two reins

lunging and long reining.

this is not something i've ever been taught, but been reading about it and bought a video on the subject saturday (it wasn't quite what i wanted, shame one can't watch these things before buying them) but showed something. Also, my teacher said she wouldn't teach me it as she has seen too many nasty accidents.

But others have had a lot of success with it, and several people have recommended it to try.

My thought was, it might be easier to long rein than lunge, especially since she won't go right rein for me (and that raises another issue ..... possibly .... for the vet).

I had thought about trying it when i first had her, but didn't do it then.

So today, I thought I'd try

I started off loose schooling just to make sure she was listening to me, which she was.

Then i attached the lunge reins (I already had a second) and that was a lot easier than trying to attach the side reins, especially to the right side.

She set off no problem at all on left rein, wasn't arguing with the bit; the o/s rein got caught in the middle of her mane which wasn't wonderfully helpful (I was just doing it with the rein over her back, rather than through the rings on the roller, as I didn't have anyone to help me set her away or anything) but went really nicely, and came back to walk when I asked, which is unheard of when lunging ordinarily!

wouldn't do right rein; but I WAS able to get behind her (at a safe distance, and slightly to the inside) and walk her on ahead of me right rein round the outside of the arena, which was really good until I got the offside rein too low. but she didn't panic, and I managed to disconnect it from the bit before she did, which was good as it did look as though it was going to wrap round a foot at one point.

Overall I was quite pleased; she worked if not really hard and we both learnt something.

The not letting me go to the right hand side of her - don't know if that might be a phsical issue or not. I can go that side in the stable no problem, lead from that side sometimes, just when asking her to lunge, yet ridden (when she was rideable!) she was better right rein than left.

Anyway, it occurred to me, maybe she had a head injury sometime that did something to her sight that is now starting to be a real issue.

But i don't know. loose schooling she'll go right , but of course one is not as close then as when lunging.