Advice on improving leading

[MPop]

My horse has always been difficult to lead. He is not strong or silly, but he is just so slow! I constantly feeling like I am dragging him behind me and I can't make him walk forwards at all without an initial pull on the lead rope.

I am getting more involved with in-hand showing and horse agility where it is important the horse moves freely and walks and trots when I ask him to. We were marked down in the show ring last season because he lacked impulsion in his trot and in horse agility you are supposed to do everything with a slack rope. We would never move if the rope had to remain slack!

In the weeks before our shows I did see some improvement by doing lots of in-hand walks in his bridle and using a schooling whip to get him moving, but any improvement I made was very short lived and as soon I wasn't carrying the schooling whip, he went back to his old ploddy self. Obviously you can't carry a schooling whip in showing anyway so this approach really didn't work.

It has been suggested that I use a Monty Roberts Dually halter and use the pressure/release method to get him to understand what I want him to do. Has anyone used a dually on a lazy/slow horse (as opposed to a strong one) and what results did you get. Can anyone offer some advice on how to use the dually, or recommend something else to improve his leading?

Thank you.

 

[Auslander]

I suspect that he understands exactly what you want him to do - and he just knows he doesn't have to unless you have a big stick with you. I can't abide horses who won't lead nicely - all mine are expected to move off smartly when I do, go where I go, at the speed I want to go at, and to stop when I do - all with no contact on the rope. They weren't always like that, it took a bit of work.

With an idle toad, who is canny enough to notice whether you have a stick or not, I'd be using the end of the leadrope, and giving him a good pop with it the moment he doesn't step off when you want him to. If you are tugging him along, he's already won the battle, so point his head in the direction you want to go in, take a step forward, say "Walk on" - and if he doesn't, snap the end of the leadrope at his backside. You are using it exactly the same way as you would a schooling whip - to back up your instruction (which in this case is a verbal/dynamic (you taking a step) one. You will always have a rope on him to lead him, so you will never be in a situation where he thinks "Ooh - she hasn't got anything to make me go with ". I'd be tempted to start off using reins instead of a leadrope - buckle one end to the headcollar, and use the rest like a leadrope - the snap will be a little bit sharper and more "inspiring".

Once you've achieved forward motion, keep it up! Don't hang on if he moves off a bit quickly - go with him, and if he slows down to a trudge, say walk on, and give him a pop with the end of the rope again.

You need to be really consistent - every step he takes when being led must be at the speed you want him to go at.

 

[Brightbay]

If you're intending to do Horse Agility, and especially if you're hoping to work towards the liberty classes, you need not to be dependent on a pressure halter, schooling whip or the end of a lead rope to motivate your horse, since once they're all off he'll either not follow you or might indeed take himself off to a safe distance

I would suggest you have a look at more positive ways of motivating the horse - horses are either motivated to escape or avoid something unpleasant, or to work harder to obtain something they like. The second approach is especially successful with horses who are switched off or slow. Connection Training would be the website I'd have a look at if I were you

 

[MPop]

I would suggest you have a look at more positive ways of motivating the horse - horses are either motivated to escape or avoid something unpleasant, or to work harder to obtain something they like. The second approach is especially successful with horses who are switched off or slow. Connection Training would be the website I'd have a look at if I were you

Yes, I do agree that I need to find something positive to make him want to work, but what? He is very food motivated, but I never treat him because he becomes very muggy and constantly asks for food. Perhaps I need to rethink this and treat him appropriately when he has done well.

I tried to find the Connection Training website, but it seems to be down or has been removed. Are you able to post a working link?

 

[MPop]

With an idle toad, who is canny enough to notice whether you have a stick or not, I'd be using the end of the leadrope, and giving him a good pop with it the moment he doesn't step off when you want him to.

I have tried this, but it doesn't have any effect at all when I am leading him in from the field as he is rugged and doesn't feel it. I could swing the leadrope around my head and it great big circles around him and he wouldn't even flinch his ears! He also doesn't seem to learn from it - although perhaps I am not as consistent as I need to be. I want him to 'want' to walk on nicely if that makes sense. I think that there needs to be something in it for him to motivate him to do as I ask. I just can't work out what that is.

