When you lunge, you stand on the ground as the handler and let a horse walk on a circle around you, on a long line. That is different from the lunge lesson in which a rider sits on the horse; that lesson format is covered in what is lunging in riding lessons. This guide is about lunging as you do it: why, with what equipment, with what technique, how long, and how safely.
Why Lunge
The British Horse Society (BHS) lists these reasons in its lunging requirements: maintaining fitness, warming up before riding, an alternative form of exercise, part of a schooling or rehabilitation program, and assessing the horse's movement.
The Equipment
For the horse, the BHS lists these items for lunging: cavesson, lunge line, lunge whip, saddle or roller, bridle, side reins, and boots. In the BHS lesson plans, horses wear boots all round, and the bridle goes on over the cavesson. Never tie a horse up by the ring of the cavesson, warns the BHS.
For yourself, the BHS names a hat, gloves, and sturdy footwear. The Arbocatalogus Paardenhouderij (the horse-keeping sector's occupational safety catalog) on the website of Stigas, the occupational safety organization for the agricultural sector, also calls for gloves and safety footwear.
Use training aids such as side reins sparingly. The Gids voor Goede Praktijken (Guide to Good Practices, 2025) of the Sectorraad Paarden (Dutch Horse Sector Council) wants as few training aids as possible, used only by well-trained and experienced handlers and never to punish. More on this in auxiliary reins: types and uses.
Building a Session
In its lesson plan for new handlers, the BHS shows this order:
- Lead the horse calmly to an enclosed space. Check that the gate is shut, the footing is safe, and the tack fits well.
- Send the horse out in walk without side reins, so it can stretch.
- Trot without side reins to loosen up, and change the rein.
- Then, if you like, attach the side reins and work in walk and trot, with transitions.
- Finish by letting the horse stretch without side reins and lead it back calmly.
Start with leading. According to the BHS, leading at the shoulder is the foundation of good lunging, because the horse must be able to move away from you. How to lead a horse calmly is in leading a horse with a halter.
The Triangle: Position and Aids
The line, the whip, and your position together form a triangle, writes the BHS. The KNHS (Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation) describes it in its Handboek Voltige (Vaulting Handbook) like this: you stand at the top, and the front and back of the horse form the base.
- Line: straight from the horse's head to your hand. That gives an even contact and an even circle (BHS). Keep your hands level with a bent elbow.
- Position: stand as still as possible and pivot on one foot, say the BHS and the KNHS. Keep your knees slightly bent, your hips forward, and your shoulders parallel (BHS).
- Aids: the line replaces the reins and the whip replaces the leg aid, writes the KNHS. Give aids by squeezing or turning your hand, not by pulling or hanging on the line. Hold the whip at an angle of about 45 degrees toward the croup when you're not using it.
- Voice: use your voice for transitions, praise, and attention, and don't talk constantly (KNHS).
Circle and Duration
In a fitness program, the BHS advises always keeping circles big and lunging for no more than 20 minutes. The BHS calls a circle that is too small a common problem. The sources give no fixed size for lunging outside vaulting. The KNHS requires, in vaulting competitions, a circle of at least 15 to 16 meters in diameter, with a line of constant length that doesn't sag. The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) advises keeping training sessions short. The sources give no fixed schedule of weeks and minutes.
Safety
- Wear gloves: a line pulled quickly through the hand can cause rope burn (Stigas, BHS).
- Never wrap the line around your hand or arm (Stigas).
- Coil the line neatly, in flat loops of equal size (BHS).
- Switch the whip behind your back and don't drop it: bending down to pick it up is dangerous (BHS).
- Check the tack regularly, because broken parts cause accidents (Stigas).
- Watch for others nearby and prepare a safe space (BHS).
Common Mistakes
The BHS lists as common problems a circle that is too small, the wrong posture, the wrong tone of the commands, wrong use of equipment, and an unsuitable program. Contributing factors are a horse that pulls away, turns in, or won't go forward, a fresh horse, other horses, and footing or weather.
| Mistake | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Circle too small | Make the circle bigger (BHS) |
| Slack or sagging line | Keep contact; the line stays straight (BHS, KNHS) |
| Pulling or hanging on the line | Give aids by squeezing or turning (KNHS) |
| Going on too long | Keep the session short (BHS, ISES) |
| An excited horse | Keep arousal low and avoid startling it (ISES) |
If a horse that normally cooperates suddenly refuses, rule out pain: a change in behavior can point to pain (BHS). See understanding horse behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can you lunge a horse?
In a fitness program the BHS advises no more than 20 minutes and always big circles. ISES recommends short training sessions.
How big should the circle be?
Big, according to the BHS. In vaulting competitions the KNHS requires at least 15 to 16 meters in diameter. The sources give no fixed size for lunging outside vaulting.
What equipment do I need myself?
A hat, gloves, and sturdy shoes, says the BHS. Stigas also calls for gloves and safety footwear.
Do I need to use side reins?
Not necessarily. The BHS starts a session without side reins, and the Guide to Good Practices wants as few training aids as possible.
Can I learn it without experience?
Start with an experienced handler present. The BHS teaches beginners first to handle the line and whip and to lead the horse, before they send a horse out on the circle.
In Short
Lunging calls for a quiet, straight triangle: line, whip, and your position. Keep the circle big, the line taut, and the session short. Wear gloves, a hat, and sturdy shoes, and never wrap the line around your hand. Start without training aids and have an experienced handler watch.
Sources (verified November 2, 2026): British Horse Society: Stage 2 Lunge syllabus · British Horse Society: Session plan Lungeing your Horse (Bronze) · British Horse Society: Implementing a fitness programme · British Horse Society: Horse fitness · KNHS: Handboek Voltige 2025 · Stigas: Arbocatalogus Paardenhouderij, Veiligheid in de omgang met paarden (version March 21, 2024) · Sectorraad Paarden: Gids voor Goede Praktijken (2025) · ISES: Principles of learning theory in equitation
See also: What Is Lunging in Riding Lessons · Auxiliary Reins: Types and Uses · Leading a Horse with a Halter · Understanding Horse Behavior · Groundwork with Your Horse · Glossary A to Z · Level: Considering Your Own Horse · Level: Competing Seriously