Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week, we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect, and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: Do you use lunging as a training tool in your program, either at home or at the show? Why or why not?
Here are their answers:
“Mindless (traditional) lunging–you know the type, in the round corral or on the lead line, running the horse around in circles to ‘get the energy out so we can ride’ kind of thing. Oftentimes, we see the human elevating the horse’s energy (and anxiety too) with a whip or flag. All this does is increase the horse’s energy/anxiety and the horse’s uncertainty as to ‘why’ this is happening. Probably not the best mental, emotional, or physical state to begin a ride or training session. So, no, we do not use ‘traditional’ or mindless lunging in our program at Lucky Star Horsemanship.
HOWEVER, we do use a training approach called ‘Respectful Lunging’ where the focus is on building a strong connection through clear communication, awareness, and fair leadership. The approach can be done in the round pen at liberty or on the lead line. We use it at home and at any show, clinic, or expo where we have our horses in order to connect with them and get their mind, body, and heart focused on the tasks being asked by us. Depending on the training level of the horse, Respectful Lunging can have several components: a consistent direction, a consistent gait (walk/trot/canter), a consistent change of direction (turning into the circle), transitions (changing gait) upon request, stopping, yields of the hindquarters/forequarters, and backing up. Using the ‘pyramid of pressure’ (Ask–Tell–Demand–Correct) for the requests allows the horse time to process and execute without additional pressure or anxiety being produced. The end result is a horse that is connected and focused on its human–and a human that is FULLY AWARE of the horse in their care in the moment. Together they can achieve whatever the tasks may be, confident in each other and the partnership shared.” – Michael Canfield
“At Cypress Valley Farm Inc., 501(c)(3), we use lunging daily as part of our horsemanship and agricultural education program. All of our lessons include groundwork before and after riding, and much of our warm-up groundwork is done through lunging in the round pen.
We believe lunging is an important training tool because it helps loosen and strengthen muscles, prepares the horse mentally for work, and builds better communication and trust between horse and rider. We work horses in both directions, typically around 10 minutes each side, to encourage balanced movement and muscle development.
Lunging is also a valuable learning tool for students, especially beginners, as it helps them better understand horse movement, body language, and the different gaits before riding.
In addition, lunging can be used to evaluate soundness, assess energy levels, improve focus, and reinforce respect and responsiveness on the ground. We view it not simply as exercise, but as an important educational and training tool that supports the overall physical and mental well-being of the horse while helping students become more knowledgeable and effective horsemen and horsewomen.”
– Ashley Culbreth
“I use longing massively as a tool for the young horses learning balance, and the horses who need muscle upkeep. We use it at shows to let the horses look and get their bucks and kicks out instead of ‘riding it out of them’. I show the yearlings in longeline at paint shows, and it’s a great tool to teach responsiveness and quietness in a show arena where they’re alone and vulnerable.” – Caitlin Daniels
“We love using lunging as a tool, but in a very specific way. We teach our horses to lunge in a controlled manner, not as a workout, but more of a stretch. When horses are chased on a lunge line, injuries happen and occur more often. If you take the time to properly teach a horse to listen to vocal commands by encouraging them to slow down or go forward, it can also apply in everyday riding, without weight being on the horse’s back in every session. I like the term that it’s more of a mental workout than a physical workout, and our horses all seem to love it. If you take the time to teach a horse how to lunge properly, along with your staff, you will get happier, healthier, and more sound horses.” – Jake Evans
“Lunging has become a pivotal tool in my training program, from laying the foundation for my babies to exercising my seasoned horses. With this being said, I want to emphasize that I don’t use lunging as a means to tire the horse. Rather, it’s a mode of exercise that allows the horse to develop their own strength and balance without the additional fluid weight of a rider on board. In a nervous horse, it allows me to more clearly see which parts of the body carry tension that I otherwise might be holding together under saddle unknowingly. From there, I can use transitions and spiraling figures to isolate the areas of the body that I would like the horse to bring more awareness to. My goal is for this to become a mentally grounding place for the horse, so that I can always bring them back to a place of confidence if stressors like showing, clinics, or major weather changes arise.” – Kate Ford
“I have been a trainer for more than four decades, mostly hunters and jumpers. I have always started students on a lunge line, but historically, I was quick to have them navigate the steering pretty early on. I recently built a 70-ft round pen, and it has been a game-changer. The horses stay mostly under the control of the instructor even after being released from the lunge line. I have found that the lesson horses are happier, and the clients get to focus on their balance and position first, then we add navigating around the round pen before setting clients loose in a full riding arena. In hindsight, I wish I had built the 70-ft round pen sooner.” – Bridget Moncada
“I don’t lunge anymore, but I think it’s really useful when done in a beneficial way. For me, that means you’re not just working the horse physically, but also mentally and emotionally, and emphasizing the connection with the person. An example of that is when I was in Germany working for Ingrid Klimke. Before she lunged her horses one day a week, she would take down all the jumps in the arena, and she would set up walk, trot, and canter poles, with some of them on a circle. She lunged her horses for twenty minutes, five minutes each direction twice, and every circle, something would happen–a transition, a change of place in the arena, or poles. So there’s a constant back and forth between horse and human. She was working on the connection and communication with the horse as she lunges and wasn’t just getting the horse fit, or in some cases, tired.
