Double 4 Trailer Sales - TO LUNGE OR NOT TO LUNGE Your Horse

Some horse trainers say you should never lunge your horse. Other say you should lunge every day, twice a day, as many times as possible, because it's God's gift to horse trainers. With all this controversy, it's no wonder horse trainers are confused. So what's the solution? Only lunge when you have a particular purpose in mind.

Effective lunging means taking your horse out to the round pen and accomplishing a goal. You might be trying to get your horse in frame, or perhaps you are concerned about balance issues. Whatever the case, it is never a good idea to lunge just because it sounds like a good idea.

You will also find that lunging methods are very diverse among horse trainers. The reality, however, is that it doesn't matter whether you ride English or Western, hunt seat or saddle seat, reiners or ropers. The value of lunging is in communication with the horse.

Lunge Preparation
When you set out to lunge your horse, the first thing you need to consider is the equipment you use and the presentation of the horse. You can send your horse out in the round pen with just a halter, but this does not aid in effective communication.

I recommend suiting your horse in a bridle with a full-cheek or D-ring snaffle bit, preferably with the reins removed. You can use either a saddle or a surcingle if you would like to work your horse in a rig (e.g. side reins), and if you are lunging for something more than just plain old exercise, make sure you have a lunge line and a lunge whip.

Additionally, it is important to make sure your horse understands the purpose of lunging. Horses associate certain places with corresponding activities. For example, he knows his stall is for eating, sleeping and relieving himself; he associates the pasture with playing and grazing, and the cross-ties with grooming and tacking up.

Similarly, he should associate both the arena and the round pen with working. Don't turn your horse out in the round pen when you don't have enough pasture space because he will be confused when suddenly he has to work in the round pen. Trainers should set their horses up for success by avoiding confusion in the horse's mind.

When you lead your horse out to the round pen, he should automatically know that it is time to get down to business. Make sure he is already tacked up and ready to go, and make sure you have all the essential tools. Organization is key.

Sending the Horse Out
The worst thing you can do is walk into the round pen, throw your hands in the air and send your horse out onto the circle. Not only is this abrupt, but it sends the message to your horse that he should be afraid of you.

Instead, walk your horse as calmly as possible to the center of the arena. Once there, hook up the side reins if you have them, then hold the lunge line in one hand and the lunge whip in your other hand. To get your horse in the best frame of mind, it is best to begin lunging your horse to the left (counter-clockwise) because this is most comfortable for him. He is used to working from the left.

Lower your lunge whip so the end tip is touching the ground. Hold the lunge line out to your left side (assuming you are working your horse to the left first) so that your horse can't follow you as you migrate toward his shoulder.

Walk calmly and quietly to a spot about four feet from your horse's left shoulder, keeping your lunge line arm straight out to your side. Click your tongue to ask your horse to move forward on the lunge line.

Starting the Lunge Circle
Many horse trainers, when they want their horse to move quickly out onto the lunge circle, will back up several steps in the round pen and let out a few feet of line. This is counter-productive because you are moving away from the shoulder and unintentionally asking your horse to follow you. A well-trained horse will want to show submission, and will subsequently swing his haunches away from you to minimize any threat.

Obviously, you can't lunge your horse if he is facing you, so resist the urge to back up. Instead, when you want to start the lunge circle, move in toward your horse's shoulder, keeping your right shoulder (if he is heading left) at a slight diagonal to his left shoulder.

Open your chest and hold the lunge whip level at your hip as you begin walking forward. This method is called "driving", and is similar to what an Alpha mare would do in the wild if she wanted to move her herd.

Indeed, the purpose of a lunge whip is to simulate the body language of another horse. Many horse trainers try to do this themselves, but if you think about it enough, you'll realize that our bodies are poor substitutes for a horses. For one thing, we walk on two legs.

Imagine that your lunge whip is the top line of a horse. Your hand is the tail of the horse, and the whip portion is the horse's head. Shooting the whip up high in the air would communicate anxiety, so this is a movement you want to avoid. Twirling the lunge whip in a circle would simulate anger, while a level lunge whip communicates power.

If you use a lunge whip to lightly tap at your horse's heels, you are reminding him that 1) You are in control; and 2) You are displeased with his performance. It is similar to one horse biting another horse on the rump when coexisting in the wild.

Using the Lunge Line
I mentioned above that I advocate the use of the lunge line in the round pen at all times. This isn't because I believe the lunge line should be used to control the horse; rather, a lunge line is used to create boundaries.

Pressure on the lunge line reminds your horse that you exist. Horses are often distracted while working in the round pen because, without a rider, why should they pay attention? A lunge line gives you an essential tool that can remind a horse to pay attention.

Additionally, a lunge line aids the rider in suggesting the correct bend in the round pen. In order for a horse to maintain balance and equilibrium on a circle, he must flex toward the interior of the circle and follow the arc with his entire body. If he counter-bends (faces the exterior of the round pen), he isn't using himself correctly and will eventually develop soreness in the top line and leg tendons.

Maintaining Consistency
The single most important lesson you should remember from this article is the necessity of consistency. If you come to the round pen every day with a new theory and a different manner of conducting your session, your horse is going to get confused.

And in case you don't know it by now, confusion in the horse world means defiance and frustration.

Have a game plan before you lunge your horse and stick to the same routine every time. If you click for the trot and kiss for the canter, don't reverse them after six months because you're bored of the habit. More important, remember that if you do change something, you relinquish the right to get mad at your horse when he doesn't understand.

Using a Rig
I mentioned earlier that many horse trainers lunge their horses in rigs, which usually consist of a surcingle, bridle and pair of side reins.

Side reins are useful tools when you want to build your horse's top line or encourage him to yield to the bit. However, misusing these tools will result in a scared, frustrated, sore, irritable mount.

Often, side reins are used to force a horse's head into frame. This is a classic example of misuse and can actually derail your training goals. You shouldn't tighten the side reins until the horse's head is in the perfect position; instead, tighten them just enough to encourage the horse to flex at the poll and seek the bit.

Similarly, avoid tightening the inside side rein more than the one on the outside. This is common with horse trainers who want to force the horse to bend correctly, but it will actually overbend the horse, creating soreness in the top line, shoulders and neck.

Ideally, side reins should place your horse on an even, straight-forward track. It will keep the horse from bending the wrong way, but the horse will find his own subtle bend himself.

Ending the Lunging Session
When you are ready to pack it in for the day, end the lunging session as deliberately and methodically as you began it. This is a great opportunity to teach your horse "whoa", and it is a good idea to insist your horse stops on the circle rather than turning in to face you.

When your horse comes to a halt, slowly approach his shoulder, taking up the lunge line as you progress. Don't move directly in to his head because he will likely take offense; instead, walk directly to his inside shoulder before approaching his head.

If your horse is feeling defiant or if you've been experiencing major discipline problems, he might actually swing his haunches toward you to avoid being "caught". If this happens, send him back out on the lunge line and make him work for another ten minutes. This sends the message that his behavior was unacceptable.

These effective lunging techniques should improve your presence as a trainer and increase the bond between you and your horse. If you want to master lunging, try to get into the round pen at least twice a week for practice.