Advice for leading a strong horse?

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Scheherezade

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I simply don't have the strength to hold this brute of a young horse in just a headcollar and leadrope. He has dragged me before, and today completely broke free and tanked off to the field.

If you slap him when he pulls or yank the leadrope or do anything dominant at all he just runs off (not beaten or abused or anything of the sort, he's never done this before and this is a recent phase in the past 2 weeks).

What's best, bridle, chifney, be-nice halter? Any advised methods of leading? I've led fresh, exuberant horses before, but this one has some real pulling power in his neck, and I don't stand a chance against him.
 
My friend has young 16 2 who was begining to find his feet.I lent her my parrelli halter and in two days he was cured.One little tantrum and he leads like a lamb.
 
Pressure halter might be a good idea.


He's brilliant 'on the ground' i.e. on the yard, in the stable, in the indoor school. Completely obedient to voice and pressure. But once you get to the driveway with the fields, or you turn for home or bring him in from the field he just runs for his stable.

He's 4.5, and I've owned him since he was 2 and never had this problem before. He is on a high sugar diet, but I have changed that to topspec, gradually phasing out the mix. So I just need an aid until the diet change kicks in. I have no strength at all, being a weak female lol.
 
I had the same problem with my big lad! He is huge, young, oblivious to his own strength and was on box rest with in-hand only turnout for a lot of the year
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I used a (fake from eBay) Parelli control halter (the simple rope halter type) as I was reluctant to start putting things in his mouth for 'control' before he was backed and understood what a bit was all about.

As an alternative to a regular nylon headcollar it worked a charm, although he can still pull me off my feet if he really wants to
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he needs to learn to 'give' to the pressure, so teach him to back up, move over etc. personally I use a pressure halter

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Agreed,no magic answer. You need to invest some time, and do some firm and gentle ground work, teaching manners - and not making it into a power/dominance struggle, as by your own admission, this doesn't work.
 
I use a 'Be Nice' halter. Works wonders !! There is no struggle for dominance, they just respond to the pressure & respect it.
 
dually halter and a lunge line, so that if he does run, you don't run out of rope! practice and practice ground work until he learns. my friend had exactly the same problem with her youngster, and she swears by the dually.
 
Circles!
I always use a rope halter. IMO headcollars are only any good for tying up.
Set off as normal and at the first hint of bad manners turn him in a circle and then carry on forwards. Repeat as often as necessary. You should get nearer to your destination with each circle, so won't be completely wasting time and after a while your message will get across to him, when he realises that he gets where he wants to go faster if he walks properly.
 
get a chifney they respect it straight away and there is no messing around with them!! and after a few weeks in one you can often go back to a normal headcollar and leadrope
 
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Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I'll definately try get my hands on a rope halter, and if that fails, a chifney. I have tried a lunge line, but I can't hold that, and the further he gets away the less control I have, and he ends up running with a trailing lunge line which is more dangerous.

Regarding 'investing time' this horse will walk backwards, turn around and move over from just voice command in the school, stable, field and yard (and on the lunge - he is very intelligent). It's just the walk back to the stable at feed time which has the problem.
 
would agree with either parelli type halter or dually and a 12 ft line, personally I prefer the halter for day to day handling but used the dually on my youngster who left me with wonderful rope burns (in a normal headcollar) with very good results, he has never done it since after 1 session in the dually.
 
Please use a 12' rope wiht a bit of weight and feel to it. A 12 fopot rope is so much safer for you than a short standard lead rope.

Unfortunately I witnessed a member of yard staff getting pulled over under a horse because she was leading too close wiht one of these ridiculous tack store ropes - it was not a fatal head injury, but it was not far off. Take care.

A 12' rope keeps you out of the danger zone and gives you leverage.
 
Rope halter or dually and long, decent weight rope - I get the ones from the USA that you can use to tie up with 'cowboy knots', but I ahve seen them over here in the John Whitaker range. They are nylon, however so you definitely need gloves.
You say he is good on the ground so you can use this to your advantage.
Every time (and I mean EVERY time - you have to be very patient and determined!) he barges, stop him and back him up a few steps, then make him stand for a minute before leading him forward.
when you back him up, turn to face him, with your left foot level with his left shoulder - don't stand directly in front of him in case he barges forward. If you need to push his shoulder to start with, you can.
He will soon get the message and you can use the backing up exercise in the stable if he goes through a bargy phase there too.
 
For a quick fix use one of the ropes with the chain on the end - either put under the chin like a curb or over the nose depending on whether the horse puts their head up or down when being strong - make sure it is loose if the horse is behaving but as soon as they start getting strong or pulling forward the chain will tighten and will give you a bit more say in the matter
 
I spent 12 years fighting my horse - he's a sod fro b*ggering off when leading with a headcollar! Still, he's brilliant the rest of the time so he sort of got away with it.

I would put the leadrope round his nose and this was very effective but, could slip down which can damage the softer parts the nose. When he was at college they used stallion chains (2!) to lead him to and from the field as he took the p*ss. Thing is he's a very freindly 'charming' horse and only ever ran to his field or to the feed room!

2 or 3 years ago I saw the Eskadron headcollar that has a buolt in chain (like a choke chain for dogs) that goes round the nose interlinked with the usual headcollar noseband. Well, it works a treat! I know I always have control now and he has 'tested' it regularly. I would suggest getting one as very easy to use - just the same as a normal headcollar and, if they're not pulling the chain is not in use. If you want to tie them up you move the leadrope to attached to the main headcollar ring. Simple and effective that's what I like!
 
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Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I'll definately try get my hands on a rope halter,

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The problem with ordinary rope halters is that they pull tight & then don't realease, so if you're going to get one try & get the sort where the rope passes through a ring under the chin rather than where it passes through a loop of rope. The rope thats left to lead from won't be any longer than a standard lead rope either.
One of the great things about the Be Nice is that the pressure release instantly as soon as the horse stops pulling, & that in itself acts as an instant reward.
 
chiffney! my boy sometimes needs reminding and the girls will use that on him - I dont use that - but I will use the chain around his nose if he is too keen to get in. He has a leadrope with a chain as he is a compulsive chewer so he plays with the chain instead!
 
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