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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Lunging (My Way)

3/17/2015

 
I am certain that I am going to horrify most trainers and classical purists, but it just can’t be helped. I am not a professional trainer, but I’ve been able to get the job done more than once by doing it in my own fashion. And frankly, I am a little bit soured on anyone who has hung out a shingle with the words “trainer” engraved on it. If anyone is going to ruin or damage my horse, at this point, I’d prefer it be me.

So with that disclaimer made public, here’s how I’ve been working Izzy Zweibrücker.
Picture
Surcingle, half pad, side reins, rope halter ...
I start with a surcingle over a fleece half pad. This horse is the opposite of girthy or sensitive. I walk out of the talk room with my arms full of pad and surcingle dragging along behind me, and then I simply throw everything on him. He never flinches or spooks or even snorts at anything I do. I am sure a lot of that has to do with his very uncomplicated personality, but it also speaks to the care that his first owner and trainer took with him.

I don't hook the side reins on until I am in my lunging spot. They're only hooked here for the photo.

By the way, he’s all sweaty in this photo because I’ve just brought him in from turnout. That boy has a lot of pent up energy. Standing around and doing nothing more than a walk for eight weeks while his leg was healing was pretty hard on an energetic six year old.

For the last several weeks, I’ve opted to use my halter instead of a bit for the side reins. It took me about a week to figure out the best halter configuration, but as soon as I landed on this particular set-up, Izzy got much quieter with his head and started accepting the pressure of the halter over his nose.
Picture
Side reins are clipped to the halters riding rings.
At first, I attached the side reins to a lunging attachment, but that caused him to bob his head as he tried to play with the all of the stuff beneath his head. Then I attached the side reins directly to the rings of the riding halter and clipped the lunge line to the lunging attachment.  That too gave him too much with which to play and fling his head. I am not sure why it took me so long to figure it out, but the best system turned out to be the one with the simplest attachment. Now, I clip each side rein to a ring, and I hook the lunge line to the inside ring. When we change direction, I halt him and just clip the lunge line to the other ring.

My plan with the lunging is not necessarily to tire him out, but if he does have some woo hoos that he wants to get rid of, I am certainly okay with that. Instead, all I am looking for on the lunge line is that he develops a little bit of a rhythm, acceptance of the “contact,” and that he starts to see that I am the one directing his feet. It only took a week or two for him to settle right into the work.

He isn’t working in a long and low frame yet, but I have the side reins set pretty loosely so that he can lower his head if he wants to. And frankly, with his lack of experience, I am not too concerned that he hasn’t learned to lower his neck and stretch in the trot. He’s still trying to keep all of his legs moving in the same direction, especially at the canter. While he is very athletic, he’s not Mr. Coordination.
Picture
What?!?! - No, Dude. Mr. Coordination you are not.
Once he settles on the lunge line at the trot and canter, both directions, I unclip the side reins from his halter and clip them back to the surcingle. I’ve been finishing the lunging work with some handy stick exercises. I “whip” him with the tail of the handy stick, something that Clinton Anderson calls "lashing with kindness." I flick the lash all of his body, VERY GENTLY, so that he is accustomed to weird flying objects and things tickling his hocks, ears, and belly. I also rhythmically smack the ground with the lash on both sides, behind, in front, and even over his head. He stands with a leg cocked, ignoring all of my shenanigans. He mastered this exercise much more quickly than did Speedy.

Once we finish with all of that work, which really only takes fifteen minutes at the most, I walk him back to the front of the arena and clip my reins to the halter’s rings. We do a minute of reins over the head, reins off, reins stuck on his ear, and reins down low. When I first bought him, he didn’t want anything to do with the reins going over his head. Now it’s a game that he is happy to play.

When all of that is done, I scoot him up next to the mounting block and hop on right over the half pad and surcingle. While the surcingle presses into my thighs a little bit, it’s actually a bit comforting to have so much to grab onto if I need to. Once I am in place, I do a bunch of carrot stretches from his back, and then we walk off.

