Question on Lunging a Horse

Haley wrote to say she has a 9 year old TB gelding, "Macho", previously owned by teenage girl who was given the horse from a racing stables. She wants to use the horse for pleasure riding and maybe start doing Western Showing with him. She is suspect that the girl sold Macho becaue he was too much horse for her. Haley say's that Macho is so hyped up he is hard to control. If she rides him 5 or 6 miles then he will normally be much calmer towards the end of the ride. Haley's friend suggested she lunge Macho before she rides him to "bleed off some energy" but Haley doesn't have a round pen for use, only an arena and a dressage field.

A round pen is a great tool because it has no corners and allows the horse to keep forward momentum and is generally safer than a pen with square corners.  Round pens are really necessary for free lunging horse also called lunging horses at liberty, meaning they are not constrained by a lead rope or lunge line.

I wasn't big on lunging horses on a line, but over the years I have came to recognize that lunging horses on a lead or lunge line is not only valid it is necessary to help them get soft, moving their feet, to face up and to move their hindquarters around.  I am not getting on horse if I can help it that can't be lunge on a line in circle and have some degree of softness.  I'd want to be able to move that horse around on a loose lead or lunge line, without him being bracy and be able to disengage his back end and have him face up at a minimum. 

Lunging your horse is not just to "bleed off excess energy", it also gives you a chance to do some ground work which is often the most neglected area of horse training. It gets the horse tuned to you before you ride him that day, as well as allows you to see any lameness problems.

So if you are using a lead or lunge line, you don't need a round pen. The arena or a flat section of ground will work.  In the photo above I am lunging a horse using the reins on a hackamore, not the best lunge line to use, but I am using it to warm him up and get an idea of where his mind is that morning.  I have seen people lunge their horses with the reins attached to a bit, which I highly suggest you don't do. 
Haley's friend's idea to lunge your horse before you ride him is a good idea. If don't have time to ride him on a particular day, lunging him for for whatever time you do have would be good for you both, providing that you end the ground training session on a good note.  I have 14 foot tie on lead ropes for my rope halters for this purpose.

I would also look at what you are feeding him as too much feed or the wrong types of feed can make him an "energetic horse".  But by far, probably the best thing you can do with him is to create alot of wet saddle blankets - riding him as often as you can and changing up the rides and routines. Ground work should be a part of it.