Lungeing issue

Could anyone share their pearls of wisdom when it comes to lungeing?

My boy has always been a trouper on the lunge, but due to a recent experience (off the lunge) he's reluctant to go fwd consistently. He'll travel around for a few circles, then stop & turn towards me. I've tried repetition, getting behind him, reasurrence ect, but to no avail. It's become a habit and he'll do it regardless. Incase I'm missing something here, can anyone think of anything I can try? He's a sensitive boy and I'm not a fan of chasing a horse with the end of a lunge whip.

Question

*Competition post 8*

Last edited by Muso on Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:21 pm; edited 1 time in total

Just keep correcting him every time he starts to do it. The earlier you can pick up the signs and start to correct him the minute he begins to come in the better. Give it time, it is likely a confidence thing and he's looking to you as his leader for protection. Keep working at it consistantly for however long it takes and you'll be fine.

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There is never a music so sweet as a soft whinney at dawn

I've always noticed that while on the lunge horses really watch your body language and as soon as they see you slightly infront of their shoulders they'll stop.
So the best way to beat this is to stare at his rump the whole time. This will keep your body facing his back end and you'll be behind his shoulders.
Keep the whip up behind his rump to keep him moving forward.
To test, look at his head and step infront of his shoulders...you'll find he'll stop straight away.

I was reading somewhere that horse's lose a significant amount of field of vision, with the head down? I thought this was interesting considering that this lungeing issue definitely stems from a confidence issue. With this in mind, I'm going to free lunge him for a few sessions and see how he goes.

I've trained him on the lunge to stop when I stand in front of the line of shoulder, with one arm up. He's been taught to stop and continue to face in the direction of travel, not to turn & stop towards me. What he's doing now is stopping every half circle or so, and continuing to turn & face me. This means that in order to get back behind his rump, I have to walk right around, to which he then begins to back up and evade.

Having said that, we're working on other confidence issues at the moment starting with basic ground work again, to re establish confidence. I'm yet to pop him on the lunge - but will probably get time to do it either today or tomorrow. I'll keep you posted Smile

*post #11*

You should be able to see if he's about to make a move.
If not as soon as he stops jump towards him right away and get up behind him with the whip. Don't touch him with the whip just get it behind him and growl to get him moving. If he's already facing you still go at him right away and don't let him get away with it. No matter the direction just get him moving as soon as he does it. You don't need to aim for the rump, just rush towards him and he should get out of your space and move on.
No need to touch him with any whip, you just need a firm voice and quick body language and don't forget to praise him Smile

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Soon he'll learn that its no fun anymore because he doesn't get to rest.

Best of luck Smile

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