# Lunge Whip Desensitizing Help



## Quill (May 3, 2013)

Hello all,
I've been having some trouble with the mare I lease and the lunge whip. She gets all worried about it and freaks out a bit when I have it anywhere near her. Like I'll ask her to move sideways for me to loosen her up, I'll simply hold the lead rope in one hand and the whip in the other, I normally don't even touch her and if I do, it's the lightest of touches, but she seems to be afraid of it. I assure you I have never stricken her with it, and I have never done more than the lightest of bumps against her hip if she's ignoring it.

Does anyone have any tips on desensitizing her to it? I'd like to be able to work her on the ground without her getting all worried over it.

Thanks in advance!
Quill


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Twp things- one is she may simply get over hypersensativity on her own as you use it gently around her.
Then I have always, when first working with a new horse, taken the lunge whip with the thong in my hand and stood near them while I stroke them so lightly with it all over- including back legs and belly. Just to get them used to it.
Since I have never had a horse seem unduly worried about it after the first few times I do it, I don't know what to do with a horse who is really upset about it.


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## levi1739 (Jul 25, 2003)

This is a hard thing to help with via the internet but this video might give you some ideas that help.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CDwc4s1LAQ[/ame]

The vid doesn't show the touch and sacking out which would come next but I believe the horse is ready for that step at this point. Retreat and approach is a very effective method of desensitizing.

Have fun, be safe

Jack


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

It isn't surprising that a horse would be skittish of a lunge whip; it's big and moves weirdly. And depending on the horse's history, they may have been taught to fear it - some people teach their horses to "lunge" meaning - when you see this big thing, trot like crazy. I knew someone that would lunge horses only for the purpose of getting them in shape for sales - broodmares and yearlings. Terrible to watch.  Basically a lot of yelling and brandishing of a big whip, and horses simply trying to get away.

What I might try is switching to a short crop or bat, and starting with that. Then as you progress and the groundwork is no longer "new" to her, you could move to a dressage whip, and then ultimately a lunge whip if you need one. A full-sized lunge whip might even be too big for groundwork. I have a driving whip with I think a 6' shaft and only about 6" of lash, so it's basically a longer dressage whip. I prefer it to the lunge whip with a full lash because that is more difficult to manage and I've never needed it for my horses.


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Try using something else to encourage her to move, like slowly swinging the end of the lead rope or lunge line and see if she tolerates that better. Since you are leasing her, do you know much of her past history? If a horse is sensitive enough, it only takes one or two misguided whacks with a whip to make one permanently leery of them.


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## dkrabec (Apr 5, 2012)

The idea here is you don't want the horse to be afraid of your tools. Desensitizing is best done when the horse is a bit winded and they want to rest, so do the desensitizing after you have gotten him breathing heavy. The video is a good example of approach and retreat. But did not address the rubbing part and getting the horse to where you can touch it with the stick. Once the horse is sniffing the whip you want to find a starting point and be able to rub the stick on the horse, probably around the shoulder area, make sure to stand at a 45 degree angle to the front leg so if the horse goes forward your not in the way, and keep his head tilted towards you so you will just pull him in a circle around you. So you would put the tip of the whip on him and when he stands still you remove the whip, they learn from the release of pressure, if he will stand with the whip for four seconds remove it at three. If he moves thats ok move with him, keep his head towards you, but don't take the whip off of him until he stops moving. Rub the whip at your starting point and go from there, withers, back, top of the butt, back legs, front legs, neck and head. Make sure to follow the same procedure for both sides, it will be totally new on each side. When you find a no no spot stay there until he relaxes. 
Every one of my horses will stand and fall asleep while I rub them with the whip and slap the ground next to them all the way around their body. But they did not start out that way, it took doing just what I described above every day until they learn to relax. They need to know your tools are not going to hurt them. By getting your horse desensitized he will gain more trust and respect in you as his leader. Hope this helps let us know how it goes.


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## Quill (May 3, 2013)

Thanks guys, I'll definitely give your suggestions a try and see how it goes. I've been riding her for about 5 years (started leasing about 2 years ago), I know her history for the past 6 and I don't know of any time she was ever really smacked with it. I don't know her history as far as her previous owner, though. I suspect it was a Parelli home because of some of her behaviors. I've had to spend a while giving her manners.

She _is_ a very sensitive mare, so it's highly possible someone may have whacked her - on accident or on purpose - and now she's weary of it. From experience I can touch her front end and she won't move, she'll stand there with tight muscles, flared nostrils and white eyes. If I get to her hind end she starts scooting around me as frantically as she can manage on such a small circle. If I point it toward the ground, she'll sniff it, but wearily.

That's where we're at right now, I'll post an update once I go see her to get working on it. I feel I should mention she is naturally very spunky. For a 23 year-old, she's got the energy and gun-ho of a 2 year-old racer. She's also mostly Thoroughbred so she's got that "gogogo" mentality.

Thanks again! I'll keep you updated,
Quill


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## Quill (May 3, 2013)

Ok, I got to see her on Sunday. I just let it lightly touch her and ran it up and down her body, head to tail. It took a few tries, but I got it to the point that she doesn't walk forward now, she stands and waits for my actual signal to move. She still looks very uncomfortable with the whole ordeal, but she doesn't seem as afraid of it. 

Her owner wants to use her in lessons (I only pay $50/month to lease her, so I see no problem in still being used for lessons now and then!) but she needs her to be on the lunge line. And she gets so worked up over the whip that it's not safe for the beginners on her back. I need to get her used to it so she can be safe for beginners again.

Thank you again for all of your help, everyone!


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Do you really have to use a whip when she's on the lunge line? Just try twirling the end of the rope to get her to move, or just use voice commands. Seems it would be safer. I only use a whip when lunging as a last resort to get a horse moving like I want them, most of the time just body language and voice commands work fine.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

2horses said:


> Do you really have to use a whip when she's on the lunge line? Just try twirling the end of the rope to get her to move, or just use voice commands. Seems it would be safer. I only use a whip when lunging as a last resort to get a horse moving like I want them, most of the time just body language and voice commands work fine.


I agree 100%. I have never needed a lunge whip to get my mare moving, but I think that if your horse is so quiet that they need to be tapped from time to time with a whip, they are not likely to be afraid of it. 

Overgeneralizing, obviously. But my TB mare would be in the next county if I lunged her with a 6' lunge whip with a 6' lash. The occasional twirl of the end of the lunge line is enough, but just pointing a crop would probably work also. That said, I used to know a trainer with a horse so lazy she would just keep popping her in the rear with the lash. By the time your horse does about 100 lunge lessons, the whip might be useful and necessary, but if she's forward without it, I'd skip it. It's one less thing to hold onto.

BUT, that means horse needs some voice training and practice before kids on board. (Which would be needed with a whip too, of course)


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

At 23 she's pretty much what she's going to be. I suspect that who has the lunge whip maybe more important to her than that it exists. 
You might try lunging her with the whip in your hand but having it reversed so that it trails behind you as she goes. A sort of "at ease" position. 
If she's ok with that then you can start moving it forward for short periods. As quietly as you can. Back before she reacts. Forward, back. When she stops worrying about it, then she's probably decided to trust you. 
Whether she trusts anyone else is another matter.


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