Are there any 'gadgets' that you recommend for lunging

[Naiad]

I think mostly people lunge because it means the horse can get exercise without us having to run round 

I actually like long reining because I get some exercise too, and I can empathize with the horse getting tired a whole let better that way too!! I find lungeing tedious in comparison. I feel that if I make Amigo get some real exercise, I should be prepared to do the same!! Very democratic this way. 

[winnieandben]

IMO you shouldnt be standing still lunging but using the whole arena, so you should get exercised  .  I have the first PK video, I love the way he lunges    I find his leather breeches slightly off puting though 

[ukica]

like this thread...lots of food for thought

[Naiad]

IMO you shouldnt be standing still lunging but using the whole arena, so you should get exercised  .  

Everyone I see lunge does so within a small box in the center and pretty much stays put!! How do you lunge - do you just change where you do the circles, or do you get your horse to do some straight lines in between circles etc.?

I still think that long reining at trot is the very best exercise. While Skeeter's custom saddle was built, Skeeter and I  did schooling long rein sessions 4x a week at 30-40 minutes per session for 4 months (!!) - and doing just as much trot work (working trot so quite a bit of forward!) as one would do in a normal schooling ride - and my long reins are not that long so I do more of less move with the horse. Keeping up with a horse in working trot for those lengths of time and for that many sessions a week and for that many months did my aerobic fitness a whole lot of good!! And as for Skeeter's hind muscle development - wow!! Riding had never really developed his hind (he was an older ex-school horse at the time) - but long reining for 4 months did the trick!!