also, you can keep him going around you, but for this exercise, I think you only do two laps, and hopefully it will help you with your over-all lunging.
Mar 23, 2012
ADORABLE by: Katie
that is so sweet! About the lunging: this may or may not help, and it may sound mean, but you have to do it to earn your horse's respect, or it will not respect you, and you will have a REALLY hard time with it. okay, you need to have a lunging rope and a lunging whip that is long enough to reach him. First, you bend down, and run the rope through your hands, convincing him to come towards you (you have to act all friendly and smile). If he does not come, then you have to pull him towards you. Then, once he comes, you rub his head, then send him away by wiggling your finger that is on the hand holding the lead rope. If he does not back up, then you wiggle your hand, and if he still doesn't then I think you snap the rope with your arm bent, and if he still doesn't move, then you stiffen your arm and shake the rope, hard. Then you hesitate, and take the hand that has the lead rope in it and point in the direction you want him to go. If he just stands there, then you (okay i know that this sounds mean, but you HAVE to do it to earn his respect) smack him with the whip on his body somewhere, and if his still doesn't move, then repeat the process of sending, etc. If he does move then keep him going around you for two full laps, and then hold up the hand that has the lead rope in it, and lean towards his hind-quarters, and he should swing them around and be facing you. Then, if he listened and did it, let him have a moment to rest, and then repeat the process if you want, but MAKE SURE TO END THE "LESSON" on a lunge that he did right. There are a lot more things that help you to earn the respect of your horse, but this is just the briefer :) Also, you need to work on just sending and making him come back to you before you lunge, because that will help you.