Leading a horse the enlightened way...

[horsemad]

I was leading my horse in from the field the other night and she was very bolshy - kept trying to race off in front of me, and when I stopped to try to get control of her again, she did stop but then wheeled round so she was facing the wrong direction! It was a very wet, windy night, and she seemed really keen to come in, so I don't know if she was just extra keen to get into her nice warm stable - and have her dinner! She is usually very good when she is being led and lets me dictate the pace - although she has done this once before on another windy night - so maybe the wind is the cause?

Anyway, I don't think I handled it very well - I was shouting at her to try to stop her from pulling, she was paying no attention, she stood on my toe, and I nearly fell a couple of times because she was being so bolshy (I have to lead her down a slope which is muddy and slippery at the minute)

So now I'm thinking, is there an 'enlightened' way to deal with this situation if it happens again? I don't like shouting at her - and it was completely ineffective anyway! Is it worthwhile doing some leading exercises with her in the school? And would this really make a difference if she was in the same mood as the other night - as I said, she is normally very good on the lead rope. Do well trained horses still listen to you if they are impatient to get to their stable/anxious/scared?

Sorry, this has turned into a bit of a rambling message!

[Janice Corbett]

When my youngster gets bolshy like this with me I just make him go round and round in circles - around me - until he's prepared to listen and behave again, then we walk on. Even if we have to do the circles 15 times between the field and the yard, I still do it. I guess you migt have a problem with this because of the slippy slope, but I would try it anyway. Get yourself some football boots to improve your grip on the slippy slope.

[Heather]

HI folks,


This is really more a 'Think Equus' question for Mike Peace. Have to say that as our horses all bring themselves in and out, up and down the tracks to our fields, it is not a question that arises very often here, but if I had a bolshy horse, I would be more likely to lead her/him in a simple bridle with snaffle and no noseband just put over the headcollar, with a long lead rope from the inside bit ring to the outside or possibly a lunge line from the inside bit ring, over the head to the outside bit ring.

Another thing that works in my experience is to put on a lunging cavesson to lead in, with the lead on the top of the nose ring.

The one thing I would not advise is a pressure halter- dangerous things even in experienced hands.

Heather

[myEllie]

Have you tried using a stud chain? It works wonders for even the most pushy horses I know. If would help if you can teach her to lead calmly in a more controlled environment. I taught my horse this for showmanship, but it works any time. Teach your horse to lead with his throat latch in line with your shoulder. Then you can teach him to trot off when you drop your shoulder and then walk and eventually stop when you straighten your shoulder. I also taught my horse to stand square when I was facing her and to walk off when I turned and faced forward.

[heland]

My horse used to pull when I led him to the field or if I was bringing him back to the stable. I'm sure he used get away with this with his previous owner.

Every morning I put on his halter and would lead him near and around the field. I would ask him to whoa and then to walk on. I did this for about 20 minutes at a time and after 3 days what a remarkable difference.

I can even walk him right into the field now and he will stand until I say "go on then"

[Wally]

Oh, for the well trained horse, I too tend to open gates and once everyone is in their own stall close doors behind them.

When training to lead they have to respect you, as mentioned body language is the key to good leading, after all if the horse really wanted to go a rope or halter isn't going to stop him, he's too strong. We train our to lead in the school, train them to be watchful and to go on when you lean forward or drop your shoulder and to slow down when you tip back. Shouting will have no effect only make the horse more bouncy.

Hákon can be controlled from a distance, he will stand and walk, go left and right as asked, sometimes he will play the giddy goat and bogg off with his tack on, just for the devilment. This takes time and work. You do have to be fair and consistent. It was not unknown for Frances to spend an hour just to get Hákon to be nice about leading. Time well spent.

[lleeaannee]

All of ours bring themselves in except when its really muddy and they need their legs hosing. Then they get led one at a time. Had one "accident" with Ginny where I got my johdpur boot stuck in mud. She walked on and I ended up first ankle deep in mud, then flat on my face. Ginny waited patiently as the hose pipe - good girl. It's odd cause without a headcollar on she goes straight to the stab le

[Bebe]

I've used clicker training with success for this kind of problem. When I got Bebe she didn't lead well at all, she either tried to dart off to the side or shot forwards. When I was hand walking her we had many incidents of her taking off in canter and dragging me along, one time we ended up inside a bus stop - it was the only way I could think of to get her to stop!

Anyway, I started with clicker training to a target, initially my hand and then an old pop bottle (plastic) slotted over a riding crop. Once she'd do that consistently I moved on to asking her to stand (using Stand as the command) touching the target. I kept doing that and eventually we got to the point where I could say stand from anywhere and she'd stop and look for the target. We practice it whilst leading too, every few strides I ask for stand, click and give her a treat and then walk on, repeat, etc.

We also did the same thing for closing gates as she had a habit of dashing through the minute they were open, which isn't helpful if there are more horses in there. I basically asked for a turn on the forehand and then a touch of the target which I put on the gate (worked one step at a time until we got all the way to a full turn). I also incorporated the word Turn so now we can go through the gate, I say Turn and Bebe will turn around so I can easily close it. We have to have brush up sessions on this too, sometimes her hunger for tea overcomes her manners but it only takes 2 minutes.

She does take herself into her stable but it's too dangerous to consider letting her go up to the yard on her own. It's only 100 yards away from the field but the lane goes out onto a dual carriageway.

Amanda

[Kerry's Partner!!]

I agree with Heather - this is a question for Michael Peace. Having had the same problem myself I'd first go for re-stating the problem (sorry to be so obvious). You said that your horse normally is fine and behaves like a horse should do when being led (from your description that's what I'd say). Your problem revolves around the unusual circumstances. This is the problem I have too. My horse will react to my change in pace instantly (she did NOT used to do this but I was able to have help from Michael - so I learned and so did my horse). She still does, however, intermittently behave like you describe your horse does. I think my horse does this when she is DESPERATE to come in (and that's when the weather is foul because she actually likes the creature comforts of her stable). Whether she'll ever change I don't know but I did learn from Michael how to respond to her when she is being "desperate" and it helped me and Kerry so much. (The words are deliberate by the way - learning how to "respond"; no gadgets etc.) Sadly I don't bring her in these days (work!!) so I rarely get the chance to maintain what Michael taught me during these "desperate" occasions (few though they may be). Except, that is, when she's feeling out of sorts with life generally - and what I learned in the way of how to respond has never ever failed yet (on the ground). I now need to achieve this when she's feeling out of sorts when she's being ridden!!

[horsemad]

Thanks for all your replies. Kerry's partner - I think I will have to look into Michael's methods and see if I can try them out on my horse - it sounds like you are very 'tuned in' to your horse's behaviour. I think it probably was the bad weather which was making her act in this way - like your horse, she is keen to come into her stable in bad weather, so maybe she was just telling me to hurry up!

A couple of days after this incident, I was bringing my horse in from the field again (another wet and windy night - oh the joys of winter!) and she was a bit hyper, but not as bad as the previous time. Anyway, I tried the tactic of circling her round several times when she started to speed up - and it worked brilliantly! We were both much calmer and happier by the time we reached the yard this time! :D