 

[Auslander]

If you're intending to do Horse Agility, and especially if you're hoping to work towards the liberty classes, you need not to be dependent on a pressure halter, schooling whip or the end of a lead rope to motivate your horse, since once they're all off he'll either not follow you or might indeed take himself off to a safe distance

I would suggest you have a look at more positive ways of motivating the horse - horses are either motivated to escape or avoid something unpleasant, or to work harder to obtain something they like. The second approach is especially successful with horses who are switched off or slow. Connection Training would be the website I'd have a look at if I were you

I looked at the website, but there is nothing of value on there, unless you are prepared to pay to join. Whats the general principle behind this method. Genuine question, as I'm always open to alternative ways to get my horses on side. I will not train them to be performing seals in exchange for sweeties though.

Incidentally, mine don't fear me, or run away if they get a flick with the end of a leadrope for being doggy - they just speed up a bit.

Sorry OP -strayed a little bit off topic here!

 

[be positive]

Does he lunge or long rein? I find that the better they are generally at responding, reacting to any commands to move forward the better they lead, one of mine would not trot in hand when we got him, he learnt to go when required but still not really getting the point, over time he has improved but still not as good as he could be but as he is only doing it for the physio or vet we have made do with a rather lack lustre effort, until now, he has been lunging more regularly and has started to be more aware of what is asked of him, lunging was also hopeless when he came, I had to trot up for the physio last week and he bounced into a lovely energetic trot almost leaving me behind.
I suspect your horse is similar, he just doesn't "get it" and to him it seems pointless, he needs a reason to run when you ask, getting him motivated on the lunge, longreins or even loose responding to your voice is probably the best place to start, you may get more exercise than him initially as you may need to be fairly animated to get through to him.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

you need a long lead rope(12ft) so you can get him round the back of the hocks with the end of it.......lazy sod!

 

[MPop]

Does he lunge or long rein? I find that the better they are generally at responding, reacting to any commands to move forward the better they lead, one of mine would not trot in hand when we got him, he learnt to go when required but still not really getting the point, over time he has improved but still not as good as he could be but as he is only doing it for the physio or vet we have made do with a rather lack lustre effort, until now, he has been lunging more regularly and has started to be more aware of what is asked of him, lunging was also hopeless when he came, I had to trot up for the physio last week and he bounced into a lovely energetic trot almost leaving me behind.
I suspect your horse is similar, he just doesn't "get it" and to him it seems pointless, he needs a reason to run when you ask, getting him motivated on the lunge, longreins or even loose responding to your voice is probably the best place to start, you may get more exercise than him initially as you may need to be fairly animated to get through to him.

Thanks for this - it does make sense. I find him very hard work on the lunge so I don't tend to do it that often. I can get him to do a very half hearted trot, and sometimes he will go into canter but it's such hard work that I prefer to ride him. I can't actually remember the last time I lunged him - was months ago.

I have never tried to loose school him, I will try that. I haven't tried long reins either so will have a think about both. x

 

[PolarSkye]

you need a long lead rope(12ft) so you can get him round the back of the hocks with the end of it.......lazy sod!

This. Leading nicely is one of those "must have" buttons . . . he needs a judicious reminder/reinforcement that "walk on" means just that. I'm not advocating beating him with it - but a smart "reminder" to move off sharpish, will do wonders.

Like Auslander, I have a horse who leads beautifully (most of the time - he does have the odd moment when he is doing a dragon impression, but even then he doesn't tow me about or barge into me, he just gets a big snorty and joggy), but he didn't come like that. I have had to be completely black and white about what I will and will not tolerate . . . especially when he chucked me off and I broke my hip and it took me twenty minutes to walk to the field, never mind back again. The problem with mine wasn't getting him to walk faster, it was getting him to slow down/not take me skiiing, but the principles are the same. Instead of concentrating on getting his back end to speed up, I concentrated on getting his front end to slow down and to respect my personal space - either way, you're using a tool (in this case the leadrope) to extend the reach of your arm/hand to direct movement.

I'm not a fan of giving treats - all it does is make them mug you. Think about it in terms of horse language - how does one horse get another to move (in any direction)? They use their body to direct the other horse - using my boy and his fieldmate as an example, if Cracker wants Kali to move his back end, where does he direct his energy? Towards his back end. He puts his ears back and snakes his neck, he might turn his own rump towards him - but always towards Kali's behind. If he wanted to move Kali's head and neck, he'd do the same. By flicking a lead rope at your horse's rear end or hocks, you are doing the same thing.

P