Help - Horse bolts when leading

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madeleinec

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Hi
I have owened my 16.2 IDxTB mare for 8 years. She is lovely to ride (if a little highly strung) and we do well at competitions. The problem is that she can be really difficult to lead. She can be very well behaved for weeks and will get to the field, turn aroud in the gateway and patiently wait for her headcollar to be taken off before trotting off. Occasionally, for no reason that I can think of she will get to the gate and as soon as the gate is opened she will bolt off with headcollar and leadrope atrtached. I then have to play the catching game to get her leadrope off! She has always been difficult but I am getting really frustrated and concerned that she will hurt herself/me. She hates any change in routine - e.g if I go up earlier on a weekend to bring her in to ride or groom then she will let me catch her and then pull away as we are walking accross the field. She never jogs or shows any sign that she is going to go so I blink and she's gone! I think her last owners had problems leading her so used to put her on the slip so when she pulled away at the field they would just leave her so she was never reprimanded. The problem I have is that I just can't keep hold of her to let her know she has to lead correctly. I am thinking of trying a controller headcollar of some kind with a long line as if I can let her get afew strides away I might be able to turn her head. I am just worried that I won't be able to hold onto her and she will be galloping aroung the field with a long line attached. Has anyone any experience of this and any advice or suggestions?
 
my newforest pony does this aseell and i cant hold onto him, he locks his neck and just drags away, the only way i hvae stopped him is leading him in a chifney.
I would also like to hear of some suggestions
Thanks.
 
She is not food orientated at all - she likes the herbal treats and always has them whilst she waits for her headcollar to come off or when she is caught but if she wants to go it wouldn't matter if I had arms full of her favourite treats... Chestnut mares!
 
Simples- Be nice!!!

I don't have one, as I don't need one with mine, but my mum has a few in different sizes for her broodmares, and they're wonderful for that situation!!! If I ever needed one I wouldn't hesitate to get one :D

If that doesn't work the next step would be a chifney, but I really don't like these unless absolutely needed

Good luck!!!
 
Someone on my yard used to have problems leading her mare and she now uses a Richard maxwell training halter. I borrowed it last week to load our tricky mare and it stopped her dragging me around. I am definitely going to invest in one and DVD is apparently worth getting too!
 
I tried a chiffney but as she doesn't jog or give any sign that she is going to go she still just ran through it. Only tried it once as she got away in it and then was standing on the rope which was attached to the chiffney - I thought she was going to break her jaw!
 
Ali27 said:
Someone on my yard used to have problems leading her mare and she now uses a Richard maxwell training halter. I borrowed it last week to load our tricky mare and it stopped her dragging me around. I am definitely going to invest in one and DVD is apparently worth getting too!
Click to expand...

interesting! I will have a look for one thanks
 
Hi, I had this problem with a new horse a few weeks ago.

I gave him a piece of carrot just before removing the headcollar & then another when it was off. To stop him then bombing off/spinning with mud flying in my face I gave a third from the other side of the gate.

This seems to have worked, but I don't think he had a history of this behaviour. I think he was anxious as he was last to be turned out when he first arrived. I've also made sure he's first out, but it has meant that he comes in last & he's a bit keen then, but so far hasn't escaped.
 
Had exactly the same problem with my previous horse, one minute he was there, next gone with no warning - broke three fingers on my left hand once !!

All I ended up using was an old bridle with snaffle bit and slightly longer rope with a double swivel clip thing which clipped either side of the bit and then onto a lead rope and he was fine - this was in the days before controller headcollars etc.

I bought a Monty Roberts headcollar for my youngster when he went through a "difficult" stage and found that most effective, dont use it now, dont need to, it broke the habit..

Good luck...
 
orbie said:
Had exactly the same problem with my previous horse, one minute he was there, next gone with no warning - broke three fingers on my left hand once !!

All I ended up using was an old bridle with snaffle bit and slightly longer rope with a double swivel clip thing which clipped either side of the bit and then onto a lead rope and he was fine - this was in the days before controller headcollars etc.

I bought a Monty Roberts headcollar for my youngster when he went through a "difficult" stage and found that most effective, dont use it now, dont need to, it broke the habit..

Good luck...
Click to expand...

Thanks - I am definitley going to try a longer rope so I can see if I can let her go for a couple of strides and then hopefully pull her head back towards me. Fingers Crossed!
 
What about (and sorry if someone has said this) turning her out with a lunge line so you can keep hold! My old gelding used to do this but more regularly, I tied a knot in the end of my leadrope and snapped it down when he was about to fly... he got a shock and a jolt and never did it again :D I am still called on now to do it if he gets in to the habit again :)
 
Chellebean said:
What about (and sorry if someone has said this) turning her out with a lunge line so you can keep hold! My old gelding used to do this but more regularly, I tied a knot in the end of my leadrope and snapped it down when he was about to fly... he got a shock and a jolt and never did it again :D I am still called on now to do it if he gets in to the habit again :)
Click to expand...

Thanks - Am going to give it a go with a lungeline tomorrow as I need to bring her in at lunchtime for the farrier so fingers crossed!
 
I agree ... a dually head collar with a lunge line. It will teach her that she has to respect you without hurting / damaging her which a Chifney is very capable of doing ... let us know how you get on :-)
 
Another option is to electric fence (doesn't need to be live if she knows what electric fence tape is) a small "airlock" area just inside the gate. Let ned go in the airlock bit then open the "gate" bit. Might work better if she isn't food oriented.
 
I second the Kelly Marks rec. I worked with Indy in the Monty Roberts Dually headcollar on the ground to fix er manners and leading. Worked wonders.

Thought the chiffney bit only worked for rearers? Can't see it working if Indy was to bolt on me.
 
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