Long lining

Lot1983

Lot1983

Active Member
Oct 16, 2006
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The Cotswolds
Going to have a go tomorrow. Have never done it before so could I have an idiots guide please?
How do I hold the reins?
Do I attach them to the bit?
Do I need to feed them though a saddle or roller?
Do I need to hold a whip?
How far away from their bum do I walk?
How do you turn, do you open the reins or what?

Any advise greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
Sorry, not going to be of any help to your questions, but when I first read the title of your post I saw it in my head as long lining on some jodhpurs or a jacket or something! Like the lining had come out and was hanging down or something!

Laughed a bit!
 
Glad you posted this, I'm thinking of giving it a go too - but equally have no idea. I think I'd do it with either saddle or roller with lunge lines on bit rings (I don't have actual long lines - only lunge reins) then through roller rings of stirrups. I am guessing you hold them like reins, I won't use a whip as mine is whip shy.

Actually I thnk roller is preferable in case she buggers off and ruins saddle :eek:
 
I always use a roller 2 lunge lines
attach to bit
usually i just have a steering bit in which i lunge in

remove reins from bridle

feed lunge lines through hoops each side of roller

hold the whip in your more secure hand
some horses may not need a whip
and stand a good distance from the bottom;)

use your voice aids to ask to walk on, woah, stop etc
x
 
I am not massively great at long lining....

But do you want to lunge with two reins (i.e walk, trot and canter) Or do you want to walk behind them and go off for a walk or something?

Whatever you do, do the main important thing to remember is first desensitize your ned to you behind him, the reins around him bum and waving them etc is not going to worry him. Also the next important tip is you are riding them (but just not in the saddle) so don't do anything you wouldn't do whilst on their back and just handle them as if you were riding them. So inside rein, is inside hand and vica versa when creating bend or turning them.

REMEMBER that this time though your hands are miles away from the bit, so there is ALOT of leverage - so steady soft hands (as it even might feel like nothing in your hands but is to the horse)

If your horse needs a whip than carry one. It depends on how sensitive they are (but voice and use of the lines around their back is probably enough)

I would start off with putting the lines though the stirrups first time round as its easier and does imitate the rider a bit more (make sure stirrups don't hit elbow though) so use a saddle and you may want to put loose side reins on first just to give you a little bit of balance (though this depends on the horse reallly)



Goodluck though.x
 
Is it Charlie ? Has he done it before ?

Ziz is an old pro, Pebbles is a bit more challenging.

I don't always use a roller/saddle although it can help keep the reins off the floor it can also get me in a right knot.

Turning's a bit more body language / positioning for us, if I want to go in a straight line I walk to the inside on a 45º degree angle to her head ( or a bit more acute), if I want Pebbles to turn / go round a corner I move back a bit, opening up the space to give her room. I accompany that with slight pressure on the inside rein so she's learning about rein pressure.

You can drop the reins behind you if that's easier although I'm such a klutz that still gets me in a knot.

I don't use a whip, voice and body language only.

Once Pebbles is going forward I can drop behind her and keep her moving on with voice commands.
 
Dont do what I did and that is get them in a mess, and then feel so cross you dump them on the floor (still attached to horse!) and them jump up and and down on them for your own incompentance. :rolleyes:
 
have you done a bunch of work with him getting him used to a rope around his bak legs ?

I have never longlined a horse who has done it before, so I have to teach them from scratch - unless you have someone there who has longlined this particular pony before, I would do the same if I were you.
 
I'd suggest the easiest way would be to act like you are lunging with 2 reins, and progressively get further behind them with each lap, obviously levelling out your rein length as you go.

Use all the same voice/rein cues as riding, and use of whip is up to you- if you can lunge without one, I'd be inclined to not bother for the start.

And as mentioned, lunge lines through roller rings/stirrups (if using stirrups i would attach them to each other under the belly so the don't fly around (with bailer twine/rope)) and attach to the bit in place of reins. Hold them as you would hold reins.

Have fun :D
 
Pony is very experienced at long lining and lunging with two reins, so I though it would be a great chance to teach me how to do! Then if I happen to want to do it in the future for a horse that was a little less experienced at least I would have a vague idea what we were working towards, does that make sense?
 
The first time I tried it I did it off her lungeing cavasson so I didn't have to worry about her mouth.

I don't like using a saddle for longreining but then that is personal preference. I find that with a roller the reins come though at an angle more akin to a riding position and don't move about too much.

I tried initially without a whip as Joy is good off body language and voice.

As predicted I got my self in a right old pickle with the reins and Joy just stopped and turned and look at me in confusion and amazement. Thank goodness my pelvic floor is in good nic otherwise at that point I would have wet myself laughing! :D

Through trial and many many many errors I have found that I prefer the outside line to go over her back. There isn't such a disparity in rein length when I do a change of rein and I have a better chance of remaining roughly in control of the reins. Others with say that having the line round the bum encourages engagement but that's not something I have to worry about with her :p

Yet again I am going to recommend Sylvia Stanier's, 'The Art of Longreining'. It's a short book, easy to understand, no waffle and lots of ideas for exercises you can do :)
 
Sounds like a grand plan. If you have a roller / surcingle use that, otherwise run the long-lines through stirrups. Or, being as you're tall you can just have them straight from the bit. Try with them just on the halter for the first five minutes, so it you do find yourself stepping on them while you're getting the hang, you won't hurt him. Get in an enclosed area, so if all else fails, you can just let go (my lot all spend a considerable amount of time on turnout with leadropes attached so they know darn well what to do if they step on a rope at any time).

Establish your verbal cues first - even if he's done it a bunch before - get the two of you used to your accent first. Just lead him on a lead rope and check that you've got 'Walk on' 'Trot' and 'Whoa' all sorted. Then with the long lines, do exactly the same routine from further back, and then further back until you're right behind. I like to spend a lot of time on circles, just as if we were lunging, but with contact on two reins. It's just like riding (dressage) from the ground. You should feel a huge difference when you get on right after long-lining, if you're trying to ride on contact too, because you've just been able to watch the effect of your hands directly on the pony from the ground. That's about it really - I tend to be walking 6ft or so behind pony at the start, and then move them out on a circle until I'm at the end of the lunge lines.

Oh - don't try the flying change too soon - you have to be awfully feckin quick - mind you, with your legs, I bet you could do it too ! (I know - PNH single-liners can do a flying change while keeping the person's legs still, but on two lines, you have to do an instantaneous leap to the center of the other circle 20m away as they cross the center line !)
 
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