free longing -- still a thing that people do to exercise their horses?

[devvie_continued]

I got to wondering last night . . . is “free longing,” aka turning out a horse in the arena and letting them run around a bit still a thing people do? I did it as a teen, but in hindsight it was mostly about being lazy/not taking the time to ride.

It’s not something that I do as part of exercise routine now, ever.

What do others think about it? To me it seems like the easy way out rather than an intelligent part of a training routine: risk of injury with a fresh horse, might teach them that arena time is wild time rather than training time, that sort of thing.

Having thought about it myself I’m curious what others think.

[pologirl27]

I think it is fine in a round pen. Personally I don’t think it is a good idea in the ring because you end up more chasing them with a whip rather than controlling them like a round pen would via it’s shape/size. When I was a teenager it seemed like the people who would chase their horses around in the indoor where the ones who’s horses would then proceed to act dumb in the indoor with them.

If you are really desperate due to snow and ice, turning the horse loose in a ring and letting them run- if they want!- doesn’t seem like the worst idea.

[devvie_continued]

It def. can be useful with a fresh horse, but I don’t see benefit over controlled longing.

[FatCatFarm]

I LUFF it for a fresh or young horse as a tool to get the kinks out before I climb on. Only in a round pen though. Wouldn’t do it in an arena situation because of a lack of control. Though I might be free longeing I do still use it as a teaching tool for the horse by controlling speed and direction. It can be a great way to establish leadership/cooperation with a horse. I’ve also added side reins to equation. Great for improving a horse’s way of going without interference from a rider.

[devvie_continued]

@FatCatFarm

Only in a round pen though.

I live in the land of long winters in indoors (Canada), so I was specifically thinking of arena turnout as opposed, I suppose, to round penning.

[Nestor]

I’ve used it as a sort of arena turnout. If we aren’t able to turn the horses out because of poor quality footing in turnouts, and it’s too cold to ride, then arena turnout is helpful because it’s up to the horse how much they want to move. I don’t use it as real exercise, just time out of the stall to stretch their legs. They mostly wander around, roll, maybe a bucking/farting moment.

My first horse did not misbehave on the lunge line, which made it difficult to get out some excess energy before riding. So for him, I would in fact turn him loose in the arena and encourage him to get his sillies out with a lunge whip, usually the morning of a horse trial (at home, of course). This lasted maybe 3 minutes, just enough to buck a few times and let me know he wasn’t going to hate me for missing his turnout time that day. :winkgrin:

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

Disclosure: not a trainer.

My observation is that in the absence of turn-out, using the arena as a place for a horse to get out of his stall, stretch his legs, and do whatever he wants to do for a while is ok.

Free lunging where the person chases the horse around in an arena where he will also at some point be expected to work - not a good idea.

Local trainer recently did a video “series” where she and her young daughter were going to “turn around” a nappy pony . The first video in the series involved free lunging Pony to “build his fitness”. Series ended after about a month, pony still nappy and no longer part of trainer’s program. SMH.

[Rnichols]

I do it in a round pen, and I don’t really chase her…just see if she wants to run around and let any bucks out.

A friend of mine actually just turned out her 5y/o OTTB in the indoor last week. Went to get on and the horse is lame. Turns out he hit himself when he was running around and now he has a splint and will be off for a couple weeks. She had to scratch him from the last show of the season. Like I said, I like the round pen

[SnicklefritzG]

Free longing and turning a horse loose in an arena to “run around” are two different things. The latter implies there is a lack of control.

I do free longing about once a week with my older horse (older meaning not a baby). I basically use the entire (very large) indoor arena like a round pen. My horse travels around the outside, changes direction, and does circles, all from whip commands or hand signals. He also does all his transitions from voice commands. Even though he is technically loose (no longe line), he follows the directions and cues I give him as if he were on the longe.

I like this because he can easily do changes of direction without me having to fiddle with the longe line AND I get the benefit of working him over the entire arena and not just a circle. Although I do occasionally longe him the traditional way.

My younger one works at liberty at a walk and does changes of direction. She’s not quite ready to do trot work completely at liberty but is beginning to do it if I’m at her side. It is a good way for her to learn to keep her attention on me but without the stress that would make longing inappropriate for a young horse.

