[sher327]

Ok, so I decided to be productful tonight and put Dollar on the lunge line. I haven't done it since I brought him home, only free lunged in the round pen only to find out he really has NO clue what to do LOL

Actually the guy that had him prior was well intentioned but had no idea how to round pen so he made Dollar less than thrilled with being in one let alone actually working LOL

He used to just hook on the line,send him off and would KEEP snapping the whip the WHOLE time just making him run, no rhythm or rhyme, no commands etc.So tonight we started slow, first off, tossed the whip out. Then we started on his good flexible side with very small circles and only walking. We bumped up to trot and he would get nervous because to him any increase in speed means bolt on the line so when I felt him gearing up I would bump him back down a notch.
The offside was a bit harder as he is soooo not used to having that side worked off of but we did it! By the end of the session, maybe 20-30 mins, he was calmly walking and trotting in decent circles around me and whoaing pretty darn good too
Only problem I see, he is so darn attatched to me (aaawwww) that when I ask him to whoa he does but comes right to my side to do it LMAO It's like a dog heeling I know maybe I should probably discourage him from doing that but baby steps y'all, baby steps. I wanted to end on a good note, and him calmly doing what I asked was good enough for our first true lunge line session. He went from wide eyed and confused to hey I think I got it!
No one has ever taught him walk,trot,canter on the line so I'd say the little guy did pretty darn good I'm proud of him!

[HorseCraze120]

Aww thats great! He sounds like such a good boy!!! That is cute about the dog heeling thing..congrats! and keep up the good work!

[monica-n-shiloh]

Good good!! Sounds like you guys made good progress Thats cute about him coming in when you have him stop. Usually thats not desirable but in a good, sweet horse's case when you are bonding its ok
Keep up the good work!!

[SammyDoodle]

My little pony came in when I was first teaching him to lunge. I got him to stop (eventually) by when I asked him to 2hlt" I would hold out my arm and hand in a big "stop" guesture (like you would to a car) and I walked out to him and gave him a little rub on the head - then I walked back in (backwards) saying "stand" and then asked him to move off again.

It took a while till he got the idea but it worked - you might try that on your guy too.

[sher327]

thanks,I'll have to try that with the stopping him farther out. It's just the oddest thing LOL If you tell him to whoa he'll take a few more steps just to line himself up next to your side then stops right there LOL Mind you, we never got to full sized circles so it is highly possible he won't do it if he's farther out from me although I wouldn't be surprised if he did
Bad me, I probably should have nipped it in the bud right then and there but he finds round pen work so stressful that just getting him to relax and listen to me was enough for one day!
I am going to get more video because he is so funny.yesterday I decided to run beside him without the lead attatched and see if he would follow. I started running saying trot and here he is a trotting away(only because of the visual not the voice commands) with me and he had this look on his face like "mom, thats the oddest looking trot I've ever seen" LMAO
See I'm still gimpy from my fall so I got a little limp in my jog, the barn owner calls me "step and 1/2"
Tips appreciated though because I've never seen a horse come park right next to you when you are lungeing and ask for a halt!

[Super Step]

I am glad to see you finally bit the bullet and worked him on the line. It feels good once you take that first step in the direction you know you need to be headed. From there it is just good solid consistant work.

When mine try to come to me on Whoa, I hold my had up as Sammie does, but I back away from them, do not let them enter my space.
What Sammie does is the same really. She stops them and enters their sapce.
Both ways pit you in control.

Many times they come to you because that is usually where the session ends. Them by your side walking back to the barn.

Good job Sher!

[iluvmyhorsey05]

Whenever I lunge my horse she comes right to my side too. I try and keep her back but she just keeps walking up to me. It's just so sweet! lol

[CrazyHorse]

My horses do the same thing! It's sweet, but you also know in the back of your mind that it's not what you want them to do until you invite them to do it. It really does work for you to put your hand out in a stop gesture & walk backwards away from them. What an accomplishment you've made Sher! Good job Dollar!

[buggywhipp]

Awww that's great. He sounds like a big sweetheart.

[Quiggles]

good jub with the lunging indy all ways runs in when shes had enough