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Training
- USING LONG LINES 1
By Pam Hunter
Training Article: Using Long Lines - How to use them, why you use them, how this benefits both horse and rider. Lots of information and PHOTOS! See how Everette works Bonnie for the first time using long lines, her first saddle and bridle. Click the photos to enlarge.
Many of you may be familiar with the use of long lines for ground driving and training or re-training your horse to respond to the bit. This article is for those who don't know how to use them, or for a review for those who may have not used them in a while. Everette is our trainer in this article, I am the photographer (and coach! )
You need a few pieces of equipment to effectively use long lines in a successful manner.
* 2 - 30 foot lunge lines or long reins.
* Surcingle or bareback pad with stirrups or English saddle with stirrups or western saddle with stirrups.
* Saddle pad.
* Snaffle bridle with bit.
* Discarded english stirrup leather or long belt or similar item for use as stirrup hobbles.
* Patience.
Our round pen is 50 feet in diameter, wooden boards with sandy gravel and dirt base. A corner of an indoor arena or paddock can be used effectively. However, I do recommend using some sort of barrier to prevent the horse from veering away. Otherwise you may end up running all over the place. In this lesson you want to continue to establish that you are in control. If your horse is dragging you around, then you are NOT in control and he knows it!
We always begin our training sessions on green youngsters by spending a bit using Monty Roberts' techniques in the round pen. (Join Up(c) and Follow Up(c)) After we have worked the horse or pony in this manner we saddle up and spend a little more time working without lines, just taking a few turns each way in the round pen. Below is a picture of Bonnie with all the equipment on, labeled.
Long Line Equipment Labeled
As you can see the long lines pass trough the stirrup irons and are clipped to the snaffle rings. You can do the same with a western saddle, just be sure that no matter what type of stirrups you have, you use the stirrup hobble to keep them close to the horse's body. In this case we have used an extra english stirrup leather. It is passed through each iron and buckled under the horse's barrel.
This is Bonnie's first saddle, first bridle. We started her training just 40 minutes before this photo was taken, we have not worked her before. After the long line session I mounted Bonnie for the first time EVER! I was very brave!
Because you have spent time working the horse in the round pen, it pretty much know that you want it to go around against the rail. If you haven't worked in the round pen before, then I recommend spending some time doing so.
The goal of this session is to get Bonnie to respond to the pressure of the bit in her mouth without pain, without fear, and to set the foundation for all other mounted training to follow. She must learn to stop, turn, and back before she will be ridden. We only ask for one step back, just to encourage her to give to the bit.
A very light touch in used, no pulling. Gentle taps on the reins are as much pressure as we need. When Bonnie responds with the requested task, we ease up pressure on the bit immediately as a reward. Gentle hands make a good, responsive horse. Please remember that. This is not a battle of wills, but a learning session for both you and your horse.
Bonnie was first walked around the arena with no pressure on the lines just to get her used to having them on her hocks. Mares may be touchy about this more so than males, take time with your horse. If she kicks at the lines don't worry about it and don't get excited. Just keep going and she will get used to it.
Bonnie Long Lines
Here she is just walking in a relaxed manner with the lines on her hocks. Bonnie was not troubled by them at all. In this very first lesson she did buck when released after the saddle was cinched, but she only bucked a few times and it was over. She made no attempt to buck when I got on her. Everette has a line in each hand. It does take some practice to not get your feet tangled, so take care, we don't want any injuries. You can take up the end of the lines in a coil in your hand. Everette just doesn't happen to do it that way. He has started every one of our horses in this way.
Many of you may be familiar with the use of long lines for ground driving and training or re-training your horse to respond to the bit. This article is for those who don't know how to use them, or for a review for those who may have not used them in a while. Everette is our trainer in this article, I am the photographer (and coach! )
You need a few pieces of equipment to effectively use long lines in a successful manner.
* 2 - 30 foot lunge lines or long reins.
* Surcingle or bareback pad with stirrups or English saddle with stirrups or western saddle with stirrups.
* Saddle pad.
* Snaffle bridle with bit.
* Discarded english stirrup leather or long belt or similar item for use as stirrup hobbles.
* Patience.
Our round pen is 50 feet in diameter, wooden boards with sandy gravel and dirt base. A corner of an indoor arena or paddock can be used effectively. However, I do recommend using some sort of barrier to prevent the horse from veering away. Otherwise you may end up running all over the place. In this lesson you want to continue to establish that you are in control. If your horse is dragging you around, then you are NOT in control and he knows it!
We always begin our training sessions on green youngsters by spending a bit using Monty Roberts' techniques in the round pen. (Join Up(c) and Follow Up(c)) After we have worked the horse or pony in this manner we saddle up and spend a little more time working without lines, just taking a few turns each way in the round pen. Below is a picture of Bonnie with all the equipment on, labeled.
Long Line Equipment Labeled
As you can see the long lines pass trough the stirrup irons and are clipped to the snaffle rings. You can do the same with a western saddle, just be sure that no matter what type of stirrups you have, you use the stirrup hobble to keep them close to the horse's body. In this case we have used an extra english stirrup leather. It is passed through each iron and buckled under the horse's barrel.
This is Bonnie's first saddle, first bridle. We started her training just 40 minutes before this photo was taken, we have not worked her before. After the long line session I mounted Bonnie for the first time EVER! I was very brave!
Because you have spent time working the horse in the round pen, it pretty much know that you want it to go around against the rail. If you haven't worked in the round pen before, then I recommend spending some time doing so.
The goal of this session is to get Bonnie to respond to the pressure of the bit in her mouth without pain, without fear, and to set the foundation for all other mounted training to follow. She must learn to stop, turn, and back before she will be ridden. We only ask for one step back, just to encourage her to give to the bit.
A very light touch in used, no pulling. Gentle taps on the reins are as much pressure as we need. When Bonnie responds with the requested task, we ease up pressure on the bit immediately as a reward. Gentle hands make a good, responsive horse. Please remember that. This is not a battle of wills, but a learning session for both you and your horse.
Bonnie was first walked around the arena with no pressure on the lines just to get her used to having them on her hocks. Mares may be touchy about this more so than males, take time with your horse. If she kicks at the lines don't worry about it and don't get excited. Just keep going and she will get used to it.
Bonnie Long Lines
Here she is just walking in a relaxed manner with the lines on her hocks. Bonnie was not troubled by them at all. In this very first lesson she did buck when released after the saddle was cinched, but she only bucked a few times and it was over. She made no attempt to buck when I got on her. Everette has a line in each hand. It does take some practice to not get your feet tangled, so take care, we don't want any injuries. You can take up the end of the lines in a coil in your hand. Everette just doesn't happen to do it that way. He has started every one of our horses in this way.
