getting my orse to lunge

Question
I have a 9 yr old quater horse, im having trouble getting him to lunge. He seems to get nerves and all up i my face. So im constantly correcting him on that. once i get him to go he is ok then. I have a feeling the old owner didnt lunge him much, and just used him for barrel racing.

Answer
Hello Nikki,

The accepted way to teach a horse to lunge is to have an assistant walk with the horse on his inside, out on the track while the trainer holds the lunge line in the center.  The assistant carries a dressage whip and each time he moves away from the horse's head and the horse tries to leave the circle, the assistant taps the shoulder with the whip and leads it back out to the circle.  Not hit, but tap, saying "Stay Out".  This may take a few attempts before the horse understands what you want it to do.  After a while the assistant can move toward the center more and more until he is even with the trainer. Each time he moves in and the horse tries to come off the circle, take him back out again and repeat the exercise.

If you have no assistant and no one to help, then keep the horse on a short lunge line and you tap the shoulder with the whip each time he attempts to follow you.  

When the assistant or you taps the shoulder, repeat "Stay Out" to the horse until he begins to understand what you want.

He is getting nerves because he is confused.  You have to make it very clear what you want, and have patience while he "grasps" it.

I advise very strongly that you find an assistant to aid in this.  You will save much time and frustration.

Wish you the best of luck,
Dorothy