Right now, I am walking him back and forth at the home end of the arena doing lots of figures of eight and bending exercises. So far, he hasn’t bucked, spooked, or bolted. He’s tried to break into a trot a few times, but I simply pull his head around and send him into the turn with my outside leg. He comes back to a walk almost instantly.

During my Easter Vacation, I'll start lunging with a bit. By the time his wound has healed completely, he should be ready to start trotting under saddle. I am certainly starting to feel ready!
Stampy and the Brain link
3/17/2015 12:12:30 am

I can always sense the quiet way you work with your horses in your posts, love it. The halter idea is interesting, I had no idea those could have rings for clipping reins onto. I just have this fear of putting things on a horse that don't seem like they would break if something happened that keeps me from trying one.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:00:47 am

Thanks, Stampy and the Brain - I always try to work patiently with my horses, but there are those days ... :0)

I ordered this halter from a woman who came up with the design; you'll notice there is no fiador knot. I think this style of halter is hard to find.

I come from a different way of thinking. For the most part, I DON'T want my halter to break. After doing so many years of endurance racing where we were either camped next to a busy highway or deep in some wilderness area, keeping your horse with you was a major concern.

I deal with tack issues in another way. I never hard tie my horses; they are always tied with a Blocker Tie Ring or quick snaps (especially in or near the trailer). I also teach my horses NOT TO PANIC and what to do with themselves when they do panic. The Blocker Tie Ring teaches them that they can move their feet which eliminates a lot of the trapped sensation that causes horses to panic.

Concerning side reins, I am not a big fan. With that said, I use them very judicially which means I am really careful. If I even think my horse is going to feel trapped or panicked, I am not going to use them.

Working with horses is just inherently dangerous. There are so many ways that they can injure themselves, even with the most preventative approach. We each simply acknowledge the risks that we're willing to take and work from there. :0)

Stampy and the Brain link
3/17/2015 11:23:01 pm

Thanks for the info! Phoenix loves riding without a bit so I need to keep that kind of halter in mind.

I've definitely found that I prefer the elastic Pessoa knock off I use to side reins because it provides contact but tons of give. I actually don't even own side reins anymore.

I did try a chambon once on recommendation from a vet to teach Stampede to keep his head down, man those are creepy! No stretch at all and basically strapping their head in position.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/18/2015 11:43:38 am

I'd love to try a Pessoa System (or knock off), but I don't want to spend the money. It certainly seems like an excellent concept!

Staci white
12/21/2017 09:44:55 pm

What's a good tip to do when they panic.that is interesting to me.i got a baby. And great post onnsutcingle lounging I'm new to all of this

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/27/2017 07:23:21 am

Staci - I don't think I'd use side reins on a horse who would panic. One suggestion would be to put an easily breakable loop between the side reins' snap and your bridle. Kind of like a breakaway on a halter. That way if the horse panics, something will give. :0)

Austen link
3/17/2015 12:24:11 am

There's a lot of good learning going on here! I'd be happy to have you work with any young horse of mine. :)

My trainer always lunges horses with a rope halter over their bridle. She hooks the side reins to the bit, but the lunge line to the halter so that "they figure out the side reins without you interfering with their mouth." I like that, and have been using it myself with pretty good success. Not sure if that's something you had in mind for the future, but it might be a lower stress way to introduce Izzy to sidereins + bit.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:02:14 am

That's a good idea, Austen. I've never tried that before. I'll be adding that method to my toolbox. :0)

Lauren link
3/17/2015 01:19:38 am

I've never thought of doing side reins on a halter... that probably would have helped back when I lunged Simon a lot.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:03:23 am

I just think it's a baby step before going to the bit. He probably would have been fine in the bridle, but in a halter, his mouth isn't going to get banged on while he figures it out.

Paola link
3/17/2015 01:37:07 am

The woman I am a working student for doesn't lunge to tire them out either. She lunges to get the horse moving in a nice rhythm and to get them to balance and accept contact with out a rider. Lungeing also helps her to know what her ride will be like before mounting. Side reins give more quickly than hands, so she uses them. She usually lunges with a bridle but sometimes with a rope halter. I use a rope halter sometimes too.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:04:11 am

It sounds like I would probably like your trainer. :0)

Tracy link
3/17/2015 05:01:55 am

Interesting. Why do you start them lunging in a rope halter instead of a bridle? I love learning your methods!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:10:58 am

Since I've started all of my horses so far apart, it's not like I have a confirmed method. For each horse (at least four), I've done things a bit differently.

