Benefits of Long Reining or Ground Driving Horses

 It can be called Ground Driving, Long-Reining, or Long Lining.  What it is, is basically driving a horse with two long lines while you are walking on the ground.  Sort of like lunging, only with a second line.  It's benefits are numerous! Long lining builds top-line muscles, and teaches softness in the bridle and self-carriage.  

You can see ground driving depicted in old horse training manuscripts and artwork as it was sometimes used in classical training (or high school dressage, such as that practiced by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, or the Cadre noir of Saumur in France).

One of the things I have noticed in long lining Atticus, is the ease with which I can ask for shoulder-in and half-pass along the fence line.  As I am not always correctly balanced, and definitely stronger on one side than the other when it comes to using the proper aids, I frequently worry that I may be confusing him or inadvertently giving conflicting cues.  I don't have to worry about this with the long lines.

Additionally, I find it's a great way to work on an issue that I would not be comfortable riding the horse through. Here is a short video of driving him away from "home" (the tacking / untacking spot) when he decided he was done working and the ditch made a handy excuse for him to refuse.

Whenever he tried to spin away from the ditch, I would turn him again to face it and encourage him to go forward.  If he was at least facing the right direction, I would verbally encourage him.  After a number of refusals, he realizes it's easier to go over than to continue refusing.  It's the same principle under saddle... take the pressure off if the horse is doing the right thing (or even just THINKING the right thing, as in facing the ditch without backing or turning away).

I find that having this ability to reinforce your requests without danger works really well for under saddle behavior.

Atticus and Eva jumping in the park

 A couple videos Eva's friend Gwen (riding Brandy) took of her and Atticus jumping the coop and log in the park.  It was a beautiful day for it!

Lovely ride in the park

Beautiful day for a trail ride today! With Judge & Mariam and Pimms & Kay.

Great day for riding!

Yesterday was a successful horse day!  Yvonne and the girls (Eve and Sage) came out to see the horses and maybe ride.  They were planning on riding Judge and Brandy, but then Susan texted me and said she planned to come out to ride, and would anyone like to join her?

So as it turned out, Susan, Sage, Maya and I headed out for a trail ride with Brandy, Judge, Pimms, and Atticus. Yvonne and Eve stayed back to work with Wookie in the round pen.  However, shortly after we headed out, my stirrup leather broke, so I had to turn around and go home.  After changing out my stirrup leathers, I decided to head to the round pen to try a new bit on Atticus and help out with Wookie.

The bit (a French link Dutch gag) worked great.  Normally, Atticus goes in a full cheek french link gag with two reins, like so: 

This is because when we started him over jumps, he was prone to getting excited and throwing some big bucks!  The gag rein works to lift his head to stop any bucking.  However, it can be a severe action, so the snaffle rein works as a simple snaffle bit.  The full cheek has been useful in training him to the one rein stop.

I like using two reins, because I can have a mild one for normal work and a stronger one in case of emergency.  I have used various forms of double reins on several of my horses over the years... for example, one rein on a rope halter as a bitless bridle, and a second on a light bit.

At any rate, I wanted to try something with some curb action, to make working him in a frame a little easier, so I thought I'd try the Dutch gag (or "bubble bit").  I also used two reins, so I had the option of only using the snaffle action, or adding curb action.  It worked very well, but I am not sure it would do anything to raise his head if he did want to buck.  At any rate, he seems to be over the silly antics of his younger years, so I am not too concerned.

So all that aside, after working Wookie on the ground a bit, Eve sat on him and had Yvonne lead her around.  Wookie did just fine, and I hope to borrow my neighbor's child, who apparently does pony races, to finish his under saddle training!

Atticus at his first recognized horse trial!

This is from May 2017 (I've just gotten around to updating it!).  His dressage and showjumping events at the Loch Moy Horse Trials.

Jumping Lesson

Atticus had a training session with Aurélie yesterday.  Our first show of the season is coming up at the end of the month. 

At the same time, Yvonne and the kids came over and did some grooming and riding.  A productive day overall!

 

The new colt has arrived!

Atticus, my new colt (3/4 Friesian, 1/4 Quarter Horse) arrived yesterday from Wisconsin!  He will be one year old come August. I could not be more thrilled with him!  I bought him based on a video taken over the winter, when he was 5 months old and quite fuzzy, and now I see that he is very elegant and will grow up to be a gorgeous horse!  He has a very floaty trot, and that lovely upright Friesian neck.  He's black with a star and snip on his face.  I can see already that he will have the lovely long, thick, Friesian mane.  He also has little baby feathers on his feet!  I'm very excited to watch him grow up.

Grazing calmly

Teddy seems to have adopted him!

Mom came over to be here for his arrival... here are her Facebook posts on him!

A New Horse is Coming....

He is a Valentine's Day gift from my husband Greg.  He's 5 mos. old in these pics... born August 2011. He is 3/4 Friesian, 1/4 QH. His sire is an imported stallion, Redmer fan Unia-State.  His Dam is a Quarter Horse / Friesian cross. (Her sire is Danny).  He's from the same farm Magnum came from in Wisconsin, so I'm still working out the shipping. We need to come up with a name for his registration papers, and right now we are leaning towards "Atticus".