In-hand or lunging or long lining Resources

[TeenyTiny]

Hello all,

I’ve found myself in a bit of a pickle, I usually ride 5 days a week and have bringing along my own horse (first horse super exciting!). I’ve run into some health issues that are preventing me from riding or having good rides, and I’m really starting to notice that my horses physical shape and endurance is taking a toll. We recently got the quiet slow canter which I know physically is hard, and she is starting to struggle mostly because I can’t keep up and keep her in shape. I’m looking for some resources for ground work whether it’s in hand, longing, long lining etc. that I can build a ground work program for her and keep her in shape and going while I take time to recover. I can mostly keep up from the ground, but riding is a different story. I’m not interested in leasing her out or having someone else ride, at this point. Thank you all for your help.

[Pehsness]

Oh, following. I want to utilize longeing more as well but am now more cognizant of doing it correctly.

[atlatl]

Have you looked at the USDF Lunging Manual? I also have this book:

101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises: English & Western

[outerbanks77]

It’s not classical dressage, but I like Double Dan’s set of DVDs. They have a progression of 3 or 4 levels.

[cardinale]

Also not classical dressage, and your horse might already be comfortable with longeing or naturally quiet, cooperative and tractable, but if not make sure they know enough groundwork to be comfortable with the concept of turning around you in a circle and other basic groundwork (yielding to pressure, etc.).

If not, you might benefit from the information in these videos:

How to lunge a horse for the first time

How to lunge a horse when they are green

Get your horse to lunge in minutes, not hours

She has more videos on yt that are useful. This is basic stuff but good to know if your horse isn’t already used to longeing.

[FjordBCRF]

Jen Ballou has a couple excellent books with a multitude of in hand single exercises as well as full workouts! They not only kept my guy in shape during on and off rehab, but have him using his body much better than prior to starting them.

[TeenyTiny]

Thank you all, she does know how to lunge, she’s quiet good at it and very (for the most part) respectful, I’m looking to get her carrying herself and practicing leg yeilds, shoulder/haunches in/out, developing her trot and canter more so she doesn’t loose the muscles or fitness to do so when we can ride again. Thank you everyone for the suggestions always happy for more!

[belgianWBLuver]

I do extensive in hand work with the horses I work. One great method is the Légèreté method by Philippe Karl. He has basically taken the flexions of the old French master, Francoise Baucher, and simplified them. There are numerous books DVDs and some licensed instructors.
I practice the flexions regularly with my horses and their connection, from the bit to my hand, has improved them all.

Link to a good book https://www.amazon.com/stores/Philippe-Karl/author/B001K7F7HI?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

I do not follow the method blindly, I pick and chose the exercises I feel have produced the best results.

Another one is Michel Henriquets methodes. His wife Catherine is active, competing and uses in hand work in her daily sessions.

Link to a really good intro to in hand work, and lunging

Henriquet on Dressage

Dvds can be found by these authors and trainers as well.

[PaddockWood]

Dan James did a long lining clinic at Road to the Horse a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6esbcK92JQ

[zelle]

Wow thanks. I just checked out Josie Matthews as I’ve been so frustrated with the amount of time to watch a TRT video topic vs the amount of knowledge gained. Josie just gets on with it! Love it! I love her little text edits right on the video. So practical and down to earth.

[Moss]

I do both lunging on a line with a Spanish cavesson and also the buckaroo lunging style. Manolo Mendez has great resources for lunging on the line and in hand (linked below), and then I like Martin Black and Pat Puckett for the “buckaroo” style. I don’t know what else to call it. I was taught by a vaquero and it has helped me teach my horse cues from the ground. I’m using the buckaroo style to refine my mare’s w/t/c and c/t/w transitions from the ground right now.

A Holistic Approach To Horse Training, Development, And Rehabilitation

The Disciplined Ride

I have other resources if you’d like them.

ETA I second Philippe Karl, too.

[Moss]

The TRT method is basically Ray Hunt for English riders. Just get Think Harmony by Ray Hunt. There are so many free resources out there that are the TRT method.

ETA: True Unity by Tom Dorrance is also good.

[TeenyTiny]

Funny enough, me not being well enough to ride might be ultimately improving our riding I realized that she feels relatively unbalanced in the trot without a rider so we’ve taken this time to step back and work on her balance with the lunging and ground work. Lots of focus on transitions, slowing everything down and getting balance and rhythm before asking for more forward, and lateral work. I’ve introduced asking for a more forward trot now that she is feeling more balanced and comfortable at the trot. And wouldn’t you imagine, she’s not rushing in her trot or canter, the few times I have been healthy enough to ride she’s much more consistent on the contact, she’s not coming above it, I can lengthen my reins and she follows the contact. At the trot she is actually working through her back which is such a wild feeling especially posting! Blown away with her progress. I have also been using a lunging caveson for this as it has helped encourage balance for her. Thank you for the resources!