How to Free Lunge a Horse

Free Lunging a horse is very similar to lunging a horse but instead of your circle being defined by the lunge line, your circle is defined by the walls of your round pen. You should have a small, round pen to free lunge a horse. Free lunging can be done in a rectangular pen, or a larger pen, but requires a more skilled knowledge of how to communicate with the horse with body cues. The basics of lunging remain the same when lunging without a line. In learning how to free lunge a horse you should use your body language and verbal cues just as you would when lunging a horse in the traditional method: forming a triangle with your body and lunge whip. Always drive the horse foreword, but don’t stand in front of the horse blocking the forward motion. When free lunging a horse stand more in line with the horse’s hind quarters and signal the horse to move forward, either with a verbal cue like clucking, or saying “walk”. A flick of the whip will signal the horse to move forward. When free lunging a horse use your stick and body language to keep the horse on the rail of the pen and moving forward.