I was wondering, I eventually want to teach Mara to turn while walking or trotting when lunging - right now, you've gotta tell her woah! And then get her going the other way (pretty easy, though). She's great at lunging - only her second time in the past 10 years & she was wonderful Any ideas for how to get her to do this? I tried moving ahead of her shoulder (don't know if that makes sense in writing) which would I would think would turn her, but it didn't work. Will ask my trainer next week but was wondering if you all had any ideas for now.

I saw her canter for the first time - um, lets just say it was not the most graceful canter I've ever seen I figure she needs some exercise at that speed!

Ok Lunget her to the left hold the line in your right hand. Do this at a walk to start hen run your left hand down the line and tell her to go to the right. If you carry a whip switch it to your right hand and you may have to tap her on the left shoulder or on the ground in front of her to get her to switch directions.

are you free lunging her in a pen or on a lunge line.

Thanks Crystalized & RedHorse ~

I don't use a lunge whip, but I do use a lunge line, though I could probably free lunge her (she does everything on body language so far). Once the round pen dries out, I'm going to free lunge her in there.

Lemme see if I can explain it in words. I use this method (most everyone does, taught to me by a good friend who was taught by Buck Brannaman).
Going to the left. line in your left hand (your left hand is showing the horse which way to go, the right hand says how fast, ie, driving aid). Make sure you are lunging behind the shoulder, as you walk, you are mid barrel to hip.
To turn. Place right hand on line while you step towards and in front of the horses shoulder. This is important. Practice it without horse to get it right, it can become complicated if you are not "handy" enough to co ordinate.
So, again, placing right hand on line while stepping towards and ahead of the horse (essentialy blocking forward movement), put pressure on the line with your right hand, pulling/bumping to the right. Ask very lightly to start, get bigger as you need. This is BIG, KEEP walking towards the horse. It may feel uncomfortable, but you must keep walking towards the horse until he/she respomds and turns right. Once the turn is made, use your left hand (now the driving aid) to keep him/her going.
It can be very wierd feeling, like you're not in sync, but practice and you will get it. Once the horse does as you ask it is important to STOP the pressure.
Do the opposite to switch direction again.
I learned the most amazing thing at a clinic last year, I can actually walk forward, while my horse is in front of me going slightly backwards, switching directions whenever he hits the side of my body. Takes practice, and I am not perfect, but man of man you should see those rollback turns!

Thanks everyone - we've got it!!!!!

Apparently Mara (obviously) was taught to turn that way - I just wasn't doing it right. We free lunged today, and she did some great turns!! Woohoo!! Thanks so much for the advice - really really helped!!

okay...Like Erica said, you have to step forward from the shoulders. I think of it as I have a bubble around me. When I'm lunging where I should be (behind the shoulder/where your riding leg would be) the edge of my bubble is driving the horse where if in a saddle my leg would be. As I move ahead of the horse and towards the horse, my bubble is pushing her movement into the side of the pen, until she has no choice but to turn towards it. And that is your roll back turn.

I also have my horses do turn ins so that they change direction by doing a sort of ying-yang pattern. To do an in turn (which some people don't believe the horse should turn into your space), I have to coordinate my bubble to actually sort of cut the horse off. Instead of my bubble pinching the movement of the horse, I'm blocking her foward movement and as she turns, I move off the fence pushing her across the pen.

I use my whip as an extension of my arm to direct and drive the horse. All my horses go off verbal commands so I rarely use it for transitions but always to direct the horse. Like in the "in turns", the whip blocks the movement not my body, just incase she doesn't want to listen to me, which can always happen.

There are two changes of direction using a lunge line. If any one sees any "DON'TS" and "DOS" in my photos, please point out for spooky's benefit.

What a nice over achiever you are! Photos commentaries and all! Nice job!!!! About "in turns" I don't see the problem since it's kinda hard to turn your horse out with a line attached. Kinda like learning to mount from both sides.

Thanks Red - and your photos are with a Haflinger too!! I love the description you gave!!

I was able to get Mara to do the rollback turns & everything yesterday - she looks just like the horse in your photos! She'll even do it when trotting. Now that I know what I'm doing, she can do it too

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What a nice over achiever you are! Photos commentaries and all!

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I'm suprised that there isn't more HOW TOS with photos. In this day and age and with everyone having a digital camera, I'm a little disappointed most people when giving advise (and I included in that) don't include photos. Most of the questions people have involve everyday horse related activities. All we have to do is whip out the camera for some pics to post. Some replies I have read could be of great help if only some photo references were attached.
And like I mentioned in the post above, it can give people an opportunity to critique and comment of the photos. If someone sees a DO or DON'T in the photo, it is to the Thread posters benefit to hear and see. Everyone has different training methods and has had experiences that were people to give a photographic how to do, I think everyone could learn from each other.

Well, I would take pictures if I could but:

a) I don't have a digital camera (darn thing broke), and it's not in my budget to get a new one.

b) I can't very well take pictures of myself demonstrating something. Although sometimes I do wish there were two of me...

It's a great idea, but just not always practical.

I always stop the horse before asking for a change of direction on the lunge. I hook the lunge line up differently, depending on which way Star is going so I have to stop her and reattach the rein for the direction change.

pssst you DO know that was a compliment right?

yeah I know.... thanks

May I just add that this plan of turning w/ out stoping may backfire, I purchased Thor who was lounged using a turn like your trying to get and when he decided it was time to go the otherway or he was tired or anyother reason he'd blow up and run the other way not so good when your in bridle and you have to chage the lounge line to the other side or when your working on a double lounge/ longlining. Just thought I'd mention it.