SINGLE LINE LUNGING
Hey Guys!
Since Mommy can't ride for a while we have been doing more ground work, I have begun learning about tarps (tutorial coming soon), and other scary objects.
Mommy has also begun teaching me more advanced ground work like single line lunging and liberty.
Now, Mommy prefers to work horses in the round pen or on long lines, she's studied it and it's just better for our backs.
However right now she physically can't long line me (with her broken shoulder) so she figured its a good excuse to teach me to lunge the other way.
Today's post is going to be a tutorial on the proper way to single line lunge.
There are many ways to lunge one of us horses, this tutorial just covers the basic principles of it.
Mommy was going to use me for the demonstration...BUT I still have a few issues tracking right (which is NORMAL when a baby horse is first learning so shut your faces!)
and Auntie Oni asked Mommy to give both her and cousin Ranger a refresher course so she decided to use him instead.
So here we go!
SINGLE LINE LUNGING
a Tutorial by ME (Tigerlily)!
Models: Mommy and Cousin Ranger
Video guy: Auntie Oni
The first step when lunging is to of course make sure you have the correct equipment!
you will need:
- A secure halter with no frays or hole
- A long line or lunge line at least 10' in length
- a stud chain....IF YOUR HORSE NEEDS ONE (we don't really like these on our faces)!
- A lunge whip....AGAIN ONLY IF YOU NEED ONE!
- Mommy says its also a good idea to have us wear boots, just a safety thing
- You will probably want to wear gloves in case we get frisky
Now that you have all of your equipment, lets get started!
It is easiest to teach us how to lunge in a round pen, it helps us understand that we are supposed to travel around you in a circle.
A round pen is also beneficial in teaching a human their job when lunges.
It teaches you how much line you need to give us so we can successfully make a circle that isn't too much strain on our legs.
The Send Off: When you first ask us to move away from you, your body placement is very important. If you stand in front of us we think you want us to hold still or back up. If you stand directly behind us you could get kicked if we spook! You want to stand at least 6 feet away from us in a direct line to our flanks. That's the natural driving position. Hold the line in your left hand and the whip in your right. Cluck or kiss and gently tap the whip on the ground behind us!
Keeping Momentum: The line should always be in the front hand (so if your tracking left hold it in your left hand, tracking right, right hand) this is so you can have the whip in your back hand (the driving hand). When the whip is in your front hand we will slow down because we feel like it's blocking us even if it isn't. Continue to flip the whip behind us as needed to keep us moving forward but only as forcefully as necessary to get your point across NEVER hit us with the whip! let out enough line to give us a free head but don't let it drape on the ground (we could trip). Throw the excess line out behind you so that you don't trip on it either. Keep your eyes on our eyes and your shoulders square, this body language means "Go away".
Switching Directions\Stopping: When you want to change directions or ask us to stop, simply lower the whip and your eyes with a slight pull on the line until we stop and face you, then gather yourself switch your equipment into the proper hands and repeat STEP 1 in the opposite direction.
THE SEND OFF
KEEPING MOMENTUM
SLOWING DOWN
SWITCHING DIRECTIONS
Like I said today we just covered the super basics of of lunging but hey GIVE ME A BREAK I'm only 3!!
Lots Of Kisses
-TigerLily
The Send Off: When you first ask us to move away from you, your body placement is very important. If you stand in front of us we think you want us to hold still or back up. If you stand directly behind us you could get kicked if we spook! You want to stand at least 6 feet away from us in a direct line to our flanks. That's the natural driving position. Hold the line in your left hand and the whip in your right. Cluck or kiss and gently tap the whip on the ground behind us!
Keeping Momentum: The line should always be in the front hand (so if your tracking left hold it in your left hand, tracking right, right hand) this is so you can have the whip in your back hand (the driving hand). When the whip is in your front hand we will slow down because we feel like it's blocking us even if it isn't. Continue to flip the whip behind us as needed to keep us moving forward but only as forcefully as necessary to get your point across NEVER hit us with the whip! let out enough line to give us a free head but don't let it drape on the ground (we could trip). Throw the excess line out behind you so that you don't trip on it either. Keep your eyes on our eyes and your shoulders square, this body language means "Go away".
Switching Directions\Stopping: When you want to change directions or ask us to stop, simply lower the whip and your eyes with a slight pull on the line until we stop and face you, then gather yourself switch your equipment into the proper hands and repeat STEP 1 in the opposite direction.
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| THE SEND OFF |
 |
| KEEPING MOMENTUM |
 |
| SLOWING DOWN |
 |
| SWITCHING DIRECTIONS |
Like I said today we just covered the super basics of of lunging but hey GIVE ME A BREAK I'm only 3!!
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