Training a2yr old minature horse to lunge

Question
I have had my minni 3 months now the first 2mnths i have had him he has been fine on the lunge but the last three weeks in lunging he takes off and he gets strong and i cant hold him even though he is little he's strong To begin he lunges well then decides to take off he is only 2 and had not much work done with him till i brought him

Answer
Hi Carla!

Minis and Ponies are the crankiest creatures around!!  It may be because they are small or it is just a breed chararistic but, I see it time and time again.

You said he knows how to longe and does it correctly for a short period of time before he begins to refuse.

This could be happening for several reasons.

First, I assume he is gelded.  If not, I would geld him immediately.  If he is, we will move on to the next thing.

Second, are you feeding him correctly?  Minis can live on air!  All he needs is good grass, or grass hay (no alfalfa)and just a HANDFUL of grain or pellets once a day.  I am not kidding....literally a handful.  One of the worst things to deal with is an over-fed, under-exercised mini.

Third, he is just a baby.  He needs to have solid ground manners and respect you in all matters before moving on to longeing.  Also, because he is a baby, he has a very short attention span.  Just 5 minutes (or less) of longeing is enough for him.  He will become easily distracted and bored and the whole thing turns ugly.  Just like with ANY 2 year old forced to behave and pay attention. Have kids?
Then you know what I mean!  LOL!!

Lastly, you have had him a very short time and he really knows nothing about you and probably has not bonded respectfully to you.  It can take 12 - 18 months to build a real working relationship with a horse.  And that's what he is ~ a horse.  Not a big dog or a plush toy.  If you treat him casually and without a real training plan, how can you expect him to act differently?

Start working consistently with him, at least 3-4 times a week.  Multiple short periods of training will give you better results than a few long ones.

Work on just good ground manners.  He must let you lead him and do not be afraid to put the chain over his nose and shank him if he disrespects you or your space.  He must know you are the Boss Mare.  You should be able to touch and groom him all over and pick up all his hoofs.   When you feel you have his complete attention and he is looking to you for what to do next....then re-introduce longeing.

But, you must have a plan.  You can't just let him run around you with no firm direction from you.  ALL 2 yr olds need to be directed almost every minute.  Have kids?  :-)

Search the Internet and tack shops for information on longeing exercises.  Remember, every time you touch him, you are training him.  If you are thinking about other things and only giving him half your attention while you are working him, why should he give you back 100%?

Give him praise and treats when he is good and try to nip all the bad behaviors in the bud before they turn into real issues.

Go slow, watch his reactions to things and he will tell you everything you need to know about how fast or slow to go.  He's just a baby and he needs a firm but, kind hand to guide his hooves down the right road!

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange