So remember that thing that has been on my to-do list for ages and ages - since December, actually? You win a cookie if you guessed long lining!
(Wait, you mean nobody remembered that??)
Well it finally happened! Yay!! The weather was glorious and my horse isn't quiiite ready for working under saddle... but she *can* start light light light work - so. What more of a reason did I need? Plus, when I asked barn mate N (our resident long lining aficionado) if I could borrow her lines, she actually volunteered to show me the ropes (hee hee). I was actually quite impressed with Isabel too - she showed right up with her thinking cap firmly in place. It's not known if she's ever done this before, but no matter, she was very very good. I can't exactly say she wasn't braced or tense, bc she was. But it wasn't about resistance or the 'I don't wannas.' Rather, we were asking her to move in a new and different (and, coincidentally, more correct) manner and it was a little difficult for her. (Have I mentioned just how crooked this horse is? Bc she's pretty crooked...)
I let N kick things off with the lines since she actually knows what she's doing. Meanwhile I asked approximately 8 million questions (and took just as many pictures... do zillions of pics make walking on a circle for an hour look interesting?? bc... there's that many in this post and they all pretty much look exactly the same haha).
She started by walking alongside Isabel in big sweeping circles while Isabel sorted out what in the fresh hell it was we wanted her to do now. Once the 'go' button and steering worked, N drew it into a fairly small-ish circle, maybe 10m, and stayed stationary in the center. She said it's ok for the horse to go as slow as it needs to - and it CAN sputter to a stop, then you just ask it to start walking again. No racing here.
She explained the general mechanics of what she was doing. The inside line should always be straight and taut, with that hand anchored at your side. The outside line (which goes behind the horse's legs) can give or take and that hand is mobile. So when the inside line goes slack you increase tension on the outside. When the inside line is taut you give with the outside.
And it's ok for the horse to be counterbent (Isabel was, actually, for most of it) as that's a sign that they have some unevenness in their pelvis that they need to level out. We're just supposed to focus on the lines.
It's actually very similar to holding the reins while riding, and when it was my turn I had the same exact issues I always have haha. Like floating my inside elbow forward when it was supposed to remain steadily in place. And not getting the timing quite right with giving the reins... Plus oddly enough I could feel myself collapsing through my core on one side or the other the same as I do while riding too... inneresting.
Because I drive as well as ride I have done a reasonable amount of long lining. If I was just starting with a horse new to it I would be using either a surcingle/roller or my stirrups to keep the lines sorted. There have been more than a few wrecks in the world from the long lines becoming tangled and the horse panicking and running. Also, as it takes you firmly in the kick zone a helmet is a great idea. All that said, have fun, it is a great way to work on straightness.
ReplyDeletegreat points - thanks! my mare needs all the help with straightness that she can get lol
DeleteKeep us updated. This is so cool! Would love to incorporate long-lining into auto's work!
ReplyDeletei will for sure - already a few days later and i think i'm seeing some positive benefits from it !
DeleteThat is so cool! I have always wanted to learn to long line as well. I haven't come across anyone experienced with it to learn from. Awesome lesson. Go you!
ReplyDeleteit was definitely very helpful to have someone there to show me how... esp to tell me what the specific objectives were and how to hold the lines etc
DeleteOh interesting! I hope there are further posts about this, I want my young horses to start long lining this summer :)
ReplyDeletethat's good motivation to keep me doing it haha
DeleteThat's neat you guys are trying this! Isabel is such a good girl! She looks great! I worked Max in side reigns the last month and it really helped us work out an understanding of relaxing and accepting collection without giving up forward (it was a constant either/or conversation for us under saddle). Looking forward to reading more about her progress!
ReplyDeleteit really is a constant 'conversation' like you say - and i think it was helpful for isabel to sort it out without me in the saddle. side reins also seem like something that could help us - but again i'm hesitant to try them without some guidance lol
DeleteI've heard so many great things about long lining. I need someone to teach me! Seems Isabel liked it, and it looks like more fun than hand walking.
ReplyDeletewayyy more fun than hand walking - and more productive too, i think
DeleteI've never tried long lining, but I've lunged a lot as you read on my blog. I have learned to look for similar things when lungeing, mostly relaxation. I'm starting to recognized when they are relaxed and without tension too. I'd love to read more about long lining! It's something I've only seen in pictures and I know next to nothing about it(except what you wrote and that it is used to start driving horses).
ReplyDeletei love reading about all your lunging activities, and very cool that you're developing an eye for seeing their relaxation. lunging hasn't typically been great for isabel bc she tends to get distracted and zip around like a speed demon. having that second line helps keep her focused and on track
DeleteI long line occasionally. I don't love doing it, but I will if I think they need it. How cool that you're learning it though! I'm glad that she was so good about it. It really can be helpful :)
ReplyDeleteshe was really so good - i was so pleased with her! i'm hoping the results will translate to a straighter horse under saddle, but we'll see!
DeleteSounds like a perfect way to get your girl back into work without overdoing it! I've lunged Addy a couple times when I think she needs to get some ants out of her pants before I get on, but we don't really do it consistently. She understands commands and behaves like a lady, but because the goal is always to let her play and run around, we don't worry too much about relaxation. It would be cool to do some more ground work with her!
ReplyDeletehaha yea if nothing else, the long lining was the perfect low-impact work to get her started again! definitely a very different activity then letting them get the bucks out tho haha...
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