Our tips on how to lunge a horse

How can you lunge a horse safely and comfortably? Today on the blog, we discuss lunging, how often to hold these sessions, the most suitable location and footing, and review the lunge lines available in our shop. 

How do you lunge a horse? Start with the basics

To understand how to lunge a horse, it is worth first explaining what this activity involves and what its aims are. A lunge line is a rope approximately 5-8 metres long, which an instructor uses to guide the horse during riding lessons. The main purpose of using a lunge line is to control the horse and settle it so that a beginner rider can learn and refine the correct seat and practise maintaining their balance. Lunging is not just for beginner lessons; it also adds variety to and complements a horse's training. Its final application is working with young horses and safely and ethically developing their obedience and correct responses to the person lunging them and to the rider. 

This technique is well described in the book 101 Groundwork Exercises. The publication covers topics such as calling a horse over in the paddock, lunging, yielding to pressure, long-reining from the ground and other activities. The book also contains sets of exercises to test the rider's progress in lunging and other techniques.

How do you lunge a horse? Frequency and optimal footing

Experts recommend lunging a horse on days when it is not worked under saddle. For young horses, this is the first stage; once they have mastered it, they learn, among other things, to work into a contact with the help of side reins. How often should you lunge a horse? This depends primarily on the horse's age. Young horses are lunged 3-5 times a week, while 1-2 times a week is enough for older horses. 

Each training session of this kind should consist of 3 parts: a warm-up, the main training phase and a cool-down. The maximum total duration is 30-40 minutes, and you should remember to change direction every 5-10 min. Working on a circle puts strain on the joints and tendons, so exceeding the time limit given above is not recommended. 

The footing should allow the horse to move evenly over it.  Purpose-built, suitably equipped indoor arenas and covered lunging arenas provide ideal conditions for lunging. In covered spaces, horses are neither distracted by external factors nor bothered by bad weather, such as rain. If it is not possible to lunge a horse in these conditions, it is best to choose a surface that is springy but neither too hard nor too deep. 

Regardless of the footing, it is recommended that horses wear protective boots or leg bandages. If the training plan includes cavaletti work or jumping on the lunge, it is worth protecting the hooves with overreach boots. 

Lunge lines - an overview of the models we offer

We offer lunge lines in various colours:

• Soft Cushion 8 m lunge line by Start - made from soft nylon material and fitted with a snap hook,
• KERBL 8 m webbing lunge line with stops - a webbing product with leather stops that provide a secure, steady grip on the lunge line, 
• Utility 8 m lunge line by PFIFF - made from nylon and fitted with a snap hook. We offer it in 3 colours: red, black and navy blue.

Types of lunging aids and their uses

• Lunging surcingles - these accessories, together with a lunging cavesson, a coupling strap and a lunge line, are essential lunging equipment,
• Side reins - their purpose is to introduce the horse to contact with the bit and show it that, if it does not lean against them, it will gain freedom and a sense of comfort,
• Other training reins - such as the gogue and chambon. Their purpose is to teach the horse to lower its head while being lunged.