How to train a horse to lead from another horse

[canteron]

I want to lead my retired laminitic horse round the stewardship strips on the farm from my other horse just to give it a bit of exercise.

How easy is it to train and how would you go about it? They are both reasonably sensible, but there are one or two tight spots we have to squeeze through.

Thanks

 

[BSJAlove]

practice in the school with some one walking with you. then if needs be they can grab the horse being led. and on the first few hacks again take someone with you.

its a fab way to exercise horses. i do it all the time good luck.

 

[Queenbee]

practice in the school with some one walking with you. then if needs be they can grab the horse being led. and on the first few hacks again take someone with you.

its a fab way to exercise horses. i do it all the time good luck.

^^^this^^^^

although i have to admit that when I was training some dartmoors, who were foot perfect to lead in hand, but wrenched your arm out your socket on horse back, I decided to pop on our old shire, get a 12 ft line, clip it to the pony and tie it in a quick release around her neck, they didn't argue quite so much with her neck as they did with my shoulder! LOL! 2 mins later they were walking and trotting like lambs by her side

 

[Luci07]

Long time since I have done it but learnt the hard way that you ride the horse that needs riding forward and lead the other. An old gelding of mine used to stop dead while my mare kept going so found it was better to swap them around!

 

[SpruceRI]

Have the lead horse in a bridle (no reins) and use a coupling chain/Newmarket chain under the horses chin to connect either side of the bit, and clip the leadrope to that so you don't pull the bit through the led horses' mouth.

I lead my pony on a lead rope with a knot in the end, so it doesn't pull out of my hand, whereas a friend prefers a dog lead type rope with a loop in the end.

If you have someone to help you, then get them to hold the led horse while you mount and then hand it over.

If you don't have help, turn your horse at a 45 degree angle to the led horse (nose to nose) so you have room to mount.... or leave it tied up and mount and then untie and lead it away.

Definately start off riding in your field or arena. Practice walking and trotting (in control!) turning left and right, opening gates, reversing, standing still etc.

Keep the led horse back a bit. Ideally you want your foot in the gap under its neck, but it depends how big the two horses are as to where the ideal position of the led horse is so you're not continually kicking it in the face or neck with your leg.

I always lead my led pony on my left, as I go on the road mostly. If I need to go single file, the led pony will drop behind.

I always carry a wither bag with treats in, so if something untoward happens which means I have to let go of the led pony, he'll come back for the treats!! ;-)

 

[teamsarazara]

We do this in our riding school, we normally just get on with it tbh... Unless the horses is a kicker then we are more careful, but once they get used to the rope being near their bum you'd be suprised that they mostly aren't bothered. My mare was 4 and a bit hyper when we started with her, but recon it calmed her down having an older horse with her!

 

[Enfys]

Long time since I have done it but learnt the hard way that you ride the horse that needs riding forward and lead the other. An old gelding of mine used to stop dead while my mare kept going so found it was better to swap them around!

LOL. I used to ride a shetland and lead a 16.2 tb through the village to our paddocks because the shetland would NOT be led from the Tb. It actually was better because I couldn't get on the tb bareback anyway!

We got some very strange looks to start with, although I am not sure that it wasn't because people did doule takes and suddenly realised that one of the collies that were always with me was actually a pygmy goat!