# bolting on lunge line and how does it stop



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Simple.

Stop letting him go fast.

Walk. Walk some more. Walk the other way. Walk some more. Master the art of walking.

Then trot. Trot and walk. Walk and trot a little bit. Walk some more.

I think you see where I'm going with this.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Sack him out to the lunge whip. Let him know it's okay. Clicker training may help your case since he's so convinced it's all bad.

As for the lungeline. Put it away. It's too long and will get both of you seriously hurt if all goes to heck.

Start with a leadrope. Does he lead well?

Walk him on the leadrope and slowly step away from him so there is more distance. w/t with him on there, give him a nice rub down on his neck or wherever he likes. Then go in the opposite direction, and slowly step away from him so there is space between you.

Continue like that and then one day treat the leadrope like a lunge line and lunge him walk, trot.

Praise him lots.

Then once he can handle all of that, bring out the lungeline and do exactly the same but add in canter (since he has more room) and just remain calm.

If he doesn't need to be lunged with a lunging whip, put it away. But still work on desensitizing him to it, ok?


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## bnayc (Jan 3, 2012)

My Arabian was terrified of the whip and would do the same thing. My trainer had me rub the whip all over him. I would hold him on a lead line and slowly put the whip against his side. Then slowly move it all around his body while giving praises and treats. Find his favorite places to be scratched and use the whip to scratch him there. Just go slow with it at first. Now I can pull out my whip and my horse doesn't bat an eye. He knows he only has to work when its pointed at him.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Sky has great advice. Some horses just can't handle the whip. My mare doesn't. She walks, trots, canters, reverses directions...everything- all on voice command. At very most, I'll flick the end of my line at her butt if she's being lazy. Add in the whip? She completely blows up. 

Whenever he tries to bolt on the lunge, grab the line in your hand and jerk his head around so that he has to stop and face you. Make him stand for a second, then ask him to move forwards again in the opposite direction. It may take a few times, but he'll soon realize that he's getting no where.

If he's just speeding faster than you want, ask him to 'wooooooaaaaaahhhhhhh' in a slow, calm voice. Don't start fumbling and pulling at him and getting upset, stay calm. He feeds off of you.

Have you tried lunging him without the saddle? Are you using a bridle? If you are, try just using a rope halter (with training knots, if you'd like) and lead rope. No bit, no saddle- just a normal day on the leadrope to him. Then do as Sky said. Slowly work him towards using the lunge line, and be patient. If he's overwhelmed, stop and backtrack a little. All he's ever known is fast, it will take a while for his mind to transition and for his body to follow.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

Thank you for all your responses! I will take Sky's advice. I did sack him out a bit with the lunge whip yesterday and he settled down nicely. On the lead line he is pretty responsive unless he is unsure of something (ie, new location out of sight of the pasture group), in which case he pops around. You all echoed what had been my original thoughts, ie. putting his training wheels back on. I will start working on getting really nice walk/trot down before moving to canter. I am starting to find that the walk/trot was somewhat skimmed over in his training (which is weird because he is a trotter). I think I will work a bit with clicker training an emergency stop because that can't hurt. I have been working him in a halter. I have not lunged him in the bit because I don't want to have that jam him in the mouth and cause a negative association. I will also try to have him think of the lunge line as a long lead line ie. behavior you do on the lead is the same as the behavior on the lunge.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I have done a lot of work with OTTBs over the years and many are like you describe - a lot will only go on the left rein also.

I always work them in an arena rather than a round pen - which I hate. I also have them tacked up with side reins just tight enough to be effective but not forcing their heads to the vertical. I use a lungeing caveson to give me more head control as the rein attaches to to nose rather than under the jaw.
I also always have boots on all four legs, always hold the lunge whip and always wear gloves!

I will work at the trot mainly, if the horse starts to rush then I will ask it to slow with my voice - if this is ignored the I will run it into the side of the arena along with the whoa command. They soon realise that racing around calls for a prompt halt. 
I will also use two lunge lines attached to the bit when they start to canter on the lunge as this gives me more control but I am experienced with long lining.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Agree with Sky & that he isn't ready to be 'lunged'. Don't know why you want to lunge, but I use it to teach & reinforce communication at a distance. As it sounds like there are many 'holes' in his training, such as fear of the whip - & possibly being put in the lunging situation at all - all you're reinforcing is his fear and reactivity at the mo. Start at the beginning & don't rush him into 'highschool' until he can pass the earlier grades.

