How to Lunge a Horse?

Longing a horse is a very useful activity in horse riding. It is practiced in the stables before or after mounted work, even before attaching a team to your stallion. This activity concerns a mare, a young foal or a racehorse. The objective of lunging practice is for your horse to adopt the right movements and a good cadence. So, how to ride your horse?

Why ride your horse?

Like any living being, your horses must have a few moments of relaxation to stretch themselves. It is also a moment of sharing between you and your horse. The lunge is like a sports session for the animal.

By practicing this session, you will allow your horse to maintain, build muscle and become more flexible. It is useful after strenuous work or even to get back in the saddle after a moment of downtime. The horse's body will thus be able to relax and eliminate toxins. Also, this type of activity will allow your body to develop well and stay in shape.

By not having the rider on his back, he will be able to make movements as he wishes. An opportunity where the instructor will be able to observe the movements made by his horse and understand the improvement necessary for the rest of the course. Spirited and insightful horses often take advantage of the lunge to let off steam and have fun.

What materials are used to ride a horse?

First of all, it is essential to think about the safety of both participants to avoid possible accidents. Indeed, it is possible that feisty foals or horses make sudden movements and injure their instructor. The reining of your horse is at your discretion, you can use a martingale, not put on the saddle or use suitable riding equipment.

The loin

This material is like a rope that connects the horse's mouth to the rider's left hand. His role is to hold the rein even if he is not on the animal. It measures on average 8 meters long and is used to gradually guide the horse's work and pace. To do this, it must be solid and easy to handle. It is attached to the noseband rings at the bridle.

The cavesson

Certainly, the cavesson does not pass through the horse's mouth, but allows free control of the horse. It is often used for dressage or when breaking in a foal. While being effective for lunging, it also serves as a bevel for the horse. You can also choose the halter for its lightness.

The chambermaid

The chamber is a tool that the rider uses as a hand to accompany the indications of his voice. It allows the horse to touch the horse in a specific place while keeping a safe distance. It is preferable that it be light and balanced so as not to tire the wrist. It acts on the horse's croup and ensures forward movement.

A lanyard, how does it work?

On a net

If using a cavesson, you must use the middle ring. For the case of a snaffle, you must use a large-barrel needle bit. If the horse is hot, it is advisable to use a bit alliance.

Put the lunge in Colbert

The Colbert lanyard is also an alternative. It passes through a ring to wrap around the neck of the horse, then will be crocheted again on the ring. An option for horses who do not respect the hand. As a result, the disobedient horse will be channeled through action on the neck and mouth.

What are the general rules for riding a horse?

You need to take time to ride your horse, the average duration is 20 minutes. It is advisable to start the session by hand to put him at ease. Then you can attach the harness, relax it while you check the final adjustments. Check that you are well aligned with his shoulder, that you can synchronize your stops and move forward or backward together.

Hold the lanyard correctly

The horse, the length and the chamber must form a triangle for the session to go well. The lunger must be placed perpendicular to the horse, inside the lunge ring to better guide it. The loin should be straight and placed between the thumb and index finger for greater firmness. This will avoid tying knots around the hand as well as sudden movements. Indeed, the latter must remain tense.

This rule is necessary so that the horse is always forward. To stop or slow him down, you just have to position yourself in front of him. You can also slow him down by raising the hand holding the rein or relax him by opening your arm forward.

Adopt the right tone

The horse is sensitive to the tone of its rider. Dialogue is an essential element for the lunge or any riding session to work properly. This allows him to transmit his intentions to the horse. The tone should be firm and forceful for ascending transitions. However, it should be relaxed and slower for downward transitions. The main riding equipment is the chamber and the lead rope. To be effective, they must be accompanied by good dialogue. Riders will be able to establish the code for different gaits.

Know how to master basic gestures

To start, you must line correctly in a fixed position. To keep the shape of the “horse, rider, chambermaid” triangle, you can draw a circle inside your lunge ring. Then, you will stretch your stallion, starting with small exercises of walking, trotting and moving on to bending. The session may, however, continue gradually. If you are a beginner, a one-shoulder-in approach is recommended. In this way, the horse does not risk drifting off course.

In addition, it is important to ensure that your horse adopts a good rhythm when walking and trotting. Only afterwards can you make him take bigger steps with a little sign on his bottom. These types of exercises will help him get a good start at the gallop. In order to properly guide him and monitor his endurance, you must keep the lunge taut.

Note that the best place to ride a horse is often a riding school, a lunging ring or a quarry. With more space, you run no risk if your horse starts to gallop wildly or starts to make a restrictive movement.