Introducing a horse to lunging

While some riders use lunging to help take the edge off a fizzy horse before riding or when they’re short of time in the winter, there are plenty more benefits to the activity. Lunging is an excellent way to observe how your horse moves and what ‘normal’ looks like for them, making it easier to spot when something isn’t right. Done well, it’s also a useful tool to help the horse develop balance and muscle tone and improve your communication with them.

If you’re teaching a young or new horse how to be lunged, or you’ve never tried it before, here are some tips to help you both get started and make the most of your sessions.

Use the right equipment and location

We recommend starting off in an indoor or outdoor school when you’re lunging a horse for the first time. You need to have a stable surface that won’t lead to them slipping if they suddenly buck or swing their hindquarters out. A school rather than a lunge pen means you can lead them around the edge in the cavesson and lunge line before asking them to go in a circle.

It’s also important to have the correct equipment when you start first lunge your horse to ensure they are comfortable and totally safe when you get started, Here’s our essential kit list:

  • A lunge line – a proper lunge line is essential in case the horse is being strong or tries to take off. If you were to use a rope and that happens, you can look forward to sore hands afterwards… Our new lunge line has markers to guide when you are lunging on a 5, 10 and 20m circle – and it’s padded making it comfortable to hold.
  • A hat and gloves – safety first to protect your head and hands should your horse be a little exuberant in the school or lunge pen.
  • A lunge whip – essential to get your horse moving forward, and to push them out onto the circle if they fall in or try to come towards you.
  • A roller – if you want to attach side reins or use a specialist lunge aid, such as our patented and self-centering EquiAmi, a lunge roller is needed. Our roller is made from strong vinyl and soft fleece with large D-rings making it easy to use.
  • Leg protection – it’s worth sticking on some brushing boots and overreach boots just in case they find the whole thing rather exciting and there’s a risk of them striking themself when being lunged.

Your first lunging session

As we mentioned above, with a young or very green horse we advise walking them around the school using the cavesson and lunge line to get them used to it. Use commands such as ‘walk on’, and ‘whoa’ to test your communication. Stop where you want to work them in a circle and stand them pointing to the left, so that you are on their near side. That way it’s familiar to them to have you there, as we normally lead almost exclusively from the left.

To start lunging, step away from them and use vocal commands to ask them to walk on. Your ‘normal’ lunging position should be a triangle shape, with the horse making up the short side, and the lunge line and whip making up the two long sides. Use the lunge whip in a gentle ‘sweeping motion’ to send the horse forward if needed but be careful to make slow movements.

If they try to fall in and come towards you, you can slightly adjust the position of the whip. Instead of it pointing just behind their tail and pushing them forward around the circle, move it to point towards the girth area. That will help to teach them to stay out on their circle. If they persist in falling in, move the whip to point at their shoulder and square your shoulders. 

If you need to send your horse forward when you’re lunging, use a more positive tone of voice when giving them vocal commands and use your body language to drive them forwards. You can also change the whip position and use it more positively (but not striking them with it!).