Lunging Question? Should I Yank?

Question

I have been lunging my 11 year old off the track thoroughbred. He performs a lovely walk and trot, but when we take it up to canter his race days come back (he hasn't raced for many years and has been re-trained), and he just does a fast canter until I get dizzy. When I ask him to slow, he goes back to trot (eventually).

I find giving the lunge rope a yank helps to get him to Whoa him up, but how are you supposed to slow a horse down when lunging? How can I make my horse understand that I am looking for a gentle canter?

Answer 1

When you stand in the middle there is a line from you to your horses head/shoulder area. If you want a horse to move forward with more energy you can shorten the lunge rein, walk/run around in a small circle so you're behind the shoulder in a driving position.

So to slow down, you want to achieve the oposite. So you need to be slightly infront of the shoulder in a slow down position.

How to achieve this. You can use the whip in front, so as he trot around to the left, hold the whip in the right hand and as you ask for canter prepare to lift the lunge whip over in front of your left hand. Hold the whip out still without waving it and they often slow down. Then over time, this combined with very slow soft voice aids, and you'll get a horse cantering slowly. Alternatively you can swap hands that the lunge and whip are held in to slow him down.

The other position you can achieve if he is on quite a big circle you have time to walk/run move your body so it is in a position in front of the shoulder and you create a strong eye contact - it's normal for a horse to slow from this stance.

Best of luck. hope something here helps - it's worked for me in the past.

I've just remembered in the past I have used voice commands when I riding them in canter to trot and to calm down the canter, then they get used to it while I still have control through rein contact and it carries on to lunging.

Answer 2

there is no correct answer for this it may be a combination of a few things that suit you and your horse.

use your voice to calm/whoa him- use the same command every time dont change it, that way he will learn what that word/sound means.

i lunge with a bridle/bit but you would be able to use the tech below still if you had a cavassen

when you are lunging your still "riding" so the lunge line is your rein, you have to learn/teach how to get your horse to half halt. get your mind set that your are riding! not lunging (it sounds weird but i find it helps)

my method is not to yank but i apply pressue for no more than one stride (like you would block a horse for a halt halt whilst riding) then realise this pressure, you can do this continously (apply/ realise, apply realise) like you would keep half halting a horse if it didnt listen! once the horse listens in the slighest reward by !!! leaving there mouth alone until it starts up again, and by lots of praise.

i know you said your horse is fine on trot and walk but try some half halts at these paces- so get him trot/walking fairly fast the try and half halt to a slower trot/walk just like would above.

yanking there mouth hurts them! and can cause the bit to pull through there mouth (if you have a bridle on)

in canter i find that i like to "apply pressure" when the inside front leg hits the floor, this doesnt really matter but its the time i find most effective with my horse, same when im riding and half halting

my horse is a huge 17.3hh wb X  and i had lots of trouble half halting him on the lunge and riding for months i had to block a lot- but now i hardly have to! he would ran around constantly! hes in training for vaulting horse now so he now completely understands my halt halts on the line, this technique has worked for me!

good luck!

Answer 3

teach him like slow canter fast canter things like that by saying that

Answer 4

you should never yank on there mouth when your horse goes into canter you should pull on your rains slightly but at the same time you should be kicking him on as he should go in to a slow canter.

Answer 5

have some1 ride him while hes on the lunge line when he starts raseing have the person pull back to a canter then after he canters for a while give him a treat then try it agen.

                       ( tell me how it gose).

Answer 6

Teach him voice commands. Walk, trot, canter, etc. Start slow - also, if your getting dizzy - chances are your lunging too small of a circle. Also, instead of yanking, try giving half-halts - gently wiggle the line back and forth to stimulate his mouth. It'd be like you squeezing the reins gently to get him to slow his pace. Hope this helps :) Good luck!

Edit: Oh! Heh, there are multiple ways of lunging with a bridle. One way is to slip it from the inside ring, under the chin to the other side and clip it there. Some clip it to the inside ring (I don't do this, personally), and other take it from the inside ring, over the poll of the horse, and then down to the other ring. Some horses prefer one way over the other. :) Good luck!

Answer 7

You'll just have to keep him in the canter until he relaxes. It may take a while though! Try to leave him alone while he's cantering. Don't pick on him just let him find that comfortable canter again. He'll pick it up, just make sure to keep him in the canter. He won't get it if you let him drop back down into the trot. So, only "pick on him" if he slows to the trot. Hope that helps!

Answer 8

Use a soft, low voice and give him a chance to settle for a while before expecting a normal paced canter. Also- don't stand in one spot and spin around and around- walk in a small to medium circle.