Lunging on a hill???

[Louise]

Can I get your opinions please..

20 minutes (trying) lunging in a muddy field with a slight incline..done once a week

is this going to harm a nearly 4yr olds ligaments permanently??

[BEX101]

I'd be more worried about the mud than the slope. In dry conditions a sight slope wouldnt bother me (unless the horse was a tool and i was worried about him gaining too much momentum on the downward slope)

[beks the artist]

I have three horses at the moment who are tools!!!!! I too would be worried about mud and them slipping over xx

[Louise]

Its not even a slope..its a very slight incline..put it this way..if it was snow and you sat on a sledge at the top..you would be very bored! LOL..

Cobbie started to be worked 3wks ago..
Wk 1
He was tacked up and walked to field, we tried lunging in the field..he didn't have a clue what he was supposed to be doing so you can imagine there was allsorts of running out and stopping and starting etc..we did it in a section of the field so that he couldn't run away and get hurt (road/open field/farm machinery)
He was then mounted and we walked back and forward with him..

Total time about 30minutes

Wk 2 he was fully tacked up, mounted and ridden (following me) to the field..then dismounted and lunged a bit..no lunge whip was used, again he wasn't sure what to do so it was a bit messy..and the person lunging spent most of the time running after him and trying to keep up and did a spectacular amount of skiiing across the fields
he was then mounted and ridden back to the stable

Wk 3..he was fully tacked up and mounted..lunged by me outside the stables on a flat area, very small, loose gravel..he actually really seemed to get the hang of it..well on a left rein..he was point blank refusing on the right..until a friend took hold of him on the outside and ran around with him then he seemed to get the idea..friend then mounted him and I continued to lunge..
Total time 30 minutes


Now yesterday I was at the yard and do you remember the woman who wanted Cobbie led in stallion chains and broken in a Pelham????

Now this woman only saw what happened on Wk2

She approached me yesterday and said.."I know he's your horse but he doesn't know what he's doing"..

(I initially thought she meant Cobbie!!)
And I said..well he's only been working with him for 3wks he will learn.

SHe then said "he will ruin your horse"

ANd I said.."Oh you mean M?, how do you get that??

She said "the way he was chasing him when he was lunging..and to lunge him on a hill, he will permanently damage his ligaments!"

I said "well theres no where else to work him, so what choice do we have? and M hasn't done anything I'm not happy with!"

She said "lunge him out there" (and pointed to the gravellly part outside the stables..where I lunged him on Sunday but she didnt see that)

I said "yeah but we did it in the field to start with as we were worried he would run away, M wasn't chasing him he was trying to keep up! he spent most of the time skiiing over the field and trying to hold on and stop him running away"

Her reply was "well if he's running away he's not got the right metal or enough metal in his mouth"..

I said "well every time we've lunged him its been with a headcollar or cavesson..I'm not about to lunge and young inexperienced horse from his bit!"

She then said "well I wouldn't be letting him near my horses"..

I left the conversation at that point..

Now this woman..has shetlands..and long reins them with 3ft long lead ropes! she claims to have had this horse and that horse etc etc..

M that I have working with Cobbie..has his own ex racer and he jumps, xc etc....he's never done anything to Cobbie that I'm not happy with..and he's calm, and confident and just gets on with it..

I would agree with her if it was an hour or constant hard work every day..
BUT we are talking 20-30 minutes of nothing more than trotting every saturday!!

[Madbee]

Oh this woman really needs to get stuffed. I think everyone's established by now that she always talks rubbish! Don't waste any more time considering what she says...

[Louise]

I totally agree with you..I won't tell you what M said LOL the swear filter would go into meltdown!..

It's weird because I know I am right..and I know she is wrong but she just shakes my confidence..and makes me think "well..am I right? or am I hurting him?!

But thats it..if she has another go she will be told."You know what..youre right..it IS MY HORSE!!!"

[Loz]

Don't you just love people who stick their nose in where it's not wanted and cause you to doubt yourself.

Just ignore her, from the sounds of it you and M are doing great, and at the end of the day it's your horse!

[Bright Sparkx]

i wouldnt be worried about the incline, none of my feilds are totally flat. Just be careful about the mud situation