Lunging an OTTB

[Cree]

I have had my gelding since August. He retired in May, and he is sound.
He spent 6 years at the track, that is all he has known. Everything I do with him is at a very slow pace, I am working with him as patiently as possible. He's very intelligent and he picks up new stuff right away.

I have started lunging him with a cavesson and surcingle. At first he looked like he wanted to bolt away from me and acted like I was chasing him. Sort of hilarious, sort of not. He has learned to trot, walk, and "whoa" going in a counter clockwise direction. Every now and then he throws in a canter out of (I think) cheekiness. He slows down when I ask him to.

I would like to start lunging him in the clockwise direction, but this seems to really confuse him. Does anyone have any tips on how I could do this? I try to lead him in that direction on the off side of him and he gets really confused. I don't want to confuse him anymore than I have to.

Thank you.

[Cree]

And while on the topic of him...he REALLY REALLY likes the ladies. He is out with geldings, but he is over the fence with a mare (who is very sweet), and seems to be really attached to her. He seems to be sort of turned on by her. He's 9 and was gelded when he was 2, so I don't really know why he is like that. Any comments or helpful hints would be very appreciated!

[vallygirl927]

He needs to be able to lunge both directions. If you can use a roundpen, that would be the easiest way to teach him to move around you in the other direction. Then, you can attach a lunge line. If you do not have access to a round pen, then it wil be much more difficult, but it can be done. Hopefully you are using a lunge whip. You can start by leading him the other direction and using the lunge whip to touch him around his hocks. If he doesn't respond to that, snap the whip behind him. He will probably try to run away from you, hold on to him and start over. If he tries to rear, don't back down from him. Snap the whip louder and louder until he backs off, as he will from a natual prey instinct. If you take your time with him, he should pick it up pretty quickly.

[kezeli]

I lunged horses at the track all the time . It was called "jipping" a horse and it works nicely with horses that are sholder sore to loosen them up. He should already know this, if not I'll bet he learns in one session, I never had any problems, didn't use a whip though just the end of the line and words.

[jennywho]

You might want to try to watch a copy of Monty Robert's join up video. Even though he is roundpenning his horses, I have found that he gives the best advice as far as body position goes and it makes a huge difference IMO.

It's hard to tell someone how to teach an OTTB the other direction on the internet, but basically, start out with your rope short and as another poster mentioned use a longe whip to tap lightly on his hocks. Stay even with his hip and I bet he figures it out in no time. Lots of repetition and praise.

It's not the same horse as your username is it? Just curious, I love that family.

[BridledObsession]

All of ours started out being completely bewildered by going the "wrong" direction. A few take longer to figure out they need to stay away from us in the middle, but yet not go too far.

Hang in there. They all manage to get it eventually. We use a round pen now for most of our work. There are some who still show a very real preference for one direction or the other and some who have it down to a science -- I swear, they are counting in their head too. They could probably work themselves out now.

Oh and btw, LOVE Monty Roberts methods...........it's amazing how well it can work. I've used the join up method in traditional ways and to catch a reluctant horse in the field. It's really very interesting stuff.

[Cree]

No, my horse isn't my username. I love that family too. I actually looked into adopting him through Finger Lakes, but they had Cree Power listed, not Cree. I don't know what ever happened to Cree.

Thanks for all the tips. I have access to Monty Roberts, so I will definitely have a look at his videos.

[Tucumcari]

They ought to go both directions. It really shouldn't be a big deal. It's not like they are directionally challenged.
People do have odd misconceptions about their breed of choice.

[Tiz]

So true. I hear goofy "facts" about racehorses all the time.

[spex4me]

Clinton Anderson is doing an awesome series with an OTTB on RFD TV... actually it's great tips for anyone wanting to get their horse to move around them with respect and more responsively, but his hints may aide you...plus his "insight" on the TB is hiliarious!!

[Diane]

He has the concept all you need to do is be quick enuff with your longe whip to reinforce he keep going when he tries to change direction. Start in smaller circle if needed but not so small as to get kicked from tapping him forward if he's balky. You should be longing in each direction to build proper muscle. Walk trot canter up and down transitions 5-10 minutes and then change direction. Breaks in between as needed. Be careful about the length of sidereins. Adjust them and readjust them during your workout, be careful not to get them too short where he feels stuck.
Post pics

[Cathy D]

Horse's brains are not wired the same way a human's is. They don't take what they have learned from one side of their body and apply what they learn to the opposite side as we would. Basically, you have to re-teach the lesson on the new side. Your horse has probably not been handled from the off side much for leading, etc, so he is probably a little startled and confused to see you there asking him to do something, and is probably much more reactive on that side.

Spex4Me and Jennywho mentioned two natural horsemanship trainers that offer excellant instructional videos that you might want to check out for some retraining pointers. Good luck with your boy!

[Cree]

Thank you everyone for your help.

My guy is doing great. He's got his "good" side down pat. I am very proud of him. We are slowly working on the other direction.

Patience, patience, patience.

He is still giving me this funny look when I get on his off side, and is a little reluctant, but he is smart and willing to please.

[Cree]

A (very proud) update.

My OT gelding is now a *super horse* at lunging. We have both directions down pretty good. I live in the Northwest, and my boarding stable doesn't have an indoor, so we spent most of the winter just hanging out, making sure he was dry and comfortable. This was his first winter being a regular horse, not a racehorse, so he was out in the snow and crap weather (he sure doesn't like the rain!).
When the weather got better, I got started again in March. It was like starting from scratch again. Basically what I went through in October, happened all over again in March.
We were doing really well, my gelding and I, then May came and we had a strangles scare. What turned out to not be strangles (thank goodness), was some sort of trauma to his jaw. All has mended.
At last, spending the end of May and all of June lunging him on a very consistent schedule, he has finally got his walk, trot, canter, and whoa down pat, in both directions. He's a star. For awhile there I would go out to catch him and would spend a good amount of time trying to catch him. But now, he comes right over to me in the field to be caught.
This week, we start to ride.

I don't know how long this all should've taken, but by August (which will be our one year anniversary) we will be riding on the beach. All it took was time, consistency, love, tenderness, and PATIENCE!!!

[ratherrapid]

congrats and best of luck!