Long Reining problems

[willowbay]

Hi all, I am having difficulty in long reining my 4yr old, he is good on the ground, lunges to voice superbly with one rein weather just in bridle or wearing saddle,sidereins or pessoa, even with the second rein dragging behind but as soon as I try going behind or lunging off both he shoots off causing me to let go and then goes and stand at edge of paddock, he even does this when helper is at his head. I am working in a post and railed square paddock of about 60mx60. Any suggestions?

[sarahp]

Can you start with the outside rein over his back and only held very loosely to start with rather than dragging behind him? Then gradually as he settles take up the slack, and don't try getting behind him but change the rein turning him outwards to lunge on the other rein until he's happy with that, of course as he changes you will momentarily be behind him but not staying there or trying to work him from behind.

Have you schooled him to the bit aids in the stable? I never hear that being talked about nowadays but I've always taught them the action of the bit from the ground in the stable, just vibrating the bit on one side until they turn that way, lots of praise, same walking round the box and vibrating both reins while saying whoa, again praise when they stop. You say he lunges well to voice but does he understand bit aids which he needs to do when long reining?

[amumwithapony]

It may be the feel of both reins by his side that he is reacting to, rather than you being behind him if he is doing it when you lunge with 2 reins.

I always desensitize mine to feeling both reins around their body before starting lunging and longreining. So when I've groomed and they are nice and relaxed I'll start draping the lunge line around them. Never fastened to anything so if they do panic they aren't going to get tangled up, and never any longer than a lead rope. I'll start with their neck and shoulder area and work my way down over their backs and across their quaters. Once they are used to that I'll clip to a head collar and get them used to one, then 2 lunge lines being either side until I am confident that they are confident.

I'll then do what Sarahp does and teach them to turn and whoa with them loose in the stable. Always wear gloves and a hat at least with long reining and only practise with them in the stable if you know they aren't going to freak out! Perhaps with yours I'd try it tied on the yard first so you can get out of the way if he objects.

You also need a very good 'whoa/stand' command when teaching long reining. Lots of people think they are doing a good job lunging when they can get walk/trot/canter but its actually going down the gears that's the hard part I find. Easy to drive forwards with your whip, not so easy to get them to stand!

So make sure you can do this with your boy before you try and long rein. You'll get into an awful flap trying to set him up for long reining if he won't stand. I always start babies off in a corner as well. So parallel with the fence but facing a corner. Makes them less inclined to try and follow you round as you get your reins sorted and also makes it clear to them that you don't intend to lunge. My baby is at this stage, my mare I can start off from anywhere in the school or yard as her stand aid is stronger and she'll stand between the lines nicely whilst I sort myself out. My baby will fidget after a minute so we're still in corner mode.

[sarahp]

Just to say I use a riding bridle and stand by their heads in the stable to teach bit aids rather than actually long reining, I think I'd feel a bit claustrophic doing anything else as my boxes are small! Good point about draping the reins around amwap. And about teaching going down the gears being more difficult! Body language is useful here, and I've eventually stopped many a one facing the fence, nobody has jumped out yet.

[Kaseyleigh]

My advice would be to have someone with a lunge line as if your lunging so that when he runs he carnt get to far as he is going to learn he can do it everytime you long rein it's sound like he gets a shock when the long lines touch him don't worry he will come with time just keep at it if he runs pull the one rein to spin him work everytime for me and I'm 5'3ft 12 stone and I managed to stop a 17.2hh this way haha or maybe I'm superwoman hmmmm just stick at it I'm sure you will crack it.

[willowbay]

Thanks everybody, I'm not too sure its a sensitivity issue as he has never minded the pessoa or even stirrups touching his sides, possibly could be the tension on the turn as line drops lower than pessoa would sit. He will also stand happily for ages with them behind as well, he is fine with the downward gears even when loose we have done a lot of groundwork and till now appeared to have a fairly unflappable nature. As he's 16.1, 600kg and i'm 5' and 7 stone perhaps I thought perhaps he is starting to realise that he can take the micky, just seems odd when I can still handle him normally in just a head collar. I will try dropping rein from round back and bringing him back to a lunge circle i think and working in a round pen maybe? Will definately see if he understands what the bit is asking him to do as SarahP has explained. Thanks again.

[sarahp]

I hadn't taken in that you let him go - if possible try and avoid doing this and as you say keeping him on a lunge circle if he does shoot off. I'd then make him canter round and round until he wants to stop and then push him on for a bit longer before asking him to stop. You must make the decisions, not him!