OBSTACLE TIPS
JEFF WILSON
by
COWBOY DRESSAGE
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Rein Photography
Lunging Thunder
I recently taught a clinic involving a chestnut, off-the-track thoroughbred named Thunder. As he was introduced to me, I viewed the happiest, stiffest couch potato I had seen in a long time. His kind owner explained her hopes in having me do a lunging demonstration with her prized steed. “He is about 10 years old,” she informed me as she stroked his coat. Thunder calmly responded to her introduction by reaching over to give her an encouraging nip, his movie star personality anticipating some treats from her. “After all,” he mouthed, “my busy day in the pasture just got interrupted for this.” As I quietly took the lunge line from Thunder’s owner, he signified his willing participation by greeting me with his now-famous signature nip, and we were off to the races.
I approach on-the-ground techniques, in this case lunging, in a different way than what most people might expect. I use lunging to teach the horse to carry its body in a specific shape: to promote mental and physical absence of tension, to create a bit of harmony between horse and rider, and to set the stage for the day. On-the-ground techniques give an advantage to every person out there riding a green horse (every horse comes off the trailer/out the stable/ from the pasture with a “green” streak)…that’s about 100 percent of us.
carry its body in a specific shape: to promote mental and physical absence of tension, to create a bit of harmony between horse and rider, and to set the stage for the day. On-the-ground techniques give an advantage to every person out there riding a green horse (every horse comes off the trailer/out the stable/ from the pasture with a “green” streak)…that’s about 100 percent of us.
I’ve observed something about people as I promote and teach horsemanship around the country: it isn’t just horses that get “locked up.” If I asked you how do you warm up before you ride to get your horse loosened up, would I get the response “I loosen my horse up on the trail”?