STOCKYARD
HORSE  DISCUSSION FORUMS

supersezabell

OR as nobody has mentioned yet maybe she doesnt like the line or has never been taught to lunge properly on the line?

I had an arab mare who had never been taught to lunge- didnt understand so would always turn in to you or would do a few trot steps then turn in and rear, we ended up teaching her to free lunge as it was the only way to properly make her stay out.

And to say that she doesnt like it my example- we have a beautifully educated mare, completely voice command under saddle and on ground and responds to slightest shift of weight. She lunges perfectly when free lunged- stays out near the roundyard fencing and never breaks pace...however when on a lunge line she gets upset (due to a history of mistreatment) and in her mind she thinks "the faster i go i can break the contact".

If on a lunge line she goes around as fast as she can and comes in extremely close to you and kicks out etc but never when free lunged.

Maybe see if your parents can rig up a makeshift round yard? Or is there someone you could get to come and be there whilst you are riding?

TB4Me

Overfed and underworked?
One of my horses reared right up several times when being lunged on a line when he hadn't been exercised for a while due to injury.
He hadn't ever done it before (in the 10 years I've owned him) and he hasn't done it since.

Stattik

My arab also does this when lunging..he is perfect in every other way, looks after me when ridden etc. etc.
As soon as I put him in the roundyard for a few laps and he gets bored, tired whatever he turns in to me and If I tell him off weeeee up he goes then comes back down and snorts excessively, tail in the air...very intimidating and thats all hes trying to do is dominate me. I dont take chances and grumble and throw my whip at him anymore especially if he's peering down at me like hes going to charge at me (which hes never done but you never know), Instead I quietly walk up to him calm him down and get him going again and he acts like it was all an act and does the next few rounds as quiet as a mouse. Ive learnt to never argue with him (must be an arab thing).

WITCHERY

I have a T/b that carry's on when on the lunge (bucks rears etc) in the arena.

She is extremly good at learning I have always though that it was let out, her naughty thing! I just ignore (when I say ignore I mean just hold on to the line and tell her to trot which is what I would normally do and make sure she does not injure herself) and let her go ofter it soon enough she gets over it and then goes back to being her perfect self again.

We all become a bit of a devil every now and then. MInd you I do not think this is the case with all horses.

Rikki+Sasha

sorry merrylegs I meant to say roundyard not arena. I think it's a similar case to yours BEB cos she's not nasty about it and no not over fed underworked it's just when parents aren't home e.g. sundays and I've come home from work I decide to do some work with the girls.

The circle size doesn't bother her as she is small and can turn on a dime very well with no tension (my instructor is very good with reading a horses body etc. and she knows this to be true) also when doing a "hipdisengagement" the Cheeky girl can canter/bounce around a circle that tight her nose is at my knee before she stops.



she doesn't zoom round or anything or come in close at all in any threating manner and whe she comes down from a rear (big or small) she looks at me as if saying "what are you looking at me like that for mum" but all I have to do is firmly say No that was naughty I didn't ask you to do that go on off you go and point and she keeps going.

I spose all in all it's not really an issue cos neither of us are in any danger.

also dad said he was going to buld me a roundyard.......still waitin *rolls eyes* lol

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xxxJahar Nateehxxx

Ziggy the Piggy

I have been reading with interest your lunging issues. In my experience problems like this stem from a lack of your horse following your lead. Perhaps he gets bored on the lunge and trys to spice things up a bit, of perhaps he is challenging you to see if you can get the situation back under control with ease. If this is the case then I'm sure that in time you will find other issues of challenge start to emerge. When I lunge I either free lunge or lunge with rope halter and a length of rope that is appropriate for the nature of that horse. For example a calmer natured horse may only require a 12foot rope, where as a highly strung horse may need a longer rope initially to allow them some drift if their anxieties are getting high. I like to set them plenty of challenges and obsticles to get their mind thinking and problem solving, and I like to change directions often!!! I dont go to the horse to physically change his direction, but I set up the task and allow him to problem solve his way out, which would be circling in towards me and continuing in the opposite direction. I also include may transition through the paces and within the paces, and lots of halts, and vary the size of your circle regulary. By the time your horse is paying attention to all of the above he wont have time to rear up and be smart. If he did manage to pop one in on you, then I would drive him on assertively and cause him to work hard, but not just in the same direction as that gives them the opportunity to plan the next skyshow - mix it up and keep him guessing, but mostly keep his feet moving until you can see a shift in his body launguage, a softening, and a looking to you for direction. Thats your opportunity to back off the lunging and do some inventive ground work excercises instead.

I hope some of the above give you some ideas, and if you think that I can help you some more I'd love to try to help. Keep it up!

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"A good horseman can get a horse to do what he wants, a great horseman can get the horse to want to do it!!"