Advanced Long-reining

[Shantor]

:blink:

Has anyone done or know of different/advanced long-rein techniques or particular ground exercises you can do with your horse?

[franklin]

Dear Shantor,
What do you mean by advanced long reining exercises Lateral,piffae, passage?.
I train using longreining and in hand all horses towards Grand Prix over a period of time of course is that what you mean?.
Jenny Franklin

[Shantor]

:(

Sorry, I should've been more clear!  I long-rein my 7yo to teach him to go forward but due to lengthy injury/illness and lay-offs with him, and a recent injury to myself after falling off him, I have experienced a reluctance for him to go forward when I ride him.  No problem on lunge or long rein.

My problem is that I fix my hands when I ride him,which upsets him, he stops and naps.  I thought that if I attach the side reins from the bit to the top d-rings on top of the roller i.e. in the position where my hands would go, and long-rein him would this put a more life-like contact on his mouth.  I admit my hand position is not brilliant on long-reins but am keen to develop a more sensitive feel.

I want to gain confidence in my hands on his mouth for when I get on him.  At present I am undergoing physiotherapy and my injury is such that I am not physically ready to ride him yet.   I feel that developing our confidence in one another again with ground work will pay off when I come to get back on him.

I'd be grateful for anyone's views.

[Heather]

Hey, Jenny!!! Had no idea you were a member. Welcome indeed!!

Shantor, you have here the best exponent of long reining in the country!!!  Long reining is a great art, and Jenny, any help and advice you can give- to all of us!!- will be very gratefully received ( speaking as one who could knit an Aran jumper with long reins!! -and am very envious of people like Jenny, and of course my trainer Luis Valenca, and his student Paul-Sergio)

Heather
 

[franklin]

Hi,
Jenny again many thanks Heather for your kind compliments I too have experienced the kniting  syndrome with the reins!. I still go to Sylvia Stanier twice a month you never stop learning.  I have just come back from South Africa were I was on a busmans holiday, more work and less play but I had a wonderful time with so many lovely horses and people. I am in contact with Jill in California via the forum helping her with L/R and awaiting a DVD any day now with her problems I only hope I can help her.! so your forum is reaching far and wide. I may be in the South West early Spring so we must meet up.
Shantor: the long reining I practice (Danish style) is with the driving terrets. This is where your hands would approx. be if you were riding. Can you get a driving pad or Derby House Saddlery make a roller with terrets for long reining.
I would not advocate putting both reins through the terrets to start with as this often ends up in a pulling syndrome, but put the outside rein through the terret and the inside direct from the bit to you forming a V, this I assure you will encourage him to go forward and accept the outside rein. Don't forget the "encouragement" with the lunge whip, this is your legs as if you are riding. Push him round DON'T pull him round in a circle FORWARD FORWARD FORWARD,
Remember you will make the same mistakes L/R as riding but with L/R you have more time to see what is going wrong and to put it right.
buy Sylvia Staniers books on the art of lunging and long reining this will help you so much.
Contact me via the forum I will delighted to help you if I can.
Jenny Franklin
 

[franklin]

Jenny again.
I am flattered Heather by your compliments but I must say I merely sit at the foot of the Master Sylvia Stanier. One day I hope that I can be as fantastic as she is. She has started lecturing again, myself and  Sam (my horse) are the demo pair, I just pray that I do not not let her down.
Jenny

[Cobstar]

Hi Jenny

Him indoors and I thought you and Sam were fab at the recent demo. Sylvia seems very proud of your achievements - and you should be justifiably proud of yourself. Looking forward to April!

Someone at home I've got a Derby House breaking roller (the half one that you use with a normal girth), looking at the Derby House roller with terrets, I think I might be able to get my friendly local bridlemaker to adapt what I have!  

[Tangled Tango]

Hi Jenney,  yup the DVD is in the mail,  I think it will provide lots of laughs and entertainment.  My daughter did the filming,  and my was she bored!!

re turrets,  I have a surcingle with top turretts and I found a harness shop on line that sells turrets.  Sooooo I bought a bunch,  trotted down to our shoe repair shop and had them installed.  All I need now are blinking lights and sleigh for santa!  But they to work very well and I couldn't find the surcingle built with them that I could afford!!

Jill

[franklin]

Dear Jill
The mind boggles!!!!!.
Looking forward to the DVD.
Jenny
 

[Heather]

Hi Jenny,

Would love to see you if you are coming down this way! Funny how we seem to be attracting Miss Stanier's long term students here, with Peter Madison Greenwell also a much valued member!

Where are you doing lecture demos? How far does Sylvia Stanier travel- she must be getting on a bit now! Maybe we could organise something here in the South West?

Heather

[franklin]

Hi Heather
I have spoken to Sylvia and she is getting somebody to make contact (who is not far from you ) where she is doing a demo in the Spring. If a joint demo/teach in cannot be arranged I think she would be happy to make a separate journey for a demo etc to your area.
Jenny  

[suzysparkle]

As I used to drive a pair of horses in funerals I picked up a lot about long-reining and I use it loads. I prefer to use a saddle with stirrups run down and secured underneath with a stirrup leather os higher up with a contraption I make similar to Richard Maxwells way.

Anyway, I long-rein in circles with the outside rein coming round the horses back end, run behind them in trot and do serpintines etc, polework, shoulder in, and have even done flying changes. You need to run lots!! I always hold the reins in one hand as you would for driving as I feel you can slip a rein more easily and can do a lot more and keep a lighter contact. I only hold them in loops if I go out round the lanes. I think there is no limit to what you can do on long reins and it's great fun!!!

Hope this is the sort of thing you were after!!