Good Longeing and Bad Longeing

Keep the circle relatively large, 18 to 20 feet in radius. This helps develop later al suppleness and prevents the brace of the neck that is seen too often in horses that are longed with their heads cocked toward the outside of the circle. Work so that the horse bends on the curve of the circle, in response to light tugs and releases on the line. Use appropriate headgear, such as a longeing cavesson, correctly fitted nylon or leather halter, snaffle bridle, or bosal hackamore. These are stable on the horse's head and clearly communicate signals to slow, stop, raise or lower the head, or bend on the circle. Carry a longe whip to signal the horse to move forward or to bend on the By Lee Ziegler, 2001 circle, not to hit the horse. This allows more precise and varied cues to the horse Good Longeing than a twirling line or doughnut. Although working a horse and Bad Longeing Use a 20-25 ft long web longe line on the lange line (from Old with no chain attachment, which could French, meaning long, not The poor impressions many people have swing and distract the horse, or restrain lunge aT lounge) is (/ cen of Ie nge line work arc m t )fte n a him wi th pai n in the mouth or over turies-old training teclt res ult (seein g It J ne badly. The rno-r the nose. nique, longeing a gaited commo n use of this to l, as a "gyp" line Include constant variations of speed horse can be a contTOl1er to exercise horses by making them run and gait, from walk to halt, halt to sial subject. in circles, is hard on their legs and use walk, intermediate gait to walk, as well less in the training of their minds and as slow walk, faster walk, or slow inter bodies. This use of the longe does not mediate gait, faster intermediate gait. atin American gaited improve the performance of any gait, This keeps the horse mentally alert and horse trainers often use whether a hard trot or one of the easy develops suppleness. work on a line in tight gaits. There is, however, a lot more to Leave the horse's head and neck free circles to help "set" their using a longe line correctly than just (except in rare instances) to allow him to horses in gait, but many making a horse run around in circles. find his own balance on the longe, not other gaited horse train Good longe line technique exists, but force him into a pre-determined frame. ers believe that working it is often not easy to find. Consider these on a longe can ruin a the basic elements of Good Longeing: Do not use side reins, draw reins, horse's easy gaits. Add Keep lessons short, no more than 20 Chambons, "balancers" or other strap to these contradictory minutes three times a week for a mature work unless the horse has a severe physi beliefs the negative sen horse, much less for a younger one. This cal defect that can only respond to such timents about the longe preserves the soundness of their legs tools. A free head and neck helps a held by many in the and minds. horse develop natural balance, and in a "natural horsemanship" Longe inside a round pen or in the gaited horse, allows for head nod and movement, and it is no corner of an arena, on firm, not hard elastic use of the neck and back. wonder that people try or overly soft footing. The boundaries While there are a few different tech ing to do the right around the longeing area help keep the niques for working with gait and gaited thing with their gaited horse focused on the trainer, and the foot horses on the longe, the overall program horses feel like they are ing is less wearing to his legs than hard of "good longeing" is almost as effective going in circles! ground or deep sand. for them as it is for the non-gaited ones. +THE GAITED HORSE Summer 2001 When it is done the "good" way longe ing the com into a hard trot or a rack. mand "walk Sometimes raising the horse's head line work teaches a horse to be calm, OUT" or "walk by raising the longe line in your hand UP" gradually a little will prevent a hard tro t and to obedient, upple, re ponsive voice aids, increase his encourage a fox trot o r running walk. and improves his physical condition. speed in the Often asking for a lower head by low walk by snapping ering the longe line will encourage a or pointing the running walk or fox trot instead of a longe whip rack or stepping pace. Experiment Which Easy Gaits? behind him, and restraining him from with head position to see what works breaking into a faster intermediate best for your horse. Not all horses will A longe line is by no means as precise gait with light tugs and releases, never do a fox trot or running walk on the a gaiting tool as work under saddle. a steady pul1, on the longe line. The lange line, so do not be disappointed While many gaited individuals can do speed of his walk will increase, as will if yours does not choose one of those a moderate speed of their preferred the length of steps he takes, if only for gaits. If he prefers a hard trot at speed, gait on the longe, it is not realistic to a stride or two. spend most of your longe line time in expect a horse to do a long-striding Build on those few strides until the flat walk, with only a few circles in running walk, fast rack, or largo in a the horse will go into a flat walk on each direction in the trot. If he tries 40-foot circle. For some horses, the the verbal command, a process than to pace, avoid that gait by returning at intermediate gait is likely to be the may tJ.ke severJ.! months of lessuns. once to the flat walk or ordinary walk. hard trot or the stepping pace. If a The 510'>'>" fox trot and slow run Llano, sobreandando and corto: All horse does not offer the gait expected ning walk: Once the horse under of these gaits are easier for the horse of his breed, work him in the "wrong" stands the flat walk signal on the on a smaller circle - shorten the longe gait only often enough to teach him longe, you can urge him out of that line to 10 to 15 feet to work on them. to control his speed, and do most of gait into a slow fox trot or running Remember to keep the lessons in your longe line work at various speeds walk. Again, ask by using a verbal cue these gaits short, and relatively slow, in the walk. such as "fox trot" or "walk on" and to preserve the soundncs5 of the The fast, or flat-footed walk: One pushing the horse for speed, while horse's legs. The slow version of the of the easier gaits to teach on the restraining him from moving too fast paso llano is almost identical to the longe is a flat foot fast, reaching walk, and flat-footed can be walk. This is taught with a desirable the same gait in technique of Tennessee starting the Walkers and horse cir Fox Trotters, cling in the and teaching ordinary it on the walk, asking longe can for increased make it easier speed, while for the horse restraining to perform him with under saddle. light vibra To teach tions on the the flat walk, longe line sta rt the Longeing cavesson. This headgear adjusts Halter adjusted for longeing. Notice that the line fro m break horse circling in several places to fit the horse's head. passes under the jaw and attaches on the fa r side. ing into Used without sidereins it allows freedom of This prevents the halter from slipping sideways on in an ordi the head and neck. It transmits clear sig· the horse's head if the line is tightened, and allows some other nary walk, nals for the horse to raise or lower her head intermittent pressure on the line to maintain the gait. It is then, repeat- when the longe line is raised or lowered. horse's body curve while longeing. sometimes Continued on page 22 Summer 200 I THE GA ITEr) HORSE .. Continued from Page 9 ask for the corto. If he is inclined to about not working a gaited horse a more lateral gait, lower the line and extensively in the wrong gait is the encourage him to bring his head horse that paces. If he can be broken down a little with light downward into a hard trot through the use of pulls and slacks on the longe line poles, working him on the longe in until he is more even in his gait. the trot will help him develop the con Dealing with the pace: Work on dition and coordination he needs to the longe is very effective for discour travel in his easy intermediate gait. aging the pace, especially for young With this type of horse, plenty of prac horses that are not yet under saddle. tice in the hard trot can be a very Lay down poles at the points of good idea.

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