BRISTER’S BRIEF
Lunging: It’s a circular question
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f you aren't dizzy from practicing your circle work after the last article, let’s jump into the next instalment.
Moving away from simple circles and transitions we look at incorporating jumping into your lunge work.
Recap Before we go any further, here’s a quick recap of the groundwork
In the final part of our lunging series, resident columnist CHARLIE BRISTER adds jumping into the mix.
we’ve covered so far: • Keeping your horse’s focus on you and not on what’s going on outside the circle. • Lunging a rider with or without stirrups to improve their seat. • Ensuring the voice or postural cue comes before the physical aid. • Working on transitions to develop strength and responsiveness. • Focusing on tempo and line. • Why lunging for long periods of time should be avoided.
Jumping into the finale It’s always good to mix things up in your training regime. Too much of any one thing can lead to both horse and rider getting a little bored. It’s just the same with lunging. Lunge in different places, try different transitions. Not everything needs to be mixed up though! Make sure your aids and communication with your horse remain as consistent as possible, regardless of the day or your own mood. Now let’s talk about why you should get your horse to progress from pole work to jumping on the lunge. Regardless of your discipline this is a beneficial exercise. Even if you ride only for pleasure, you can help your horse improve their jumping with these hoof-eye coordinating exercises. William Micklem who designed the Meet our star pupil Bonita, HorseVibes publisher Fiona Todd’s beautiful three-year-old Warmblood.
Micklem bridle calls it fifth leg training. With a pole on the ground the horse doesn't have to change the way they use their body to get over the obstacle. When you start to raise the pole so that it becomes more of a jump, the
