Hey guys,
So a question I thought I knew the answer to–how to attach the lunge line when you’re using a bridle. I’ve always been taught to a. Run the line through the inside ring, over the poll and then attach to the far ring, or b. Slide it through the inside ring, under the horse’s chin, and then clip to the outside bit ring. However, I recently received klimke’s basic training of the young horse book, and he says to clip the lunge line directly to the inside ring (I had always been told that could pull the bit crooked in the horse’s mouth). So… What do you guys say? (And why?) (: thanks in advance!
I clip it directly to the inside bit with my two easy-going geldings. They have perfect manners and there’s never any actual pressure on the line.
For a younger, less mannerly horse, I run it over the poll.
Don’t run it through and clip it to the opposite side under the chin…if the horse pulls away, it will immediately tighten up and yank the bit down in a nutcracker action/the lunge line will act like a chain under their chin at the same time.
I never clip it to the bit. I only use a cavesson or a heavy leather halter. There’s just too much potential to harm the mouth if you attach it directly to the bit.
I always run it over the poll (unless I’m using a cavesson over the bridle). 1) I want the control if something goes wrong, and 2) I like to keep a steady contact just as when riding, and I find that method makes it the easiest.
[QUOTE=Covergirl15;8665906]
Hey guys,
So a question I thought I knew the answer to–how to attach the lunge line when you’re using a bridle. I’ve always been taught to a. Run the line through the inside ring, over the poll and then attach to the far ring, or b. Slide it through the inside ring, under the horse’s chin, and then clip to the outside bit ring. However, I recently received klimke’s basic training of the young horse book, and he says to clip the lunge line directly to the inside ring (I had always been told that could pull the bit crooked in the horse’s mouth). So… What do you guys say? (And why?) (: thanks in advance![/QUOTE]
I don’t know which edition you have. My copy shows different ways to attach but none are solely to inside ring. see Method a on p. 34 at this link- note that it is attached to noseband though it goes through inside bit ring.
https://books.google.ca/books?id=5yLP1z5kgcEC&pg=PA31&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false
A longe cavesson is basic equipment. I am not sure whether actually longing a horse (as in training?) or just getting the bucks out is what is being spoken of.
I understand that longing with a bridle is commonplace now, with many people doing this even at home with young horses, but in my considerably humble opinion, if there is no time to change from cavesson to bridle or vise versa, then time management should be addressed.
The fact that there are books and/or articles that give “bridle longing rules” in my opinion means very little. The existence of many ways to perpetuate a less than ideal method is not a confirmation of its validity.
[QUOTE=Foxtail;8665925]
I never clip it to the bit. I only use a cavesson or a heavy leather halter. There’s just too much potential to harm the mouth if you attach it directly to the bit.[/QUOTE]
I generally agree with this POV, but my cheat if lungeing in a bridle is to wrap the line twice around the noseband of the bridle and then clip the line to the inside bit ring. Put the line through the bit ring, wrap twice, then clip. This allows the noseband to serve as a sort of cavesson (although not as good as a proper cavesson).
Clip to the inside ring, and that is from Gerhard Politz who I knew at Flintridge Riding Club, and he actually wrote the USDF manual on longeing.
No, I certainly am not.
I was taught the basics principles of longeing differently than the method that is currently practiced. Longeing was to be done in a cavesson not a bridle. That’s all.
The brilliant dressage masters can do as they please and have the finesse to do it well.
I was taught as a person who was learning to start and maintain horses. Was not and will never be a Klimke, as most of us won’t be. That finesse is seldom attainable by most people like me, so I found it best to do it in the manner that doesn’t adversely impact the horse in the absence of a genius at the human end of the longe line.
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[QUOTE=skydy;8665967]
A longe cavesson is basic equipment. I am not sure whether actually longing a horse (as in training?) or just getting the bucks out is what is being spoken of.
I understand that longing with a bridle is commonplace now, with many people doing this even at home with young horses, but in my considerably humble opinion, if there is no time to change from cavesson to bridle or vise versa, then time management should be addressed.
