Our teaching is based on the lunge because it is an excellent tool for intensive work on the essentials of riding: developement of postural muscles, correct position and use of seat and legs, proper use of weight for bending, and most importantly losing reliance on the reins.

The great advantage of lungeing is that because the rider doesn't need to worry about the general direction of the horse it allows the development of an independent seat. The reason that this is so valuable is that the independent seat is the key to the engagement the horse; it is the means by which we can transform the horse from a mode of transport into a gymnast.

When we are liberated from dependence on our hands we become able to use our posture and seat in a way that causes the horse to carry us in straightness and balance. In an ideal world, we would all be able to start our riding on the lunge to learn to balance and control the horse with our seat and legs rather than the reins, but given the opportunity any level of rider can learn this way.

In addition to the most fundamental elements of riding, a great breadth of skills can be learnt on the lunge. Correct bending can be developed into lateral work; control of the horse with the seat can be applied to transitions within and between gaits (it is excellent training for the seat to do this without any rein contact); and once independence of the seat is established the rider can learn how to apply this to work on the contact in engagement. All with the rider able to fully concentrate on their own riding instead of becoming distracted by the ‘training’ issues of the horse.

Because all of our horses have begun their training on the basis of skillful lungeing, they are calm and responsive when ridden in lunge lessons.