Lesson On Longing

Joan gave Doug and I a lesson in longing today. For a while now I haven't been sure if it was spelled longe or lunge, so I finally looked it up. Apparently both are correct. I found several references. Here's one:

Longe

Definition: A longe line is a long strap of webbing or leather with a snap at one end. Used in training and exercising the horse. The handler stands in the middle as the horse circles around him about 20 feet away and ideally is responding to voice commands.

Alternate Spellings: lunge

We used Dan as our test subject. He was quite cooperative. I don't know why, but I actually enjoy longing him more than riding him, unless it's on a hack. Probably because he's more enthusiastic on the longe. I do lots of transitions and often use cavaletti, so that's what I need to be sure I do under saddle. Also, I just find Rogo's and Savanah's bigger movement and power more fun to ride.

We learned to circle the longe line or whip forward for more activity, backward for less, to vibrate the line for inward flexion if needed and to send a 'wave' down the line to move the horse out if needed. Also to point at the shoulder to move the horse out and to never actually hit the horse with the whip, only to point with it, move it behind the horse or crack it. I'm not sure the last dictum is doable with Rogo. He completely ignores a moving or cracking whip. Sometimes I touch him with it, although never hard.
This was the first in a series of longing lessons she has planned for us.

Doug and I rode Savanah and Rogo before the longe lesson, first in the ring and then on the beach. It was Rogo's second hack and we doubled his first distance that he went on by himself. The air is crispy, there are high winds

and it was a beautiful day for a ride. Like Dan on a hack, Rogo didn't want to come home and lolly-gagged down the beach on the way back. Doug and Savanah had to stop and wait for us!

I think he must be bored at home?