I would make sure you step infront of her drive line (ahead of her shoulder) while you are cueing her with your hand, that way she responds sooner, because your body is asking her, not just your hand.

Once she is going in a gait, drop all your cues, and only 'pick them up' again if she breaks gait, or slows down to much.

Longing is a good way to mentally 'check' on a horse before getting on; especially with young ones, I always longe before getting on; that way I know what 'mood' I am dealing with before I get on. You can reinforce verbal cues from the ground, and help warm a horse up prior to riding. I don't just longe, either, I will do some bending and flexing, backing, turns, etc.

 

[Kashmere]

I think you did great!
I'd get a lunge whip, for the same reasons Ricci said.

 

[mom2pride]

OK I agree with riding to exercise your horses that are old enough to ride but I have a 2.5 yr old whom I no longer have the option of ponying. How do you suggest I exercise him other than lunging. BTW I don't agree with using a lunge line but I also no longer have access to a round pen. I need some exercises that I can do with Hunter.

Just because he's a 2.5 year old, does not mean you can't still pony him

You could always teach him to ground drive. If you have a smaller paddock area you could still do some 'round pen' type exercises, as well; you don't need a round pen to do that kind of ground work. :wink:

 

[PechosGoldenChance]

Wow, theres some great suggestions/advice here! I guess it's my turn to give my bit huh? lol

Ok, well kevinshorses does have a great point. I would also like to add that lunging should not really be used to wear a horse out before riding it (which I know that's not what your doing at all, I think you did awsome). If a horse can stay calm under a lunge line yet not while carrying a rider, than the horse needs some work. Lunging, as kevinshorses sorta stated, needs to serve a purpose other than 'wearing' the horse out. I mostly do a lot of transitions with my mare while being lunged and I'm not lunging her for more than like an hr, so she's not even breathing hard. I also work on different pressure points like the girth area (to make her front end move), the middle of the barrel (the sidepass pressure point) and behind that (to make her hindquarters move). As for the whip, I dont use one simply because my lunge line is long enough that I can throw the end at her to where it lands on her hindquarters and that gets her moving great!

 

[JustLeaveIt2Mya]

Aside from the constant hand and clucking cues in order to keep her going foward, I think she looks nice and relaxed, and is listening pretty well; she did take a long time to stop, though, so I would make sure you step infront of her drive line (ahead of her shoulder) while you are cueing her with your hand, that way she responds sooner, because your body is asking her, not just your hand.

Once she is going in a gait, drop all your cues, and only 'pick them up' again if she breaks gait, or slows down to much.

Longing is a good way to mentally 'check' on a horse before getting on; especially with young ones, I always longe before getting on; that way I know what 'mood' I am dealing with before I get on. You can reinforce verbal cues from the ground, and help warm a horse up prior to riding. I don't just longe, either, I will do some bending and flexing, backing, turns, etc.

Yes, she is finally understanding to stop, again when i first got her about a year ago she didnt understand the concept of lunging, and i havent taught her alot of lunging alot as i prefer to ride and i dont lunge her alot, i only lunge if for some reason i cant ride or dont have alot of time, it gets her out of her stall and mentally working, as mom2pride said