If you are working with an item of pony apparatus, the very first thing you wish to do is get an excellent idea of what the standard or recommended settings for that item are.

This applies enormously to lunging equipment. It is extremely important that you’ve got a complete grip on the best fit, particularly if you have several horses and only one or two hardware kits, as is often the case. Sharing must be steered clear of in yards or pastures with masses of horses, as skin conditions may be transferred. If we are talking about a private yard with just two or three horses, sharing lunging equipment may not be a major issue The issue arises that arise though are because unlike any other gear, lunge rollers and lunge cavesson are terribly flexible and adaptable and are capable of working with a large number of horses.

It is smart to have the slip head under the cavesson when lunging equipment is being fitted on. The slip head bit must sit such that it causes a small wrinkle in the horse’s mouth corners. If you use your fingers to make a contact with the bit, there should be no significant movement of the cheek pieces. Where the cavesson is concerned, nose bands must be separated by the width of 2 fingers from the base of either side’s cheekbone. This way the nose bands aren’t allowed to rub against the cheekbone, nor can they slide downward and meddle with the animal’s breathing. The nose band must be fastened firmly without being constrictive: you have to be able to slip in 2 fingers at the front and the back. If the nose band is too tight, it’ll cause lots of discomfort to the pony. A lot of lunge cavessons come with a 2nd strap that goes on just below the jaw. This strap should be tied firmly; when too loose, it’ll cause the cavesson to slide round while lunging is in progress.

Lunge rollers are rather straightforward uncomplicated stuff. They fit in just at the back of the withers, at about the point where a saddle’s front would sit. A correctly trimmed pad or piece of saddle cloth may be inserted beneath the roller to maximize comfort. Try and get the lunge roller girth even on both sides. Ideally, it should be at the half way position on each side to stop pinching.

You can lunge with other items like a saddle and bridle on the pony, but you must ensure the stirrups are secured such that they don’t keep crashing against the sides of the pony. You should also take care about the intensity of any contact when you lunge with a bridle, because the lunge line goes straight to the mouth of the horse and thus may be much more harsh than just a cavesson. You may use this solution, though, with ignorant or extraordinarily strong horses. It is advisable that you talk over all angles with your coach, and customise your lunging equipment to suit each individual horse. You need to follow the same principle with training aids and pretty much all the other horse rigs. There are variations in the hundreds or perhaps thousands, and each difference incorporates its own distinct action and mechanism. Ensure you are fully informed of how each rig works and discuss it first with any expert you find at the tack shop you made your acquisition of that rig from. Then ask your trainer.

Ultimately, keep in mind when fitting on lunge rigs that the quality of material you are using will have a bearing on the fit. Just to name an example: leather lunge cavessons when correctly worked in get into a snug fit that helps prevent chafing. But nylon and webbing are similarly appropriate, so try and keep your options open. Make your final calls according to your specific requirements.

Irrespective of which lunging rig you choose, confirm it is appropriate for your pony. Give its fit, both in motion and at halt, an in depth examination. You may wish to get some other people also to have a look over all of it for you, just in case you missed out on something somewhere. If the consensus is that the fit is great, then commence your lunging sessions with your horse content that he’s experiencing no discomfort with his new rig.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about stable rugs