Rearing when lunged

Question
Hi,
I would like some advice about a lunging issue my mare and I are having.  We are still initially getting to know each other also.  I only bought her about a week ago.  She is a 4 year old with a really sweet, calm disposition.  She settled into her new home the first day like she'd been there all her life.  She is started under saddle, and does VERY well.  Not out of control, calm, and you can tell she is listening and willing to learn.  She bends good, turns and stops on a dime.  She is already used to bathes, spray bottles, and being touched anywhere, ears, mouth, nose.  No problems catching her in the pasture - she actually walks up to me.  Because she is so level headed in all other areas of training, that is why I was so surprised that she behaved like she did today.

I was going to lunge her.  At first she trotted around fast paced, and then walked a little.  She did a little half rear and side jump and shook her head but this was not directed at me.  She tried to turn in and I corrected her and sent her back out into the circle.  I showed her the lunge whip and proceeded to use it, barely moving it, not popping it.  She flipped out.  Full out rearing, pulling back against me.  I moved with her using voice and physical pressure to calm her.  When I finally got her down, I didn't praise her but I did not pop her for it, although looking back I should have.  I didn't want to start her upset and out of control again.  At this point, I removed the lunge line and used a long lead rope to work with her on a smaller scale because I wasn't going to give up and let her get away with what she did.  I did not use the whip, and I got her going walk/trot fine.  She tried to turn in a few times but I drove her out and she tried to turn her rear to me but I did pop her for that.  Her whole behavior with the rearing looked to me like fear, that is not to say it was not disrespectful of her to rear and behave like that with me.

I do not think her previous owners lunged her.  They were her initial trainers, the ones who started her.  I know that they do not believe in a lot of useful horse things, like shipping boots and brushing apparently I hear.  I am also getting her used to wearing shipping boots, which she is progressing with without much more than "What the heck is on my legs?"

Am I going in the right direction with her training, or what do I need to be doing to get her under control lunging?

Thank you,
Amanda

Answer
Amanda,

You are doing what you are supposed to be doing and handling this issue very well.  I encourage you to keep it up, exactly as you have been and reaffirm that lunging is not a scary thing, nor is it used to punish.  You are absolutely right when you say that rearing is disrespectful and should not be tolerated.  

You might try rubbing her body with the lunge whip to get her comfortable with the fact that it does not hurt.  Also, if she is familiar with voice commands and you have access to an area where you can do a free (but controlled) lunge, do that.  The lunge line and whip together can sometimes make a horse feel trapped, triggering their defense mechanisms.

You are on the right track, so keep up the good work and keep exposing her to new things that might be scary at first.

Good Luck!