Now, instead of lunging, I do a lot more varied groundwork exercises–things like having the horse go sideways or backwards, or doing a figure-eight, or lowering their head, or standing on a pedestal, or coming to me when I whistle. What I find is that this works the horse about the same amount physically, but I can work a lot more on having the horse become connected to me, and become a good problem solver and a good thinker. They become more interested in the play of it.” – Tik Maynard
“Lunging…it serves several purposes…I use it in developing connection and balance in the young horse, as well as response and respect for body position and boundaries. In instruction, I have used it in a round pen while the rider works without stirrups, without reins, riding with their eyes closed, etc. These exercises build core strength, confidence, balance, and feel. They are especially useful for the timid rider or for one who is fearful of a fall or a bad experience.” – Jennifer Sawyer
“Yes, we use lunging as a training tool, but I’m very particular about how it’s done. Every horse’s needs are different, so we try to tailor an individualized training program for each horse. At home, I’ll often have them go on a 50+ longe in either a bitting rig or a Pessoa rig, maybe about 1-2 times a week, depending on where we are in their fitness level. I have a sand round pen to really make them work, or we also use the giant grass field if they want more solid footing vs the sand.
For jumpers that need to keep fit, I might add in a Pessoa longe on the same days as hack rides. Then, after a hard day of jumping, I’ll let them relax on a line rather than ride them.
As for the hunters, I try to avoid any longing at home for them. My barn manager/boss, Emily Rodgers, came up with a good idea as I’m away judging a bit this summer. On our non-show weeks, my hunters get ridden 5 days/week, pessoa rig one time, and a day off. At the shows, they all usually get a twirl the first day as everyone is excited to be in a new place. 4 polos, bell boots, 50’ longe line, and a longing bridle. I do have a rule that none of mine ever longe in a halter. I’ve been dragged across more showgrounds than I can count, so I make everyone use a bridle to longe. Nothing harsh, I have bridles set up for this with fat D’s on them.
My derby horse has a very tailored prep schedule that Emily has worked out for him. He longes Tuesday when he first arrives, then he goes for anywhere from a 2-minute to a 15-minute twirl on his way to the show ring, every time. He doesn’t like to flat (will buck me off if I kick too hard), so we use the longe to warm him up before a big class. We find that keeps him happier, and the two of us don’t get into a battle before we even jump our first schooling jump.
As I said this is just a general idea of how we use a longe, varies for every horse, rider and their needs… My only non-negotiables are the bridle, and the longe line must be at least 50’… my biggest pet peeve is watching all those poor horses longing at the show, spinning around a 10’ circle at a gallop on a cross canter… I think that’s what breaks down a lot of show horses these days. Poor longing skills. The act of longing, if done properly, is a great (and needed) training aid.” – Lauren Schweppe
“I use lunging in my program quite frequently. Since I work with a lot of young horses and horses with behavioral problems, it is a great tool to teach horses about body and spatial awareness. Many times, horses learn movements and habits more quickly on the ground versus under saddle without the pressure and weight of a rider. If done correctly, ground work and lunging can help them balance themselves much more easily. While frequent lunging can be beneficial with young horses, my FEI horses lunge 1x a week – and all horses are lunged on adequate footing. I am lucky that I have trained with several trainers who specialize in in-hand work, so I incorporate long lining, piaffe work, and lunging into my program.
I also use the Equi-Band Core system, which is introduced to each horse via lunging and encourages core activation from the hind. Unlike the Pessoa, the Equi-Core Band has one stretchy strap around the belly, and another around the hind quarters–leaving the neck and shoulders completely free to allow the horse freedom to find their own balance and thoroughness. Unfortunately, lunging can have a bad rap due to the use of tight side reins and other artificial aids. Every horse needs to have a physical and mental ‘out’. Teaching the horse to tuck their pelvis and engage their core is like physical therapy–you do not need to have gadgets and gimmicks. Taking away the material aspects and focusing on breathing, posture, and proper response time is the correct foundation for all horses in every discipline.” – Audra Sheffler
“Yes, we find lunging very helpful and incorporating it in our training program a few different ways: if a horse has been stalled for a period of time to help loosen up muscles, for young or green horses to learn confidence in themselves over poles so they aren’t relying on the rider, and also the Pessoa system to help keep our show horses fit and using themselves correctly.
We also find that using voice commands while lunging is very helpful and carries over well under saddle.
While we find lunging as a very helpful tool, we do not like our horses to just run around on the line.” – Jennae Wheeler
“I believe lunging, when done correctly, is a valuable training tool. Quality groundwork can strengthen the partnership between horse and rider while reinforcing communication through voice commands and body language—skills that often translate directly to under-saddle work.
However, allowing a horse to charge around uncontrolled on a lunge line is neither productive nor safe. It increases the risk of injury and offers zero educational value for the horse.
