# Building Muscle - Lunge



## RachJeremy (Sep 14, 2012)

Obviously, now Boycie is a lot better than last year, i want to try working on getting his back muscle back... Or just build it up. As since he's only done hacking for a year, he's not really being ridden in a contact or outline and therefore not got much if any muscle on his back. He's got a nice amount of weight on him and enough muscle for that. But i would love to be able to get him to accept a contact and go round, if you know what i mean, but it is quite difficult to keep a contact with Boycie as he is not used to it. 

We're looking into hiring an arena once or twice a week for £10 an hour. I've recently invested in a lunge cavesson and lunge line, i've lunged in the past. And we used lunge cavesson, bridle with no noseband, but one thing i cannot remember is whether the lunge cavesson goes under or on top of the bridle? I have a feeling on top, but please correct me if i'm wrong?!
We used side reins at college and attached them to the saddle with the stirrups run up and tucked in so they can't slip and flap about...
I was wondering would side reins be a good thing to get if i want to get him accepting a contact? I've been browsing online for some and am tempted to buy some when i get paid so i can start lunging him and using my new toys out on him and get him working properly. 

Any help, is greatly appriechiated.


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## toffee44 (Oct 21, 2011)

Cavesson on top.

One thing that helped my mare was lunging with 1) lunge line through girth strap as you get slight bend and therefore horse correctly works a 15m circle (you can't lunge a 20m circle)

2) draw reins over back then through front legs and onto bit, works like side reins but less forced really encourages long and low. Do not canter like this!

3) long rein with two you can work the whole school. Not long lining two different things. Dr Bechtolsheimer long reins a youngster (TRAILER) - YouTube

I do one if the above weekly with my mare. If you can get your hands on Maximise Your Horse you will find 1) 3) on there. I stared using 2) after lesson with dressage trainer.

All done with a saddle and bridle I don't use a cavesson but have in the past.


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## RachJeremy (Sep 14, 2012)

toffee44 said:


> Cavesson on top.
> 
> One thing that helped my mare was lunging with 1) lunge line through girth strap as you get slight bend and therefore horse correctly works a 15m circle (you can't lunge a 20m circle)
> 
> ...


Thanks! I shall give them all a go...  Is the Maximize your horse a book or something?

Either way, he needs muscle on his back and neck, everything else is fine. But he rarely accepts a contact, and i figure if we teach him to on the lunge he'll start to when ridden.  Am quite excited to get started on him once i get the school hire sorted.


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## toffee44 (Oct 21, 2011)

By Richard Maxwell


But I do worship the ground he walks on!!!!


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