How do you start teaching a horse to long rein or ground drive? What equipment do you need? I’ve heard it’s more beneficial than lunging as ground work but I’m not sure why.
If he know how to lunge you lunge with 2 lunge reins reins. The rein goes from the bit through the stirrups on the shortest hole and to you. The furthest rein around the rump.
The horse already know the commands for lunging. You can use the same commands. You can lunge in a circle or ask him to go straight and turn.
If being used to break a horse in, they know how to turn from the reins before you mount as it is the same in the saddle as behind.
I’ve done it using a surcingle with terrets & D-rings for lines.
I’ve used both a web longeing surcingle & the saddle from a driving harness.
I longe/ground-drive & longline in a bridle - lines for a beginner horse/pony clip to the bit & then through the D-rings, for a more educated horse, lines go through the terrets on top.
To start, run the lines through the D-rings on the sides rather than the terrets on top so horse is prevented from spinning & winding lines around both of you (ask me how I learned this…)
Once horse is started/understands the process, you can run the lines through the terrets.
For ground-driving I stand behind the horse/pony approximately where I’d be seated in a cart & follow at the walk.
Trotting I let the outside line cross over his back & step inside so I am at the center of a circle as in longeing.
Longlining lines go as SuzieQ describes except instead of stirrups, D-rings or terrets.
Benefits are horse/pony learns verbal commands (the Be-All, End-All for a driving horse) as well as rein aids, learns to balance w/o accomodating a rider’s weight.
I am interested in this thread as I am putting my horse back into work after a long string of injuries and he is doing fabulous ground driving and long lining. I use a surcingle and pull the lunge lines through the low D-rings. I carry a dressage whip for small corrections but don’t want him too worked up. It is really cool for me to follow behind and watch how the horse is using himself and how I can correct my aids from the ground. It has also really helped with his verbal commands especially halt and backing.
Its a wonderful tool that is not used nearly enough in starting horses/ponies. Everyone skips it and wonders why they have issues later.
You really should change the dressage whip for a driving or lunge whip so you can actually use it. A horse shouldn’t get worked up over a whip, its just an extension of your arm and a tool.
Before I bought the horse his ‘punishment’ for being ‘bad’ with the previous owner was being run in the round pen and hit with a lunge whip repeatedly until he was too tired to move. So a dressage whip in hand is a big deal 
I am working in our groundwork sessions with the larger whips he is getting so much better. Thank you for the helpful insight!
The easiest thing to do is get a back scratcher from the dollar tree and tape it to the end of a stiff whip. Use it to get the itchies all over, especially the hindquarters and withers. It works like a charm. Whips are nothing to be scared of and teach him they actually feel good.
There is an australian trainer Warrick (sp) that has a really good video on getting your horse ok with whips. Works great.
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Long reining and ground driving are terrific and very under-used tools in developing a partnership and communication.
You get to watch your horse move and react and learn rein, voice and whip aides without the complication of a rider (unbalanced rider, sore back, ill-fitting tack, age). You learn how to communicate and guide your horse at a distance - this gives the handler new insights into how to use their hands and what it means to be quiet and still.
And it puts the horse in a position to be working “alone”, under less control than if ridden but still expected to learn, obey and behave. This is a big responsibility for horses. Some are delighted, some are confused, some are terrified. In all scenarios, however, it strengthens the relationship and encourages bravery, maturity, and patience in the horse.
Long reining can be much more engaging than longing, you can add a lot of variety, learn lateral movements, etc. It’s not a boring for many horses to simply go in circles. Though longing certainly has its place.
The equipment for long reining can be a simple or fancy as you’d like. I like this video because it shows the simple humble means you can start with, and shows the basic confusion many horses experience in the beginning, and how to be patient about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIW648_3k4w
I always start new to me horses in a simple outfit like this when long reining.
Depending on what I want to achieve I may then go to a surcingle and other equipment, perhaps a Chambon, or a roger ring for an opening inside rein. It depends.
If you choose to use a surcingle be sure you use the low rings along the side of the horse. Using the top turrets, especially on a green horse and green handler all too easily invites the horse to spin around and get the lines wrapped around his neck.
Always have very safe gear. Always check your lines and snaps. Be sure you use good horse-safe snaps on gear. If you use a cavesson, be sure it fits well as it can cause a lot of discomforts if it doesn’t.
Make sure your work area is safe and enclosed. Learn to carry a whip, a long whip if you have it, but not a longe whip with a long lash, that will get wrapped around your feet in short order. Wear gloves.
Be patient with your horse, patient with yourself and move at the speed you’re comfortable at. Use the mildest bit you can still control your horse in as your hands will be clumsy and fumbling at first and will inadvertently punish your horse’s mouth. I personally started learning in a rope halter, but I the horse very well and worked in a safe enclosed area.
Finally, find a video or DVD that shows a handler accomplishing the same thing you’d like to accomplish with your horse and then study that.
Go slowly and don’t get frustrated. Long reining doesn’t come naturally to humans or horses, you have to learn and work at it.
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