The Basics of Lunging a Young Horse

Why Lunging Suits a Young Horse

A young horse has plenty to think about. He is balancing a rider's weight, learning where his own legs are, and working out what all these new signals mean. Lunging gives him the chance to do some of that learning without anyone on his back. On a circle, he has to carry himself, find his own rhythm and listen to a voice he already trusts from the ground.

It is worth being honest about the limits, though. A young, still-growing horse is not built for endless circles. His joints and his mind are both immature, so lunging is best used as a teaching tool rather than a fitness regime. Short, calm sessions of ten to fifteen minutes, two or three times a week, will do far more good than an hour of slogging round an arena. If you can, work in a well-drained, level school with a good surface and a fence line to help you keep your circle honest. Never lunge near a gateway that opens onto a road.

Getting the Kit Right

Good equipment makes lunging safer and clearer for both of you. What you need is simple, and none of it should be tight, harsh or clever.

• A lunge cavesson that fits snugly without pinching. The rings on the noseband give you control without pulling on the mouth, which matters enormously with a youngster.
• A lunge line of around eight to nine metres, soft in the hand, with a good swivel clip. Anything shorter and you will be dragged into the circle; anything longer becomes a trip hazard.
• A lunge whip with a long lash. Think of it as an extension of your arm, a pointer to guide the shoulders and hindquarters forward. It should never be a punishment.
• A roller or surcingle once you begin introducing side reins, so they sit steadily against the horse's sides.
• Side reins, elasticated or leather with a rubber ring, fitted generously long to begin with. Their only job is to give the horse something to stretch into. They should allow him to carry his head forward and down while keeping his nose just in front of the vertical.
• Brushing boots on all four legs, particularly behind, because a young horse on a circle will occasionally catch himself.

Leave the draw reins, the tight gadgets and the clipped-on bits in the tack room. They teach a young horse to tuck his nose in and switch off, which is the opposite of what you want.

Your Voice Is the Aid He Will Keep

The voice is the single most useful tool you have on the ground, and it transfers straight into ridden work. Decide on your words now and never change them.

• "Walk on" to move forward in walk, and "trot" for the next gear.
• "Canter" used sparingly, and only once walk and trot are settled.
• "Steady" or "ter-rot" for a downward transition, said slowly and quietly.
• "Whoa" for halt, followed by "stand" if you want him to stay put while you walk towards him.
• "Over" or "change" when you want him to cross the arena and work on the other rein.

Always say the word before you back it up with your body. Step towards the horse's shoulder and point the whip towards the hindquarters to send him on; step back towards the girth line and drop the whip to slow him. Your body, your line hand and the whip should form a soft triangle with the horse at its point. Praise with a low, warm word, not a high squeak. Never shout, and never use his name in a telling-off tone.

The First Few Sessions

Start by leading your horse around the circle yourself, so the shape of the school and the feel of the line are not strange to him. Then let the line out, ask for "walk on", and walk a large circle of sixteen to twenty metres beside him. Keep the line light and your hand steady. If he drifts in towards you, use the whip to push the shoulder out rather than pulling on the line.

Spend the first few sessions in walk and trot only, changing the rein through a walk across the diagonal. Finish while he is still listening calmly, even if that means stopping after eight minutes. Once he is confident in his tack and settled on both reins, introduce the side reins, fitted long, and only in walk and trot to start with. Build up gradually over weeks, not days.

Reading Him and Correcting Yourself First

Most problems on the lunge come from the handler rather than the horse. If he rushes, it is usually because your body is driving without a clear downward aid; if he falls in on the shoulder, your whip is pointing at the wrong end; if he turns to face you, your circle has become too small or your line too tight. If he kicks out, check his back, his saddle-free roller and his feet before you assume it is naughtiness.

Watch for a hollow back, a high head and a tight, short stride. Those are signs to come back to walk, let him stretch, and end on a good note. A young horse who finishes relaxed and willing will be far easier to lunge again tomorrow.

Where Lunging Fits in the Bigger Picture

Lunging is one piece of a young horse's education, not the whole of it. It sits neatly alongside long-reining and gentle in-hand work, teaching him to go forward from a voice, to accept the bit quietly and to balance on a circle before he has to do it with a rider. Used kindly and consistently, it builds the trust that makes everything else straightforward. Keep sessions short, keep your aids clear, and let him tell you when he has had enough.