Younger (4) horse is lunged occasionally for short periods in regular halter and lungeline. He has recently started grabbing the line and playing- pulling, breaking to canter- being obnoxious. I was wondering if anyone has ideas to break this before it becomes an annoying habit- maybe using a lunging halter (with rings on nose)? This generally happens when he is fresh. Thank you for any tips.
Why is this considered “obnoxious”? He’s four, he’s found a game he enjoys. It may not be something you enjoy, or want to encourage, but obnoxious? Is that not a bit of a harsh judgement of fairly normal equine behaviour? If you don’t want to enourage him to play like that, try some different tack, as you say, a lunging cavasson will likely end the game. Or free lunging him in a round pen without a line at all. If he wants to canter on the lunge, that’s OK, he’s moving forward, and blowing off a bit of steam. It’s all good. It’s OK to canter on the lunge, just don’t do it for an hour. It’s always a good thing when a horse is having fun with his training, enjoying himself is to be encouraged and far more valuable than “discipline” all the time, IMO. Build a mutually enjoyable relationship with your horse during training, each having a good time, having fun with the work. You want him to engage with you, so that you are working together as a team rather than a slave and master all the time. Play is good. Don’t crush his expression of joy and fun. This is not an “annoying habit” it’s horse play.
If you see “obnoxious” behavior and “annoying habits” in horses, perhaps you are inferring human emotions on equine behaviour. It’s usually counter productive to do that.
2 Likes
He is taking control of the exercise. He grabs the line and can pull me off my feet. It is obnoxious and I do not want this to turn into something he does each time on the line. I am not his playmate and I do not want to get hurt. That is why I ask for some guidance. He is loved and cared for but is big and powerful. Taking it slowly and want to nip this before it does become a habit. Which I do believe horses can have.
6 Likes
Glad you are planning on nipping this in the bud. A horse spinning fresh on a longe line is a recipe for disaster. So few people know how to longe properly anymore.
Using a bridle with the line run over the crown or a lunging cavesson would give you more control. Adding side reins would also be helpful to give your horse some work.
Always use gloves.
Develop strong verbal cues.
Working on transitions to voice walk-trot on a smallish circle to reestablish control as a training tool would be helpful as you teach him what is expected on the longe line.
Sometimes walking them in hand a couple of times around the arena helps orient them to work mode as well.
Does he need more turn-out?
Good luck.
5 Likes
Agree with everything Come Shine said. This is absolutely obnoxious behavior and you are smart to nip it in the bud. IMO, lunge time is not play time and I do not ever want to set up my horses to think that they can play (at my expense) on the lunge.
I would lunge in a lunging cavesson or a bridle with the lunge line run over the crown, as CS mentioned. The first time the horse grabbed the lunge line while in the halter should have been the last time you lunged in just a halter.
4 Likes
I agree with you, OP. That’s not a game to be encouraged, IMO. When a horse is longing, he is working and has to listen to you.
Is he started? Could you longe him in tack? A longing bridle is a good idea and would be preferable to a halter to teach a horse to longe. There is just so little control in a halter. I think putting on longing tack reinforces the fact that he is now working.
You could try delineating his circle with ground poles or other markers, and/or longe him in the corner of a fenced arena. This will discourage him from pulling. Also, I suggest making the right choice easy for him and the wrong choice hard. For example, every time he canters, make him canter more until YOU say to trot. You can reinforce this by doing a lot of walk to trot to walk transitions so he doesn’t anticipate the canter. When you canter him, canter him for short periods at first so he learns that cantering on cue means less work. You could also try visual cues like ground poles that he has to go over or through to keep thinking. I tend to walk when I longe so the horse is has to listen to where the “end” of the circle is.
Good luck!
^ ground poles are an excellent idea.
What are you doing during the lunging sessions?
What is your goal?
IME, horses who develop behaviors like this are b-o-r-e-d. If you are lunging for exercise, that isn’t necessary - lunge for mind games, and exercise follows, by default.
If it’s endless (even for 1 minute) circles at any gait, that is mind-numbing for smart horses.
Ground drive instead of lunge - you can do short spurts of lunging with the 2 lines in between periods of more patterned work.
I had this same scenario happen to me many years ago. I had had young TB mares that I could lunge in a plain halter, they were very polite and responsive to jiggles or half halts on the line. Then I got a young Trak gelding that I started. Dumb me assumed I could do all his ground work and lungeing in a halter as well. Um…no. He strategically would jerk his head to the outside and yank the line out of my gloved hands and go cavorting around. He KNEW what he was doing and he was strong. I felt bad, but switched to lunge work only in a bridle with the lungeline thru the snaffle bit ring, over the crown, attached to the outside ring. Once he was very well-mannered in the halter and well-started under saddle with voice commands on the lunge, would he ever be allowed to lunge in a plain halter or cavesson. He was one of the easiest horses I’ve ever started undersaddle, but he was smart and little mischievous as youngsters can be. You use the lightest tools and aids you can, but must use the necessary tools to keep you safe and your horse obedient/respectful!
1 Like
If my horse is feeling good and has some excess energy to get rid off I let him run loose in the arena. Lunging is work time not play time. Some horses can be lunged in a halter but with others you need a bridle or lunging cavesson. I use my voice, whip or body language to make them obey.
