Lunging your horse can be a practical training tool that can benefit horses young and old. Lunging can take the edge off a fresh horse of any age, making him more settled and safer to ride, as he lets off some extra exuberance - maybe even a buck or two. However, to turn lunging into a training opportunity and not just a way for your horse to blow off steam, you can use side reins which attach from the snaffle bit to a surcingle or the girth of your saddle. Keep your lunging sessions to twenty minutes to avoid too much strain on joints and tendons.
When starting a young horse to saddle and bridle, side reins are as useful of a training tool as the lunge line itself. After your horse has been introduced to the bit and is comfortable carrying it in his mouth, you can introduce side reins while lunging. By attaching the side reins from the bit to a surcingle or the saddle, the Adjustable Leather Side Reins with Rubber Rings introduce your young horse to the feel of the reins. Using a rubber snaffle, you adjust the side reins to be in light contact with the horse's mouth, just taking most of the slack out, when he has his head in a natural position. This way he gets used to the feel of the weight of the reins. If he throws his head too far up or down, the rubber rings have some give and he learns to give in to the restriction in a kind way.
As his training progresses, you can inch by inch shorten the side reins, but not too tight, to encourage a give to the bit by a slight bending at the pole. The side reins also help him to stay in balance at all three gaits without the extra weight of the rider. Then when you get on the young horse, he has already been introduced to the restriction of the reins, has been introduced to the concept of giving to the bit, and has some balance all on his own.
For an older horse that is already going under saddle, lunging with side reins can also have a positive training effect. On the days when you choose not to ride your horse, but still want to put him through his paces without a rider, the side reins can help improve his balance at all three gaits. If your horse is already schooled to give to the bit, the side reins reinforce him to go in a nice round frame.
You can shorten the side rein on the inside of the circle a hole or two shorter than the outside side rein to encourage the bend to the inside. This helps the horse to stay in balance and not lean in while going around the circle. If you lunge without side reins you find that often your horse flexes his head to the outside, and leans into the circle in an unbalanced way.
The properly adjusted side reins can help develop a slower, and more collected trot and canter without the influence of the rider. The circle itself helps the trot and canter, and with side reins, the balance markedly improves. The proper adjustment of the side reins is the same as when starting a young horse.Take the slack out the side reins when the horse's head is in a natural position. As his training progresses, you can shorten the side reins slightly to encourage flexion at the pole and a rounder frame.
As the horse learns to flex to the pressure of the bit at the pole, and lower his neck, it also encourages him to lift his back. This is important to develop the muscles of the topline, strengthening the musculature around the spine to carry the weight of the rider in balance and comfort. To the rider, the lifted back of the horse will feel like he has a softer, springier trot and canter, as it encourages free forward motion and a bigger stride.
Instructors often teach the rider to develop a balanced seat while on the lunge line. They can lunge the horse with side reins while the student is beginning to learn to keep his balance and go with the movement of the horse. The side reins help to keep the horse steadier while lunging the beginner rider, which makes it easier for the new rider to learn. Once the rider has balance and rides on his own, it is necessary to take the side reins off. Side reins are not for riding independently, as they are fixed to a certain length, and there may be a moment when you need to release the reins for safety.
Most riders lunge their horse occasionally. So it is worth having a pair of side reins in your tack box, and taking the extra few minutes to attach them. You’ll be utilizing the lunging time to the benefit of your horse's development to be a happy, healthy, and comfortable riding horse.
