ridecamp@endurance.net: Longeing ---- Hunter's Bump

Longeing ---- Hunter's Bump

Snodgrass, Bonnie (snodgrab@ncr.disa.mil)
Thu, 23 Oct 1997 12:48:00 -0400

You're right to think that longeing should be done on a bigger
circle
but much bigger than what you thought. Circling around and around
is
strenuous on your horses legs and the smaller the circle the harder
it
is physically and balance wise. An ideal circle diameter for a
green/unfit/unbalanced horse would be close to 20 meters or at
least
way out at the end of a 30 foot longe line. What you need to have
in
your hand (closest to the horses hindquarter) is a good longe whip.

This is the right tool for the job. It is used to send the horse
out
away from you and forward also. Don't use a riding whip or a
driving
whip, use a longe whip. You don't have to crack and wave it wildly
but
you will have it in your hand to flick toward the horse's shoulder,

barrel or hocks depending on the need. In my opinion it's like
wearing
a helmet and proper footwear when riding. You may not need it all
the
time but when you do it's reeaalll nice to have. Also, I believe in

teaching the horse to stop facing forward (traditional and
classical
practice) not allowing them to turn and face you. If they learn to
do
up and down transitions and halts always facing forward on their
circle then they don't have to be turned back around to go on
again.
Using walk-halt-walk-halt-trot exercises will build balance,
strength,
response and obedience. By the way, I suggest you always wear
gloves
while longeing, use a good 30' cotton line and a decent longe whip.


Hunter's Bump-- A true hunter's bump is from straining of soft
tissue
connections (ligaments?) in the sacroliliac area if I remember
right.Wish I had one of my vet books here to look it up. The reason

for the name is the strain of jumping too high, too soon could
cause
this injury in horses being trained over fences, hence hunter's
bump.
You'll occasionally see this on hunter/jumpers. I think there is
some
thickening of tissue in the area as it heals or something. It just
becomes a blemish in time. Since the person who asked about this
has
two brothers that have "bumps" in this area I would question if
this
is really hunter's bump but more likely just a conformational
thing.
I've certainly seen lot's of Arabs with "peaky" hindends and many
of
them are unbroke young horses. Yeah, it bears some similarity in
appearence to hunter's bump but isn't the same thing I'm sure.
Doubt
they're all out ther straining their sacroliliac's in the field.



Bonnie Snodgrass

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