Teaching your horse to lunge

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Amy Manning
5 years ago
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1 Teaching your horse to lunge Lunging is the first building block of your foundation, without this very start of control and respect. I am certainly looking for a wreck. If you never let a horse get away with being angry, aggressive or bucking or disrespectful they will not learn the habit. This, as the trainer, puts you way ahead of the game. Equipment Needed: 1. A good Cowboy Halter and lead rope 2. A 20 ft. cotton lunge line as cotton will not burn your hands as badly 3. Lunge Whip 4. Leather Gloves if needed

Remember to keep it simple! To start you will need a 20 ft. lunge line, I prefer a cotton type rope that won t burn my hands as bad or burn the horse if he gets tangled up in the line.

2 Remember to keep it simple! To start you will need a 20 ft. lunge line, I prefer a cotton type rope that won t burn my hands as bad or burn the horse if he gets tangled up in the line. Now mind you, a cotton line WILL burn, just not as badly as nylon, a good rope halter and a lunge whip. You can do this is a round pen or you can go to a square pen if that is all you have, just be aware of the corners as you horse will want to suck up in the corners So watch for this and avoid it! You will lead your horse to the center get your lunge line straight with the spoke, the part of the line that is connected to the halter coming out of the inside of your hand, closest to your hip. This is so you don t get your hand or arm tangled in it if he tries to run away with you. Neither YOU nor your horse will get tangled in the line this way.

3 Only start out with about 12 ft. of line, this will keep you in control of the feet and head. See how the spoke of the line is towards the opposite hand, this allows the line to flow freely out should there be need too, without your hand getting tangled in it. My lunge whip is pointed at the hips. You will ask for movement in the direction of the hand holding the line. Meaning if you are holding the line in the left hand he will go to the left while you have the whip in the other hand pointing at the hip. You will push him out by telling him to Get out. Use your voice, your hands or tap him on the shoulder with the butt of the lunge whip. Up to this point you have taught him to be with you Now you are asking him to get away from you. Expect some confusion or a bolt, either is normal just be ready!

4 This is very important here. DO NOT let your horse out the FULL length of your line as this will be a wreck until he knows just what you are asking of him, so keep him at about 12 ft. You need to keep your horse in close enough for you to have the leverage to keep them in the circle of the lunge line. If your horse pulls his head to the outside, a good tug will bring him back in to the end of the line. He will soon figure out what a circle is and what you are asking of him, keep your lunge whip up pointed at the hip or hocks for forward movement. Your horse may get a little broncy with you, if he does Whoa him and start over. This is not acceptable behavior! Your horse will soon understand what you are asking of him. Position your body just behind the shoulder; this will give him a place to go, an open door if you will think of it that way. Be aware of your body position at all times! If you stand to far forward, or closer to the head you will be closing the door on your horse so to speak, and he will want to change directions on you and he will soon get confused. You will be sending mixed messages to your horse and then add in a good dose of frustration you will then soon have a battle on your hands!

5 Right behind the shoulder is where you want to position your body. To far forward and you will close the door on your horse and he will want to change directions or stop on you. Be aware of you body language and position at all times! An angry or aggressive stance will make your horse confused or angry.

6 The lunge line is a direct communication to their brain and fears. You will push him out, tell him to get out, smooch him up to get movement from him. Ask him to Walk out, tell him Easy.keep telling him to walk. Use your voice as this will come in to play under saddle, for every command use your voice also. This will make it easier to get the first steps when you first start to ride and for you to have more confidence and better control over your horse. to do. Keep him moving forward, he will soon get the idea of what you are asking him Do not let your horse stop unless you have asked for it. YOU, the trainer are in control of all movement, NOT your horse! Soon he will be moving in circle around you. This is where it is better to ask a little than a lot, so don t ask for more speed than you or your horse can handle. This is with EVERY lesson you teach your horse. End each session on a good note! Meaning your horse has done, OR tried to do just what you have asked of him. NEVER throw up your hands in frustration and say I will come back tomorrow. alone. All you have then taught your horse is that if he throws a fit, you will leave him Your horse has won and there will be many more hard fought battles down the road from this very action ALONE! Always keep in mind what you are teaching your horse. Are you teaching it to be calm and quiet?

7 Or teaching anger and frustration? Your attitude, body language, voice and stance all tell you horse how you are feeling at that very moment. So be aware Lunging, Lesson Two: How get your horse to change directions while lunging. Here is the correct position to ask your horse to change directions.

8 You will take one step in the direction the horse is traveling, cross your whip UNDER the lunge line. At first you will give a good tug on the line, then ask for the verbal command of Change This is where teaching him the word Whoa will start to come in Ask your horse to Whoa you then step a couple of steps in the direction your horse is moving. Tell your horse to Whoa you want to close the door here for your horse. Stay where you are, you will cross your whip UNDER the line do the same as you did for the other direction. Your verbal command will be Change.

9 Here is your position for AFTER you ask for your horse to change. Your whip will stay pointing at the hip Under the line. By doing it like this, you don t have to fumble around and change your line or whip to the other hand.

10 Notice my body position and the tip of my lunge whip. I am keeping the door open and allowing forward movement, by placing myself here just behind the shoulder and using the tail of the whip to push the horse through it. I am still only using12 ft. of line at this point.

11 Once your horse get the idea of what you are asking of them and the pattern learned you let out to the full length. You will position yourself behind the shoulder to allow him forward movement and you smooch him up and out in the other direction. There may be confusion here, as you are now training the other side of your horses brain. He may act up in the other direction as everything will look different to him This is normal, remember what they are, they are working on instinct, use your voice to soothe and calm him. This will also tighten your bond with him. I use the word Easy to calm a horse and for encouragement. When your horse has the pattern figured out and only then! You can ask for more speed! For the trainer to become a plow IS NOT a good thing! You will increase the energy in your movements then ask for a jog or a trot. You may need your whip on his hocks or below to get speed out of him. If your horse wants to lope that is fine as long as YOU have the control. There will be times he will want to pull his head away from you, pull back on him as you want his full attention on you the trainer, in what you are asking him to do.. Watching everywhere else he will soon learn to go where he wants and NOT where you want. Once again.everything transfers to the saddle, you are setting the foundation for a good riding horse here. This will be the beginning of a bad habit if you let it continue. He will learn he is in control, not you. Have your horse responding to you as you ask and when. Soon you will be moving on to a lope or a canter.

12 You will do all the same while remembering to ASK for the lope or canter. This is also where he learns to lope on the correct lead for the direction they are moving. They will soon learn what a lunge line is and how to move on the end of the line. You horse is thinking about what you are going to ask of him and once again he is learning where to put his feet. Remember this was natural to him till you started educating him, so once again be patience with him, make sure to tell him he did good job! You are on your way to having your horse on voice command from the ground at this point; this WILL transfer to the saddle when you go to ride him. This is a definite plus when you go to get on your horse the first time. Your horse will soon be moving at the very end of the lunge line, in a walk, trot and a lope and changing directions for you, as you ask them and when you ask them.

13 Between the hock and the coronet band above the hoof is where you will keep the popper of your whip should you need to get your horses attention. Here again, this should feel like the sting or bite of a fly ONLY!

14 By now your horse is responding to your voice commands (or trying to). Leading better by day and on both sides, will move out on the lunge line at a walk, jog or a trot and a lope. He will also be changing directions, backing from the ground and know the word Whoa means to stop, grow roots! Once again you will proceed to the next lesson ONLY after your horse has learned the previous lesson. ********

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