Free longeing....?

Question

How do you change directions when free longeing?

Answer 1

You don’t always have to stop the horse to get them to change directions when free lounging. If you are using a training tool (like a whip, or flag) just draw it across the front of your body, step toward the front of your horse and point at their head, they will usual turn, in order to get away from the pressure, or you might have to wave it a bit, like the person above said. You can even work on this until all you have to do is step toward the front of them (without really getting in front of them, which you shouldn’t do while they are running around the round pen) and point. That’s what it takes to get my horse to change directions.

Answer 2

As stated you step infront of the shoulder and just in toward the horse using a training device or your arm..... a device (like a buggy whip) is used as an extension of your arm and gets better results as it puts the pressure on without getting you too close of a possible flying hoof. These tools are only used as an extension of your arm.... do not use it on the horse. Imagine drawing a line from your self to the girth of your horse, this is your "nuetral" position. Always incorporate command words with your moves, eventually you'll get responses from your horse just by speaking a word. Anyway, from the nuetral position you can speed up and slow down your horse by moving yourself a step either behind that imaginary line (speeding up) or infront of that line (slowing down).

I personally never free lunge my horses, I'm not against it but I feel I can add more explanation to my colts with my line by raising and lowering the line inconjunction with my movements and voice commands. When I want my colt to switch directions I step forward and in, use my extension in front and raise my line. For slowing I use a lower line with some tension as I am stepping forward, etc.

Eventually you can get a loping colt to "switch" just by a slight move forward and a little raise in the line while saying "switch" or whatever keywords you decide to use.

I hope I explained well enough, I find it kind of hard to explain this kind of thing in writing. If you need any clarification to anything I have written, please email me and I can try to explain more.

Good luck!

Answer 3

When free lunging, it is pretty easy. But it is very hard to explain how to do it but it is way easier to show! All you are is when they are cantering or trotting, just walk or run up to the horse while it is coming by and throw your hands up. You usually don't need a whip, but take it just in case. The horse should stop and change directions quickly.

Answer 4

Okay As someone said before this is difficult to explain in words.. When you are free lungeing your horse, you should be standing at the point of a triangle with his head as one point and his tail as the other. To increase his speed step back towards his tail and to slow him down step towards his head. Now to make him turn you need to step forward of his shoulder and towards him and make him move away from your pressure.

Hope this helps..

Answer 5

what i always did was tell my horse "whoa," but make him stand close to the round pen rail, doing so with a lunge whip. then once he was stopped and settled, i changed hands with the whip and held it out in front of me so that it would be pointed in front of him, and he reversed. if he didn't reverse, i'd gently flop the whip a little towards him, and he would respond. it's going to take time though. i'd suggest practicing with the lunge line until your horse learns. if he doesn't reverse, pull him a little towards you and gently flick the whip towards him.

good luck!! :D

Answer 6

I love the first answer -- LOL!!

But I think a better method is to teach them WORD COMMANDS -- use "Reverse" to get him to change directions. You will have to lunge him on a line until he learns.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Stop your horse by saying "Whoa" or "Hoe" pull on the lunge if he/she doesnt stop.Then change lead hands and take the end of the lunge and fling it twoards its back end.
Good Luck!

Answer 8

Step out in front of him and make yourself look "bigger." To be honest, however, I don't really think free lunging teaches as much as lunge lining, but everyone has their own training mechonisms and whatever works for you, go for it.

Answer 9

i say whoa, ask them to stop, then step infront of thier shoulder and turn them around. if you want them to go, stay behind thier shoulder, when you want them to move away or stop get a little ahead/infron of them.

Answer 10

put the whip in front of the point on his sholder.