Long Halter

Long Reining Your Horse Part 2

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In part one 1 I suggest some equipment you could use to long rein safely. The next step is to accustom the horse to the line around its quarters.  Stop your horse, and with a handler holding it by a lead attached to the halter, you can pass the opposite line around the horse’s quarters.  Keep the line slack; you do not want to be pulling against its quarters or providing pressure there.

Stand well away from your horse’s hind legs, out of reach if it should kick out.  The handler should quickly move the horse off into a walk, so that it can move away from the rein; this prevents bolting.  Move yourself gradually around to behind the horse, again staying well back out of reach of a kick.

Your handler should walk the horse around, making frequent changes of direction.  You should gradually take up a contact, and start to take over the direction changes with the long reins.  If the horse stops, you encourage it forward first, with your voice or your aid, and your handler takes up the lead only if the horse continues to resist.

When you horse is relaxed, your handler can unclip the lead and move away.  Now you are long reining your horse!

Most problems in long reining occur because the horse isn’t ready, the long reins have been introduced too fast, or the handler becomes too aggressive.  If your horse is unhappy on the long reins, don’t try to force it.  Go back to the round pen or the lunge line another day, start again, and take your time.

Only when your horse is long reining happily with the halter should you consider moving to the bit rings, and then only ever long rein with a gentle snaffle. Never get into a fight with your horse on the long reins; if your horse panics, or tries to turn towards you, step in the direction of its quarters, try to stay behind your horse, and straighten it up by gently holding or tugging on the outside line while relaxing the rein to the inside of your horse’s turn.

Try to avoid ending up alongside – or even in front of – your horse.  Use the sides of your pen or your school to calm down and slow a rushing or nervous horse by turning it toward the arena rail.

Once a horse has been broken and is being ridden happily, many trainers never return to ground work. Yet ground work has the potential to reinforce the basics for your horse and allows it to explore new movements without the weight of a rider.

It’s a useful tool throughout your training, so even after your horse has been broken, return to long reining when you feel you need to reestablish the fundamentals, or you are going to introduce a new or complex movement.  With a calm and correct introduction, long reining can become a fun and effective tool in your training.

About the Author

Hi my name is Anita and people are always asking me for tips on equestrian training and what they should do to for the best. Visit me at http://www.horsetrainingwiz.com or http://www.horsetraining.blogspot.com

Long Version: Absolutely No Doubt, Performance Halter Stallions at 2008 AQHA World Show