[blazinpistol28]

Thank you. It wasnt a full two hours, it was alot of off and on. Fifteen minutes here and there throughout the day. In between he got a breather with turnout. But I agree with you. This is the first time anyone has really done anything with him and it is probably blowing his mind. I've only had him for almost a week. My first yearling. I really need to do some research and get a trainer!

[RowdyRio1324]

Last winter, my filly was acting super bad.

She takes a step in front me, I take the end of my lead rope, smack her chest, back her, all within like 4 seconds. Only took about 4 times for her to get that walking in front of me was not okay.

I was doing to lunging thing with her, it seemed to teach that everything time she was bad, to lung around me.

I can get in her 'bubble' , but she better not get in mine.



Anyways, I'm no help.

[AllAroundRdr]

There's some GREAT groundwork books, videos, and DVDs I highly suggest looking into. Although they usually show you one way to accomplish something (as most trainers have one way they teach something) it'll give you an idea and something to start with.

I completely applaud you for suggesting a trainer yourself! I think if you're in over your head and just don't know how to approach things with any horse but especially a baby (since what you teach at a young age will forever be with them and is the building block of their training for later under saddle riding) you certainly should invest in a trainer to help you out. Someone who will work side-by-side with you and your horse and be there to show and help you

There's only so much help we can all provide you via black and white text, unfortunately.

A great thing you can do is do a simple HGS search for "teaching a horse to lunge" -- you'll get a TON of suggestions, approaches, advice, etc.

I've almost always been very blessed with a round pen to teach lunging, but there's been times I've had to 'get creative' -- ground poles can help you *section off* an area, although it won't be perfectly round, it'll give you a perimiter to work with. You must first establish willing and forward movement to start your lunging training

[denraydar]

The baby can bite a hole in you trying to get a treat. For your own safety put it in the feed bin if you need to give them, at least until you have this baby under control.
When you are moving him (trying to any ways) and if he gets too close, do not let him in your space, get a stick or crop whatever to tap his chest, not painfully but enough to make him uncomfortable and to step off you.
He needs to move him away from you, he will hurt you. Stick/crop in one hand lead rope attached to his halter in the other.

When you want to move him forward use the stick/crop to tap his behind with one hand while you pull him in the direction you want him to go with your other (lead rope)hand. Be ready to pull forward on the lead rope and stick out your stick/crop hand to shove his hind end in a straight line after you tap his butt.

Use a firm hand and voice tone when he does not comply and praise with a soft tone, neck rub when he does. You won't have to hurt him to teach him, but if it stings him a little when you tap him while he is attempting to run over you oh well, that is an opportunity for a learning experience this youngster needs.

You can use a longe line if a round pen is not available,, but get some visual instruction from a DVD or a trainer or someone who has done this, in person.
If he wants treats he needs to earn them.

15 minutes per day total is enough for longe line/round pen of yearlings. They are not physically or mentally mature enough to do more than that. It is possible to make them do it for longer but it creates more harm than good.

Sorry if I have repeated advice already given in prior posts.

It is patients, persistence and repetition for ground training which is the most important training he will ever receive.
This technique is something that will work on older horses too.

[Circle C]

round pen work.....

[PaintedRocket]

Sounds like baby needs Baby Boot Camp
Keep him on the lunge line. If he starts backing up, get behind him and pop him with a lunge whip. Not a crop but a whip, it's longer and you're out of striking distance in case he decides to pull a stunt. Give him a good tap behind his legs, under his tail.. keep him moving FORWARD. If he decides to run in circles, then make him go in harder and tighter/smaller circles. Just make sure you dont get dizzy, lol.

But really, before doing any kind of lunging work, you should start practicing, in an enclosed area, walking in hand and from each of his sides. Use voice commands as well as pressure on the lead rope to get him to establish that communication aids. Keep a lunge whip in the opposite hand to tap him with w/o having to turn your body around..love lunge whips for this. So if he decides to plant his feet, give him a crack or pop with the lunge whip to get him to move forward.

Have him stand at your side, you standing between his head and shoulder. When you have him stand, make sure you tell him to stand at the same time. Do this EVERY time you want him standing still. Praise him when he does good and take a little break. Then have him stand again and if he is still then say "walk" or click or whatever you prefer to do and a tap with the whip if he is resistant until he goes forward, make sure to repeat the signal. Also, when you wish to stop, make sure you say "WHOA"... my filly knows a firm "WHOA" means stop and she will stop no matter what and on a dime. In hand and on the lunge now.

I would repeat both steps in consistant order until he has it down really well. Then, when you're comfortable, you can pick up a trot-in-hand. Make sure you start with steps 1 and 2 then go to a trot. Consistancy is key with training period. Even more so with babies since they have a shorter attention span.

Once you and baby have in-hand stuff down, then you should move onto lunging more. You have your commands (clicking, kissing, voice, etc) down and he understands them and you can encorporate them into the lunging work.

That is how I worked with my yearling. She started the in-hand stuff way earlier though, at about 7 months consistantly until a year. We started a bit of ground driving yesterday (no bit but with halter).

Learning to lunge was easy for her. It took her a few minutes to get what I was doing and a few sessions to understand it and know what she is to do. It was harder to get her AWAY from me though, LOL. She wanted to follow me around instead.. I had to use the lunge whip to chase her away from me and keep her there. She's a great lunger now.