A lot depends on the horse. If they keep their attention on the handler, I think free longing can be a good thing. If the horse has the propensity to go out of control and run around like crazy, then more controlled exercise is needed (or revisit the turnout schedule to keep the horse from going nuts when it is loose).

[Larbear]

I do free lunging but it’s structured/controlled and not for getting him to run a bit and blow off energy.

I do all the usual stuff (walk, trot and canter, up and down transitions, lengthening and shortening the gaits) in the ring just without the longe line. I find my horse listens better without the longe line and probably easier on him since he isn’t on a circle.

Yes, he could get naughty and just blow me off but he’s just as likely to do it with a longe line attached.

[Scribbler]

I would consider free longing and turnout to blow off steam to be two different things.

I can only free longe in a fairly contained smaller round pen because otherwise there is no containment and maresy just disappears. In a round pen we longe just like on a line, w/t/c halt and turn, on voice cues and a shake of a whip if needed. It isn’t the place for run n buck.

Since maresy lives in a stall with a small runout, I do also offer her turnout in our large turnout arena which has good footing, sometimes alone and sometimes with a buddy. If she needs to run n buck and blow off steam, she can do it there. She’s been on this routine for seven years and hasn’t hurt herself, and I think the buck and bolt is in fact good exercise and I am unlikely to ever ride her flat out that fast! She is however noticeably less energetic the day after.

I don’t like to free longe in the round pen too often as I find the sand footing and the small circumference cause her hind legs to stock up if go in there and canter more than once a week. I don’t indeed longe her a lot, though we do lateral in hand work at bit.

We ride pretty much every day, and my preference is to ride. But if she is getting noticeably bottled up and hyper under saddle, a good run n buck turn out sessions gets the wiggles out.

I realize that people with high value horses may not feel comfortable seeing them running loose full speed, but I feel that over the years this has helped her agility and condition, and I can’t imagine what it would be like for a horse that never gets to run full blast.

When I was a teen i kept my horse stalled but I also took her for full out full blast all rockets firing gallops on safe straight stretches, where I did nothing to interfere with her and just let her blast on a loose rein. She also stayed very fit and healthy. I don’t have the place or perhaps more accurately the courage to do this in middle age on my current horse.

[Manni01]

I admit I never do it. It could be ok with an older horse but I don’t usually lunge older horses at all. Either they are turned out or they are ridden… But with a young horse it doesn’t really make sense to me… But thats me… I am a control freak and I don’t want to waste any time with something like this. If I work my horse I work my horse. Otherwise its turned out or in the stall. I do lunge, but I have strict goals with lunging. I want to achieve something with my horse. Every round has a purpose…

I know its an extreme position… Sorry for that

[Blugal]

I wish I could do this for the times when there is no turn-out (excessive mud or ice). However, the horses tend to gallop and then slam on the brakes, causing holes in the footing, so we are not allowed to do it, understandably! I’m definitely looking forward to when my horses are a bit older and more broke so I don’t feel so risky climbing on when they’ve had too much time off but need exercise.

[devvie_continued]

@Blugal

the horses tend to gallop and then slam on the brakes, causing holes in the footing

Yes that happens in our arena too (but also on a longe line) and usually the “culprits” just leave them and then I have to fix them!

[Scribbler]

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated turnout arena that is maintained. The run n buck turnout with a bit of encouragement from the ground is part of many people’s horse management, but not all. The horses that get to run n buck typically have fewer leg and tendon injuries than the horses who are longed and blow up on the longe repeatedly.

Basically if you have a younger or hotter horse here your options are blow up under saddle, blow up on the longe line, or blow up in turnout arena. The paddock runouts are too small to excersize in.

IME the sanest healthiest horses here are the ones that get to blow up in turnout.

I’ve certainly seen folks get into a bind where the horse is too hot to ride safely, too hot to longe without pulling the handler flat on her face, but also too wired up to even walk down the path to the turnout ring.

I do feel managing energy levels is crucial.

[Winding_Down]

I never free lounge in the arena in which a horse is ridden. That area is designated for work and not play and to allow the horse to run all over bucking etc suggests that this is allowable when under saddle.

