Pacha - july 15, 2010

I become increasingly interested in lungeing. After less than two weeks of daily exercise, Pacha and I have made progress. Today, I could get deeper in the subtelty of this form of training. We could achieve changes of pace within the same gait (especially trot and canter), and even more exciting, 'descente d'encolure'at walk and trot. The lunge rope was clipped on the outside ring of the snaffle, and went under the chin through the inside ring. No other reining. I had Pacha well positioned between the lunge in front and the whip on the rear (Fillis' triangle). I have now acquired sufficient skill to hold the lunge and the whip in a controlled way (in a kind of 'independance des aides'). With the help of the voice, I can play with both hands to augment the impulsion with the whip (by just gently moving it closer to the hind legs, without flicking it of course), and regulate it with the other hand with delicate change of tension to the lunge which remains however always looping, never tense beyond its own weight. This balance between the two hands is quite effective in regulating the horse speed. As for 'descente d'encolure', I obtain them after a first canter session is done, by lowering my hand holding the lunge while saying 'down'. Pacha has learnt this signal quite quickly and gives a lovely neck extension, nose in dust. I enjoy watching the horse in this attitude, free,natural, in an elastic, relaxed trot!
We stop the work frequently with halts which Pacha gives easily, during which I pat him and give him some carrots. Sometimes, I unclip the lunge and leave him free. He begins to quietly follow me then when I walk inside the lungeing ring. I remember the nice video where Colonel Carde does this in his masterly way.
Well, I am not quite an adept of ethology yet, which I had so far discarded with preconceived (and not very clever...) ideas, but I look at it in a different way now, i.e a supplementary (to equitation) means to develop a closer communication and mutual understanding between man and horse.