While I don't use a plastic clicker, don't use food treats all that often(at least for established behaviours), I agree that 'clicker training' *principles* are very valuable, regardless of what or how you want to teach.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I agreed with what the other said but I would like to add make sure you lunge line (especially the clip part!!!) Is sturdy. I've seen the clips snap several times. I've had it out with a few horses on the lunge line and nothing sucks more then waterskiing around for 20 minutes and just when you think your gonna get a break threw... Snap!! .... Not a good feeling as you go flying, as does the horse and your ego! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Perhaps it's related you your user name Slide, but why on earth would you be wanting to be 'waterskiing' around, for any amount of time??:-(


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

loosie said:


> Perhaps it's related you your user name Slide, but why on earth would you be wanting to be 'waterskiing' around, for any amount of time??:-(


Ever lunge a horse who likes to drag people around. My sister and I have been drag around by a fat, but sturdy, naughty little haflinger! When you lean back to hold onto the little ****** and she starts to drag you it looks like your water skiing. Lol. Another time I was lunging my mare and she randomly reared and snapped the clip on the lunge line. 

My name refers to a sliding stop in reining 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

OP, any updates?



SlideStop said:


> I've had it out with a few horses on the lunge line and nothing sucks more then waterskiing around for 20 minutes and just when you think your gonna get a break threw... Snap!! .... Not a good feeling as you go flying, as does the horse and your ego!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Ack! Don't even let it go on for 5 minutes! Horses dragging is a HUGE no no. My horse is 50x stronger than me. Once he tried to drag me and I reeled in the lungeline and pulled him sharply (he was in a halter) inward, disengaging his hind end. He slid into a stop. Then I made him back up and continue on. He never tried it again.

Your arm will tire before they do, and it's not safe.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Yeah, I never intend on that happening and trust me I'm always the first to hand out the *** whoopings at my barn. Hence why I'm the one lunging naughty horses. It's not the whole time straight obviously and I make sure there is hell to pay for bad behavior. But you tell that to the haflinger who rips away from people and RUNS DOWN THE BUSY ROAD TO THE FARM STAND, multiple times. Lol. She is thick headed and stubborn as anything.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

And another horse who was a complete jackass... Would try to spin around to the outside. Don't get me started.  oh, ps... They all lunge fine now 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

SlideStop said:


> Ever lunge a horse who likes to drag people around. My sister and I have been drag around by a fat, but sturdy, naughty little haflinger!


No, haven't had that sort of thing happen to me, since I was a beginner anyway. Because I wouldn't lunge a horse that was like that. I'd first teach them how to yield to pressure *happily*, so that lunging took no more than fingertip pressure on the lead. If I thought a horse was up to lunging & they did that, I'd quit & take it that we weren't up to that stage of training yet, that perhaps I'd missed something. Same with a horse that spins to the outside of the circle - I'd also consider I might have pushed that one too hard, or otherwise made a bad impression on him, that caused him to want to get away from me, rather than want to stay & play.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

loosie said:


> No, haven't had that sort of thing happen to me, since I was a beginner anyway. Because I wouldn't lunge a horse that was like that. I'd first teach them how to yield to pressure *happily*, so that lunging took no more than fingertip pressure on the lead. If I thought a horse was up to lunging & they did that, I'd quit & take it that we weren't up to that stage of training yet, that perhaps I'd missed something. Same with a horse that spins to the outside of the circle - I'd also consider I might have pushed that one too hard, or otherwise made a bad impression on him, that caused him to want to get away from me, rather than want to stay & play.


Not easy when your running a lesson program daily and have a few different people working with the horses. I don't think its from a lack of training, its from lack of respect. They all know how but have taken advantage of the people lunge them and found some type of reward in escaping, ie eating things at the farm stand. I don't let these horses walk all over me and drag me about, they get what they deserve. If they are quiet and well behaved I am too. If they want to play games I'm always up for the challenge!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

SlideStop said:


> Not easy when your running a lesson program daily and have a few different people working with the horses. I don't think its from a lack of training, its from lack of respect. They all know how but have taken advantage of the people lunge them and found some type of reward in escaping,


Very true!


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