Young horses are such beautiful little creatures… So willing to learn, So willing to understand. 🐴�

When we first teach a young horse to lunge, it takes them a few days to understand what it is we are wanting them to do. In a nut shell: walk and trot around us on a circle.

Think about it, they have been in the paddock enjoying life work free for a few years and then we come along, and introduce them to training. It is so important that we have patience and take the time they need.

After showing them how to walk on the lunge we ask for only 1 or 2 circles at trot and then we walk again.

We talk to them - tell them that they have been good, pat them, let them understand that what they just did is what we wanted.

The old saying… “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" can be related to horse training.

"Less is More" and be kind.

This is Bertil learning to lunge.The top 2 photos are from Day 1 and the bottom 3 photos are from Day 2.

On Day 1, Bertil kept the trot quite well but he held his neck high and rigid. I kept a light contact on the lead and walked and trotted Bertil just looking for a nice rhythm.

On Day 2, Bertil started to relax his head and neck and by the end of the lesson he was exploring all different postures.

This is nice, we want the horses to explore. Bertil is making his own discoveries while he adjusts his balance - it is only a matter of a couple of days before he will find that a happy medium is moving with his poll level with his withers.

For a great read and to learn more about me lunging a young horse, click on this link. Photos are of Levi and I and the article is written by Caroline Larrouilh. 😊🙌🏻

https://www.facebook.com/notes/manolo-mendez-dressage/how-to-use-lunging-to-foster-willingness-and-independent-balance-in-the-young-or/185928241546556