Have you ever been lunging your horse and find yourself saying “Whoa there Tonto” a little too often?!
That moment when your horse seems to go from cool and calm to tripping over themselves as the speed quickens! I can 100% hand over heart say that, from experience, this has the potential to make even the calmest of riders stress a little!
Most riders see rushing on the lunge as a disobedience problem; their horse is being naughty, ignoring them, or just full of vuma! But what if that’s not what is always going on?
What if your horse’s rushing while on the lunge is really a balance problem, not a speed problem?
Rushing v’s Speed
When a horse loses balance, the natural instinct is to speed up to try to catch themselves. You’ve probably experienced this yourself, either while walking, running, or cycling. Just like when you run on a few steps, or pedal faster to stop yourself from falling over, your horse often does the same.
If they feel unbalanced, they often run on a little – in an attempt to remain upright!
Now, I get that some horses will 100% rush and race ‘just because’. However, that is not what I’m chatting about today. Today, I want to talk about how, for many horses, suddenly speeding up can indicate a lack of balance. And how lunging gives you the perfect opportunity to see this clearly.
So, if your horse is usually pretty relaxed and ‘rhythmic’ – until he’s not. This might indeed be what’s going on. And I think that lunging can help your horse to develop so that this happens less and less often. You see,
Because without your weight or mixed signals from the saddle, your horse can figure out how to carry themselves and begin to develop self-balance while developing strength
Of course, that won’t happen overnight. Building balance takes strength, coordination, and consistency. But lunging — when done correctly — gives your horse space to experiment, to learn, and to begin developing rhythm. And rhythm is where it all starts.
Rhythm & Relaxation: The Foundations
No matter what discipline you ride, or what age or stage your horse is at, the first two building blocks of training are relaxation and rhythm. When they feel that both of these pieces are in place, the energy can flow, and this increases confidence for everyone, horse and rider.
So, it makes sense to begin at the start with relaxation & rhythm, and one of the best tools for introducing and establishing both of these is to use the half halt while on the lunge.
Half Halts on the Lunge
When most riders hear the words ‘half halt’, they immediately think about their hands. Specifically about using the reins. But the half halt is not just a rein aid. It’s a conversation. A pause. A moment of rebalancing that comes from your whole body and your intention, not just your hands.
When you’re lunging, just like when you’re riding, your lunge line can be ‘part’ of the question or aid… Not the whole aid! You have to learn to communicate using it AND everything else. Your voice, your energy, your body position, your weight, your body language, and even the timing of your breathing.
When you ask for a half halt on the lunge, you’re really saying,“Hey, come back to me for a moment. Find your balance again.” It can be an invitation, a request, or a correction.
And what’s really special about lunging is that, because of your position to your horse, you can see it happen. You can actually watch your horse process the request. And you can see the results. Maybe it’s the moment they soften through the contact, or when they slightly shift the weight off the forehand. It could just be the reestablishing of the rhythm that was in danger of being lost!
That visual feedback you get from lunging is gold. It helps you begin to understand what a good half halt looks like before you try to feel it in the saddle.
Reward the Intention
When you begin introducing half halts on the lunge, I’m going to bet that your horse might not know what you’re asking for yet! Especially if this is not something you’ve been working on regularly before. So it’s really important to reward every ‘try’. Every subtle thought in the right direction.
Meaning that even if your horse just thinks about slowing down or steadying, that’s your chance to acknowledge it. If you miss that window, your horse gets confused. The message becomes muddy.
So, ask for the half halt, then wait. If you see even a hint of balance returning, mark that moment. Praise. Use your voice to tell them, “Yes! That’s what I wanted.” Clarity and timing are everything. Every aid you use to ask should also be echoed when you reward. That’s how you build trust and confidence, and understanding. It’s also how your horse will begin to develop strength.
Transitions, Rhythm & Flow
Now, if you’ve been guilty of using the lunge line like a steering wheel or a brake (so pulling to keep your horse on the circle or yanking to slow them down), that HAS to stop! The lunge line isn’t there to control the horse. It’s simply the connection between you.
Just like how your reins work in riding to ‘gather’ and channel energy, your lunge line will do the same when lunging.
I really do think that the only way to begin to truly replace this habit is to create boundaries in the area you are lunging. Let them ‘keep the horse on the circle’ so that you can begin cultivating the contact through the lunge line. I’ve a whole post on this HERE.
Refining Half Halts on the Lunge
And once you are using your line correctly, then you can look to improving everything by getting started with basic transitions. Walk to trot. Trot to walk. Halt on the track. Back to walk, etc. etc., etc. Think smooth, not sharp.
If your horse takes three full circles to make the change or the transition, no worries! That’s your starting point. You’re working on understanding, not obedience.
Your half halts will be the preparation for every single one of the transitions your horse performs while on the lunge. They set things up so that the transition can be as good as it can be.
After a few days or weeks of practicing this, you’ll notice that your horse will become more ‘tuned in’ with regard to your aids and overall communication. That’s when you can begin playing with transitions within the gait. Covering more ground and then covering less ground within the same gait. The goal is to keep the rhythm steady, no matter the speed.
Lunging as a Mirror
Lunging, done well, trains you almost as much as it teaches your horse. It becomes a mirror for your communication. You see, in real time, how every little change you make, your tone, your energy, your posture, affects your horse’s response.
And the better you get at reading and influencing your horse from the ground, the easier everything feels once you’re in the saddle.
And remember, lunging isn’t just for young or green horses. It’s for every partnership that wants to improve communication, rhythm, and balance. It’s also not just for ‘hot horses’ or for when time is short. I am REALLY encouraging you to begin crafting time for lunging starting today.
Bringing It All Together
So next time you clip on that lunge line, shift your focus. Instead of thinking, “I need to slow you down,” think, “How can I help you find your rhythm and then maintain it for longer. How can we work together to achieve more balance and lightness?”
Notice where any of the ‘whoopsies’ appear in your horse’s way of going, when it feels like he’s starting to rush. Pay attention to what led up to that point that may be causing the loss of balance. Then, use your body, voice, and energy to help your horse rebalance, to come back to you. That’s your half halt.
You’ll be amazed at how your horse starts listening, not just to the sound of your voice, but to the feel of your intention.
Happy Riding
Lorna
Half Halting on the Lunge
I’ve got 3 resources to help you improve and refine your half halts.
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- Inside Connection we are working on how to use half halts on the lunge to develop rhythm, relaxation, and self-carriage. Step-by-step audio lessons, a live group lesson, and so much more to really help you understand and put this principle into practice.
- Join me for the Half Halts Made Simple Webinar on October 28th. We’ll take everything you’ve learned from the ground and bring it into your riding work.
- Sign up for the FREE Your Signature Ride Challenge. It’s a fun, on-horse experience that ties beautifully into everything we’re doing this month.
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Online Training & Coaching
Connect with Lorna online:-
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- Connect in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailystridespodcast
- Connect with Lorna on Instagram @lornaleeson or @stridesforsuccess
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