The fact that there are books and/or articles that give “bridle longing rules” in my opinion means very little. The existence of many ways to perpetuate a less than ideal method is not a confirmation of its validity.[/QUOTE]
I prefer a cavesson, but I have two horses that do not go well in one that I longe in a bridle instead. One is a small pony, and the other is an Arabian. The cavesson appears to fit the Arabian, but he is visibly happier working in a bridle, so that’s what I do for him. My guess is it just isn’t quite right for his face.
They are both fine and correct. It depends on the horse and what you are trying to achieve. There are also other ways to lunge. None is more correct than the others.
I don’t.
I either use a caveson, leather halter over bridle or rope halter under bridle for youngsters.
I do have two longe lines with LEATHER straps with swivels that I can put around the caveson and inside bit ring. That way the line is more connected to caveson and effects the bit only a little.
I never clip to the bit. But I don’t use side reins either. I use a halter with a chain over the nose or just the halter with the bridle underneath. I clip the lunge line to the side ring not the ring under the halter.
I am very careful of horses’ mouths!
It depends on the horse. And any advice, from anyone, is just their experience or opinion.
I have always done the thru the bit, over the crown and hook to the bit on the other side technique.
I think this falls into the category of - what works best for the horse in front of me - like so many horse things.
I agree, depends on the horse and on the person at the other end of the lunge line.
I was taught the over the poll method as well. It gives the best control when lunging a horse that might act up.
I have a nice, sturdy leather cavesson for my mare and she hates it. Even properly adjusted, I guess it is too jiggly for her? (lots of rings and metal on the thing) and she hates having the lunge line clipped to the front.
But then I don’t lunge her much, and never to “get the yahoos out”. I put her on the lunge when I don’t have much time and can’t ride, just to make sure she is fine at all gaits. And to do that, I just clip the lunge line to the inside ring of her halter. She has great manners on the lunge and responds to voice and body commands like a circus horse 
A creative hunter groom and helluva horsewoman taught me a technique that goes one step further than line going from the bit, up over the poll to the outside ring of the bit.
Instead, you make a figure 8 under the horse’s jaw. So inside ring, across to the outside, up over the poll, down across the jaw again and clip the end of the rope to the outside of the bit.
What’s great about this is that you can’t pull the bridle off or break it. The rope essentially goes around the horse’s skull, so no equipment or part of the horse can break.
I think you can lunge intelligently in a bridle. I must say I have been taught how to get that done and I haven’t been taught to use a lunging cavesson as the superior/only piece of equipment one should use. Also, I don’t use side-reins as a go-to piece of equipment for a horse. My dressage-centric lunging education may be deficient.
I’ve also never found a need to use side reins. I can, however, see how they would improve a horse in the hands of someone with far more tact than me. I highly doubt that I will ever trust myself enough to lunge in side reins (and I’ve never actually been taught now). But I’ve also never been in a situation where I couldn’t find a way to translate a concept taught with side reins to a horse being lunged without side reins
[QUOTE=Foxtail;8666365]
I’ve also never found a need to use side reins. I can, however, see how they would improve a horse in the hands of someone with far more tact than me. I highly doubt that I will ever trust myself enough to lunge in side reins (and I’ve never actually been taught now). But I’ve also never been in a situation where I couldn’t find a way to translate a concept taught with side reins to a horse being lunged without side reins[/QUOTE]
I’m not sure what the point of lunging is without some contact? That is what the side reins help with (among other things), teaching the horse to accept contact (and balance on a circle) without the added balance issues of a rider on the back.
As for how to attach to bit - agree with others, if it is an experienced horse that doesn’t pull (or no risk of pulling away), I’d just attach to inside ring. I always use side reins, which helps control the outside shoulder.
With a young horse, or a heavy horse, or a horse that looks like it might be a bit “up”, I go to through the ring/over the head.
Never under the jaw unless you knot the line - otherwise, as already mentioned, you can really squeeze the horse’s jaw badly. It can be dangerous. If you like the “under the jaw” method, buy a little lunging connector - it connects to each ring, then has a ring for the lunge line - that way, no nutcracker on the horse’s jaw.