I would switch to a cavesson no question. Also it would be a great idea for him to get him a jolly ball for his pasture it sounds like he would enjoy it. Horses and especially young ones like to move their feet so letting him have a few minutes of “at liberty” in the round pen would be a good idea. Let him free lunge and move his feet for a few rounds and then attach the lunge line and that should be a signal its time to focus. Good Luck.
Don’t lunge in a halter. Especially if it is a leather or nylon halter, it just doesn’t give you any sort of control. Next best would be a rope halter if you must, but I’d rather go to a lunging cavesson or bridle.
If the horse needs to let off steam, put him in the round pen so he can’t get away from you and turn it into a game where you can’t catch him or he enjoys watching you run around and before you know it he is lunging you. In a big-enough round pen he can run around and get his bucks and farts out and then you put on the cavesson and go to work.
I agree that this is a behavior that should be nipped in the bud. If he is attached to you, it is time for work. On his own he can get his jollies out.
Do you do any ground work with him other than lunging? I’d get good with that so that you engage his brain and develop a common language (body language and voice commands).
Why do you lunge? What is your goal?
3 Likes
I agree it sounds like boredom. What are you doing when you longe? I’d do lots of little bits of work. Transitions and changes of direction (this is where you have an advantage using a halter or longe cavesson versus a bridle). It should be a time to work on responsiveness and relaxation not just for exercise. This mouthy play can be a sign of anxiety and also he’s looking for a way to entertain himself because you are not giving him enough to do, mentally.
1 Like
Using the center ring on the noseband of a well-fitting longing cavesson will give you quite a bit of leverage and control. If he attempts to jerk the line out of your hand or yank you off your feet, he will inadvertently yank his own head in an unpleasant and startling way. One good surprise like that and they generally don’t try it much after.
If your cavesson is poor fitting or a poor fitting design, then it will just twist around on his face and a buckle may catch his eye and startle him.
If you don’t have access to a good fitting, sturdy cavesson, then the long line over the poll is the next best for control.
If he’s playing up because fall is coming and he’s young and fresh, perhaps turn him out for a good run around before taking him to work, so he can stretch and play first on his own time, not on work time. Hopefully he’ll be more settled and ready to learn a lesson after having a chance to get his bucks out. Don’t expect a fresh young horse to go right to work. Set him up to succeed at all times, not fail.
I agree with the others, be sure you have a goal in mind of what you want to achieve with your longing sessions and keep them as short as possible. Drilling on the longe is even worse than drilling in the arena for some minds.
If you feel like you’re not getting your point across on whatever you’re teaching him, try and see if in-hand work or long reining is an option as well. Its more interesting, and learning to work in hand and on long lines makes for a well-rounded horse.
I would be cautious about becoming upset if he breaks to canter - assuming his future job includes cantering, and assuming he’s actually cantering and not taking off tearing around. A forward thinking mind is a good thing to have.
If you ask for forward (trot) and he gives you more (canter) say “thanks for the effort boy, but not quite this much please” and bring him back. Teach him how to distinguish your commands. And also, examine how you’re asking and see if you can tone down your request.
If he’s wildly forward, slow him by gradually making the circle smaller while teaching him a verbal cue to slow down, like “easy”. If he’s bracing against your hand, tug and release, don’t give him anything to lean into and run.
Be sure your gear is in good repair and has sturdy buckles, wear gloves, and make sure your work area is contained and safe.
3 Likes
I always lunged my mule in a bridle just for the reason that all he had to do was turn his head to the outside and drag me like he was a boat and I was water skiing.
Try a bridle with a full cheek snaffle . Clip the line to the bit on the outside, run the line under his chin and out through the ring. He can’t grab that and he can’t pull you.
Otherwise try free lunging in the round pen ( i prefer this actually).
I have never, ever considered a halter suitable for longeing. Longeing is not a “steam letting off” activity. It is meant to be a positive progressive training method.
If the the horse is used to a bit, put a bridle on, then either use a proper longeing cavesson over it, or put the longeline up through the nearside bit ring, over his head, and attach it to the outside bit ring. Attach side reins to the bit adjusted so that when he is standing relaxed, they barely come into play. No looser, no tighter. They will keep him from dropping onto his outside shoulder and spinning away. You can either use a surcingle attach sidereins to it or use your saddle.
Gloves are a must, as well as a longe line that is a minimum of 30 feet in length. Longeing in small and choppy circle is ruinous to joints.
This horse can’t be longed in a halter just yet. Use his bridle and run the line through the nearside ring of the bit, over the crown, and clip it to the outside ring.
Use gloves!
Keep the session short and interesting.
Be very patient, firm, and consistent and never lose your cool 
Some tips that may be useful to you:
When my Tb mare was young and didn’t know how to longe I used the first sessions to establish verbal/vocal commands and respect. I started her on a small circle at walk. Worked on whoa and halting on the circle (No turning towards me!) When correct, I would approach her and give her a treat and a pat, then walk back to my spot with her still halted on the circle, and resume longeing.
Use body language to teach your horse, too. Don’t just stay rooted in the same spot. For instance, my mare knows that if,when she is walking left, I take a step to my left while staying Whoa, it means halt.
I always use the word “and” before asking for transition. Said in an “upbeat” tone of voice it announces a faster gait, said with my voice going “down” it’s a cue to a downward transition.
Once the horse has those cues firmly established you can actually move around while longeing, longe him over trotting poles or jumps, etc. Make it fun and interesting, but YOU decide, not him Good luck!
Thanks for all of you taking the time to respond. This get me thinking about his personality and gives me good ideas to go forward with.
2 Likes
