Is there a correct way to lead two horses??

MaisieMoo

MaisieMoo

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2007
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Bit of a random question I know but I was wondering what's the best way to lead 2 horses?

I've been show how to correctly lead one horse by always having its head at my shoulder and always having a "smile" in the rope but obviously when you've got 2 on the go it's not that simple.

I bring in C & one of his field mates a few nights a week. They are generally great together although if there is another horse in front they can get a bit grump and start trying to race each other.

When I have a long/medium length on the rope they will cross in front of me and try to nip each other and if I have a shorter rope, there heads are too close together and again they will try to nip. This is only when they are being grumpy boys but even when they are leading well I end up with one a little in front and one dragging behind.

I'm not in any danger during this - they are best buddies and would never really do anything but was just wondering if anyone had any techniques that would make it easier for me and less stressful for the horses and also reinforce good leading behaviour from the horses?
 
One one each side, just strolling along if they're good. If they're being daft I hold one or both by the headcollar or only using a couple of inches of rope. Just helps you react a bit faster, I find.
 
i do it all the time butone of the horse i could drop the lead rope an she will stand there untill someone picked it back up again! there good horses and the best of mates!

but one will happily trot to the stable the other is a dope on the rope
 
To be honest, I would say the best and safest way is to bring them in one at a time. Even if you trust both horses, you never know what couuld happen...it is very difficult to control one horse while it is spooking or rearing, but can you imagine two? I wouldn't chance it if it were me. It's worth the extra time in taking them in separately.
 
technically i think the best way is fetch one in then go back for the other ;)

When i do it I tend to have one either side, held about half way down the leadrope with my arms fairly outstretched to keep them apart. I occasionally end up with one out in front and the other behind though.

Be interested to hear others thoughts on this :)
 
PonyGirlAsh said:
To be honest, I would say the best and safest way is to bring them in one at a time. Even if you trust both horses, you never know what couuld happen...it is very difficult to control one horse while it is spooking or rearing, but can you imagine two? I wouldn't chance it if it were me. It's worth the extra time in taking them in separately.
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One at a time is not really an option - its over 5 minutes walk to the field and they are the only 2 out - neither can really be left alone without them possibly trying to escape or doing something silly especially not at this time of year.

When I lead back out again I can put my boy out first and by the time he realises he's the only one out I'm on my way down with the horse and as soon as he sees us it's fine.
 
I have one on each side keeping my grump on a shorter rope than my other boy.
At my old place, i used to ride and lead bareback :p
 
Not a problem if both horses have reasonable leading manners, I bring my two in and out together all the time and we get by OK, one on each side.
 
Normally my horses are fine being led together but on Saturday night Storm barged into Jack and spooked them both, squashing me. I had no where to go and ended up flat on my back banging my head quite badly and nearly trodden on! It could have been a whole lot worse. The most annoying thing is they both stopped dead and looked at me as if to say "what are you doing down there!" I will be very wary about leading them together again, although it was a one off. The one thing though is I should have been wearing my riding hat, the landing would have been slightly less painful!! Thats all terribly BHS though isn't it??:D
 
I often bring Kalli and Pink in together.

i keep the more domiate horse (kalli in this case) close to me, leading as I would normally.

The less dominate horse is give a much longer rope and kept slightly behind and out to one side.

That gives me plenty of space and prevents fighting as Kalli doesn't feel threatened and I can let Pink have more space if needs be.
 
Ours are always taken in/out together, it's a 5 minute walk to the field. They do get on really well but sometimes one will drop behind and nip the other for fun, and one likes to hold the other one's headcollar in his teeth while I do the gates :rolleyes: Best is when one stops dead to poo and the other carries on walking, who do they think I am? 'Stretch Armstrong'?!:D

It's not fun in high winds when they're spooky though, and I do try to go up with other people so I don't have to do 2 gates with 2 big horses trying to turn in opposite directions :rolleyes:
 
thats the only prob i have is locking the to gates
as its not a large area turn around to horses!
 
I'm glad other people have the same problems:D

I must say I feel like a bit of an idiot shouting at 2 horses like they are naughty children!!:D

I've started turning them back in a circle when ever they misbehave to try and show them that if they try and rush or act up it will take them even longer to get to the nice warm stable!!
 
I can walk sietske and nelson both o the same side, nelson next to me so he cant bite sietske out of jealousy :rolleyes: then sietske just follows cz she a daft mare!!

Otherwise I have the better behavede in my left hand with more rope to get out the way of other horse if it starts pratting around and to give me some slack to move around. Then hold the 'naughty one' in my better arm and keep them in check.

If they start barging around I just throw a paddy to get there attention back on me :D
 
thats the only prob i have is locking the to gates
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Buy a tie ring. Bring them both up to the gate, take one out and tie them up outside them go back for the other and go the gate up before untying the horse and setting off. If the one on the inside won't stay, buy two tie rings;)
 
if they are fairly docile i have them on longish ropes

if they are likely to misbehave a bit i have them on shorter ropes with the headcollars on sligtly more loosely so they put more pressure on the nose when i give it a tug for there attention

and if theyre really bad i do them one at a tiem in the stallion ring

and im not scared to growl or *cant think of the word, kinda like shouting but quietly* if they are messing about
 
At one yard I was at, it was a 10 minute walk to the field, and 10 minutes back, and there was no way we could bring one horse in at a time. If there was any hint of danger, I would probably have let one of the horses go rather than risk my own safety, as they were inseparable so would not have gone far on their own.

We used to wade through deep mud in the dark at times, and practically ski in the middle of two horses. Happy times! :D
 
I bring two in at once. Hard when horses don't know each other but if they build up a routine things can become easier.

I normally always have the strongest horse in my right hand as i feel i have more control.

We have a small one horse path to our fields and thankfully they have learnt between the one infront and other follows on a longer line slightly behind until we get out of this lane.
 
I've given up trying to lead two at once, I usually get pulled in half or trodden on. I just lead the youngster and let the others take themselves in. They happily walk up the lane across the yard and into their own stables. Much easier :D
 
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