That being said, my horses have lots of turnout in large areas so they run and buck and cavort as they wish when out.

I used to free lounge in a round pen but that was years ago when I started horses in the round pen. Even then, I would stand in the center and direct the lounging, and correct bucking/rearing/bolting etc.

[2DogsFarm]

@SnicklefritzG

Free longing and turning a horse loose in an arena to “run around” are two different things. The latter implies there is a lack of control.
A lot depends on the horse. If they keep their attention on the handler, I think free longing can be a good thing. If the horse has the propensity to go out of control and run around like crazy, then more controlled exercise is needed (or revisit the turnout schedule to keep the horse from going nuts when it is loose).

Agreed.

I had a WB who had been trained to free longe & would do so on a 20m circle in a full arena - change gait, slow & halt at voice command. He came to me - at 15yo - trained to do it.
I do use my whole 60X120 indoor in bad weather so horses can roll & let off steam (otherwise they are turned out 24/7 w/access to stalls).
But if I expect work to be done they go on the line, otherwise we only do simple things like Halt & stand for me to halter them.

[HunterMarc]

Nope! In my opinion, it is too dangerous and why risk taking the chance of an injury. A lot of time they run hard, turn hard, slidding stops and that to me screams injury. I know horses will be horses but why give them the opportunity. Sometimes they even kick at the mirrors on the walls too. My horse is turned out during the day and can run outside if he needs to. Even if a horse did’t have proper turnout, I would put on a lunge line with vienna reins or side reins. I never lunge without making them work and use their body. One added benefit we have at my barn is a 6 horse exerciser. So they can go on that for 1 hour, 30 minutes both directions.

[GoodTimes]

I’m kind of laughing at all the people who are afraid of their horse running and slamming on the brakes in an arena which likely has decent footing. I’m going to guess a lot of you haven’t worked in barns because guess what? Your horse does that outside in turnout too, except he does it in the mud/snow/wet grass, etc. smh. They’re horses.
If I go to get on my naughty 8yo and he’s giving the side eye to anything and everything I’m going to let him loose in the arena for 5 minutes to get the sillies out. It doesn’t teach him to be silly in the arena, it lets him blow off steam so that when I get on he can focus. 99% of the time his eye is on me and I can keep him from running into the corners. Do I want him to get hurt? No. Do I want to get hurt? Heck no. If I break an arm I can’t work.

If I’m lazy and don’t feel like riding I throw him on the lunge line and make him work, transitions, small circle, large circle, etc.

[Backstage]

@GoodTimes

I’m kind of laughing at all the people who are afraid of their horse running and slamming on the brakes in an arena which likely has decent footing. I’m going to guess a lot of you haven’t worked in barns because guess what? Your horse does that outside in turnout too, except he does it in the mud/snow/wet grass, etc. smh. They’re horses.
If I go to get on my naughty 8yo and he’s giving the side eye to anything and everything I’m going to let him loose in the arena for 5 minutes to get the sillies out. It doesn’t teach him to be silly in the arena, it lets him blow off steam so that when I get on he can focus. 99% of the time his eye is on me and I can keep him from running into the corners. Do I want him to get hurt? No. Do I want to get hurt? Heck no. If I break an arm I can’t work.

If I’m lazy and don’t feel like riding I throw him on the lunge line and make him work, transitions, small circle, large circle, etc.

Same here. Maybe its climate related? It is quite common in my area for horses to get some “play time” in the indoor before being ridden. Not every horse, and not every ride…but fairly common. The horses can be outside for 16 hours and still not actually do much in the way of play during the winter. They stand around and eat. And eat. And eat some more. Then, when its time to ride, they are feeling pretty fresh Running them around intentionally in the field is NOT an option - it isn’t just nice snow in the paddock, but ice and uneven ground. As you pointed out, it is much safer (though, not without risk) to let them play in the good footing of the indoor with supervision. None of the horses I have ridden or watched under this sort of regime seem to have trouble distinguishing work time from play time. With the young/green ones, I may do some in-hand work before I get on to make sure that they are ready to work.

Personally, I will lunge a horse on occasion, but THAT is all work and there is no playing to be had.