Hippotherapy
learning to lunge?
i'm going down to VA for 2 weeks (from NJ) to stay with my parents' friend... she has a horse and runs a therapeutic riding program so i asked her if she could show me how to lunge... since her horse hasn't been taught how to lunge yet we will be teaching him, and since i only have two weeks i wanted some information on what to expect and any tips you have
Public Comments
- It's all about eye contact and body language. How you hold yourself makes the horse comfortable or not. Have confidence in yourself even in the beginning. Listen carefully to your friend and you will be fine!
- be very calm, ask him slowly to go dont demand it, no yelling, and stay a safe distance away......my horse and i learned by ourselves together to lunge, and i almos go kicked the first two times.......possiablly wear gloves, do not loop the lunge line round your hand, dont set the loose lunge line on the ground, close all gates near you so that if he pulls to hard you can just let go and let him run.......he will learn, and good luck
- Make sure not to square your shoulders at the neck and head of the horse...that is the steering wheel. Instead make sure your body posture is more balanced towards the gas pedal...the hindquarters try looking at the flank or the hip joint. Make sure there is enough distance between you and the horse, they will test you even when lunging. When you finish make sure that your horse has good eye contact with you, takes a step towards you, or even better fully turns around to face you. When they lick their lips after a learning session...that is a good thing. Try not to bore your horse with walk, trot, canter one way and then the other. Mix it up, that way they won't try and predict what you are going to do. There are so many pointers and I am sure that you will get many good answers!