My rationale for using the halter is that while Izzy is learning to accept that confines of the side reins (and later my hands), he can test the connection and play around without banging his tender mouth. It's been two years since he's packed a bit around, and when he did wear a bit, it was only for a few months.

I prefer rope halters for training horses because the knots on the rope halter apply more pressure, and the horse learns to NOT lean against the halter. In a flat halter (leather or nylon), the horse can get heavy because the width of the halter applies an acceptable (and even comfortable) amount of pressure.

Just my two cents worth. :0)

Tori link
3/17/2015 05:32:11 am

Not to be a Debbie downer - A rope halter connected to nylon side reins is incredibly dangerous. Should your horse buck, or rear and become in a position to flip over or get his legs tangled - nothing will break. Please reconsider this, from someone who had their horse flip in cross ties and have a full blown seizure, because of a rope halter that wouldn't break. Not sure if you followed the story of the Warmblood William that also had something similar happen when lunging, but its worth reading too.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/17/2015 09:24:54 am

Thanks for sharing, Tori. I sort of explained my thinking up above when I replied to Stampy and the Brain.

Confining a horse with any kind of halter and rope is inherently risky. I've always considered cross ties to be quite dangerous (I've only been using cross them for the past three and half years, and I often tie to the Blocker Tie Ring instead). Most of the time, I cross tie my boys in the barn aisle so that if there is a problem, they are not trapped by the walls around our cross tie area (which is double in size compared to most).

As horse owners, I would say that there are definitely a few big NO NOs (don't tie your horse to a dog or child, don't tie with a hard knot to anything, etc.) Outside of the most obvious things, each owner has to evaluate what they are doing and make sure that it is the safest and most effective way for THEIR particular horse.

I am not sure why your horse wasn't able to be freed from the cross ties (did the quick snaps fail?), but even with a break away halter, he might have still been injured. My side reins have a rubber donut. If enough pressure was applied, that thing would come apart. Additionally, the side reins close with a belt buckle closure which is very easy to open, although not easy with a thrashing horse.

In all honesty, I think side reins are the most dangerous piece of tack we use as horse owners. I don't use them with every horse, and I never apply them as tightly as I see other people do. It's dangerous.

The horse I am using them on is very uncomplicated, we're in a secure location that he feels comfortable and safe in, and I do think that if he applied enough force, the donut would break (and more easily than the break away piece on my flat halter).

I appreciate your feedback. It's always a good idea to re-examine how we do things and why. Sometimes, another rider may have an alternative that is safer and more effective. It never hurts to share and listen. :0)

Austen link
3/17/2015 11:05:43 pm

I agree, Tori. Side reins are really dangerous. That said, the times I've seen a horse trap himself with side reins and a bridle, nothing at all gave. I find a good safety compromise to be not fastening the buckles in a keeper, and always putting the buckle at the girth. That way, if you can get to them, you can release the buckle with a single pull.

emma link
3/18/2015 04:57:23 am

so exciting that he's progressing so well! i love reading about your methods too - and it seems like pretty much any horse would benefit from your slow, steady, yet deliberate approach

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/18/2015 11:41:57 am

Aw ... that's really nice of you to say, Emma. When I work with my horses, I operate under the principals of the hippocratic oath - first, do no harm. I probably go too slowly sometimes, but it's hard to ruin a horse if you don't rush them.

Today was a great day - we transitioned to walking a 20-meter circle. We did it both ways, and he finally started stretching his neck down. I am still only riding him in a rope halter and bareback, but I am putting on the bridle each day and slipping it off quietly. By the time I am ready to introduce the bridle with the side reins, bridling should be a compete non-issue (which it already nearly is). Slow and steady, right?! :0)


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    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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