Lounging....

[Frizzle's Gal]

I just got a new colt, and I know its still to early to lounge. But at what age do you usually start?

 

[disneyhorse]

I free lunge horses that are under two years old. After their second birthday, it is generally okay to start introducing the lunge line. Be careful though, on horses under four, that they are either going at a slow pace or are very respectful of lunge line tension. Bad things happen to developing necks and legs when they lean/pull on the line and work. Some people go younger, but I guess it depends on how careful you want to be with your horses' development as they get older and need to stay sound!

Andrea

 

[Miniv]

We've never lounged (or is it lunged?)

: a horse that's under a year old. Disney Horse basically does the same thing we do.....

MA

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

What age can you start lounging? I'm pretty sure I did a lot of lounging around as a baby - certainly more than I do now! :bgrin

With horses I start doing lunging

: or circle work in a round pen after they are a year old (big horses) or 6 months old (minis) - we free lunge in a 60+ foot round pen, so there's a lot of room for minis in there!

:

 

[disneyhorse]

"Lounge" is to lay around lazily... as in "lounge chair" or "break lounge"

"Lunge" is the spelling/pronunciation for lunging horses....

I think that's what Karen was trying to say. Just for future reference.

Andrea

 

[wiccanz]

We've never lounged (or is it lunged?)

"Lunging" is what you do with a horse, "lounging" is what you do on a wet Sunday afternoon in front of the TV :bgrin :bgrin

Seriously, I don't lunge or round pen before they are 2, I just don't feel they need it and don't want to risk stressing young skeletons. Colts are great for keeping their own weight under control (

: ), and I simply try to regulate the filly's food a bit.

I have led horses off the back of the cart before, a good way to get some gentle exercise without any real stress on limbs. Of course, you will need a very steady harness horse

 

[Leeana]

I wont lunge a horse until they are two, atleast not on a lunge line. I do free lunge my yearling(s) or play Liberty. My yearling, Narko, is a lazy boy though. We do it the hard way, walking ..walking and more walking.

I would never lunge (on a line) anything under 2-years-old. Working in a large round pen is a bit different, that i wouldnt mind infact one of my friends works her weanlings-yearlings in a roundpen daily almost, atleast the ones they show anyhow.

:saludando:

 

[hhpminis]

I free lunge in a round pen that is about 50 feet. I start this with yearlings or in exact age I start them at about 8 months. I dont use a lunge line on anyone young or old unless I am at a show where that is unfortunately the only way I can get them out of the stall for some exercise.

I move with the horse the best I can especially the young ones, and walk in a large circle so they have the largest circle I can give them. I find that after learning the round pen routine, I do not have a lot of fight at the end of the line at shows. I try to be very careful with the stress put on the horses body by pulling or going in too tight of a circle. I think by starting them in a round pen they find their own balance and transfer that to the line.

 

[Frizzle's Gal]

Thanks everyone!! Sorry about the spelling mistake! I have an indoor and outdoor arena but not a round pen. Is there anything I can do instead? I do "liberty" with him now but he is pretty lazy and doesnt like to run so that is pretty hard. Or should I just not worry about it for a wheil?

 

[Miniv]

Morgan,

You can still free lunge in your arena. You don't need a round pen. We used to have a 60 x 100' covered arena and it worked great........however it's best to have two people to work the horse(s) to keep the lazy ones from trying to go into the corners.

:

MA

 

[Jill]

I round pen lunge yearlings for 15 minutes every other day if they are ones I'm showing. I would wait until 2-3 before trying to lunge them on a line.