Improving Walk when Leading

[Rarah]

Logic is naturally a very slow, ploddy type.

When leading her she's incredably slow.

How can I make her walk at a better pace?

If I give her a swish with the leadrope she'll speed up for a few steps and then just go back to normal, but I don't want to be smacking her every 2 mins to get a reasonable pace and in any case, now that she's rugged - it doesn't have any affect anyway.

[tbjumper127]

Carry a dressage whip.

First, walk at a brisk pace, and make her keep up with you. If she drags behind or is dragging her feet and tugging, give her a quick tap behind you on the rear.

Some people may not like this method or what not, but it's effective and asks for respect and impulsion.

[Yann]

This might be one situation where a pressure or training halter is useful. If you go at the desired pace the line will come tight and the horse will feel the pressure, and it can release it itself by speeding up. It's essential once the horse is doing the right thing that the lead rope should just be hanging there, ie leading with a smile in the line. If the horse dawdles again, then it comes back into the pressure. Using this to lead for a while will create a good habit and you can then go back to a normal headcollar.

It's absolutely essential that there aren't any valid reasons for the horse to be going slow, eg. footiness, stiffness, something it's really worried about on the route, and only fair that you meet them halfway in terms of the pace you set. Some horses naturally walk slower than others :)

[Keket]

If I give her a swish with the leadrope she'll speed up for a few steps and then just go back to normal, but I don't want to be smacking her every 2 mins to get a reasonable pace and in any case,

Take the rug off and spend time working on leading. You don't want to tap her ever two minutes, but you'll have to at first. After awhile, she'll learn what you want her to do and she'll do it. She think, "When I walk slow, I get tapped, and I don't like that, so maybe I'll walk a little faster."

[Herbie's mummy]

If she is slow on the end of a lead rope, ie taking her to the field, then so be it.
Dont be carrying whips every were, thats just her walk.

[capalldubh]

Just to suggest that this can be done with positive reinforcement as well as through punishment.

I trained Shannon to always match my speed and direction using a clicker (and to stop when I stop and start when I start). She matches my speed at walk and trot - and thinks it's a great game - she nickers now when the leadrope goes on and the treat bag is round my waist :)

[Yann]

Very true :) But to be pedantic what I was suggesting was the use of negative reinforcement rather than punishment ;)

If the horse is slow then that's fine. But if it's slow coming out of the field and rushes back towards it that's a form of napping and is worth working at. If you can get leading right with a horse lots of other things often improve too :)

[capalldubh]

Yann - yes I agree yours was - the majority did suggest lunge whips though :)

The reason I worked on leading Shannon was that she was napping - and positive reinforcement was so successful that I would always choose this over negative reinforcement or positive punishment in future for training issues. I agree that there are occasionally safety issues where negative reinforcement can help short term.

[Keket]

Yann - yes I agree yours was - the majority did suggest lunge whips though :)

I suggested it, because it worked with my mare. The first thing we did with Topaz was teach her to lead. We worked in the school. When she didn't move forward at the pace we asked for, she got a tap with the crop. Now she'll follow me without a lead.

If positive reinforcement worked for you, great, but there's nothing inherently wrong about a fair positive punishment.

[Yann]

It's entirely about what works for you and your horse, and what you're comfortable with personally :)

The OP suggested she didn't want to keep hitting her horse, so other approaches were suggested. Should have added that doing some general groundwork with your horse is definitely a good way to improve leading and handling in general.