Thoughtful, low-impact lunging that incorporates frequent transitions can help develop strength behind, improve balance, and promote relaxation, making it a useful addition to a show-preparation program. It also allows horses to learn how to organize and balance their own bodies without the influence of a rider, which can improve their overall coordination and self-carriage.” – Lindsay McIntyre
“I incorporate lunge lessons for both horse and rider. Lunging of the rider is extremely beneficial for overall balance and position work. This time lets the rider really focus on their center and the proper basics of a strong position. We never do this to drill or as a punishment, but rather as a quiet time to really objectively dig into the strong and weak points of our position work. I wish we had the horse power and time to incorporate this more often!
Lunging of the horse as a training tool–particularly inside reins–is extremely beneficial too. Again not as a drill or punishment but as a quiet way to allow the horse to work on their balance and shape without rider interference or assistance. I like watching my horses work this way as it gives me further insight to their strengths and weaknesses without a rider. Young horses can gain a lot of “shape confidence” when lunging properly inside reins as well. Again, not as a punishment or to exhaust them—but to build them up both physically and mentally. For those of us who sadly spend a lot of time up north in the winter, it is also a great tool to incorporate for those rather cold, short work days. Adding in poles and cavaletties is always great too, when the horse is ready.”
– Nicolle Madonna Cerio
“Yes! All of our horses have long line sessions a few times a month. It is important to note that we mean long lines—not mindless circles on a lunge line—or static lines/reins connecting the horse’s mouth to balance their bodies. It is an excellent tool for both riders and horses when done correctly. Riders can see the real time effect of their aids, learn to improve timing, and reestablish cues. For the horses it can provide many benefits: from the obvious fitness aspects to the finer points of higher level in-hand work. It is also a great way to give our competition horses a break from ridden work between shows or when coming back into the program. Additionally, we always start our young horses in the lines, giving them the tools they will need in their careers before introducing the weight and balance of a rider.”
– Krystal Clemente
“Yes, I do use lunging as a training tool in my program. I do not use it as an everyday tool; however, it serves its place and purpose for all different levels and types of horses. I see it as essential for them to learn as a young horse when first being started under saddle. It is helpful for them to learn to respond to the pressure on their noses, while going forward and is the beginning phases of them learning how to steer before a person is even on their back. I also use it at home with many horses as a way to lightly exercise them in a short amount of time. It is also helpful prior to getting on a horse that has not been ridden for some time, and/or depending on what a horse is rehabbing from, lunging can help get them back into work without adding weight to their backs.
Several horses benefit from it at horse shows to blow off some steam and energy. My personal horse is a little different from needing to blow off steam. I use it for him at shows if he stays overnight to trot around a little and look around. Most of the time he will not even break out of the trot, and since he is used to 12+ hours of turnout each night at home, I have found it helps him mentally in preparation to show.” – Heath Gunnison
“Lunging is a vast subject — entire books have been written on it — and yes, it is absolutely part of my program. That said, use and abuse of lunging is equally common, and I think any good lunging program has to be specific to the individual horse: its age, soundness, mental state, and the safe locations available.
I use lunging as a serious observation window. Assessments of condition, soundness, and energy level are valuable before and during work. It is also a good opportunity to introduce new skills or review the horse’s existing knowledge base.
What I try to avoid is repetition to the point of exhaustion or boredom. I am increasingly working with less equipment, not more. I find that relying on fatigue or gadgets does not produce genuine understanding in the horse and is not particularly satisfying as a training outcome.
My larger goal is to prepare horses for life beyond me and for people beyond me. I want every horse in my program to have confident, reliable lunging skills so they can interpret questions from any handler, owner, or veterinarian they encounter. That generalized competence is necessary for horses in a human-centric world.” – Patricia Lincourt
“Absolutely. Lunging is an important part of our training program and, when used correctly, is much more than simply exercising a horse on a circle. It is a valuable educational tool that helps horses develop relaxation, balance, rhythm, responsiveness, and confidence.
Through lunging, horses learn to respond to voice cues, maintain a consistent tempo, and carry themselves correctly without the added influence of a rider. It allows us to teach fundamental skills from the ground, helping horses better understand what is being asked of them before those concepts are introduced under saddle.
Lunging is also an excellent way to develop strength, coordination, and body awareness. Horses learn to balance themselves, engage their hindquarters, and move more correctly, all of which contribute to improved performance and longevity. For young or green horses, it provides a safe and effective way to establish communication, build trust, and introduce new experiences. For more experienced horses, it can reinforce training, improve focus, and help address specific challenges.
In addition, lunging gives trainers an opportunity to observe a horse’s movement, soundness, attitude, and overall well-being from the ground. It often provides valuable insight into how a horse is feeling physically and mentally on a given day.
At our program, we view lunging as a tool for education and relationship-building, not simply a way to expend energy. When done thoughtfully, it helps create horses that are more confident, balanced, attentive, and prepared to succeed both in their training and in their partnership with their riders.” – Katie Emmermann
