Ideal length for a lead rope?

[Keith_Beef]

What's your ideal length for a lead rope?

And what do you think of the idea of a short lead rope (say, 50cm to 80cm ) with a loop or ring, to which a second, longer lead rope can optionally be clipped?

The idea being that if the horse pulls a short rope out of your hands, the rope won't reach the floor and so the horse is not able to step on it unless it puts its head very low down.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My horse does have one short lead rope that became his when his nice one was taken and replaced with this short thing. Its functional for turnout purposes. I wouldn't seek a short lead rope on purpose or want a design I can clip on to. I do have a longer lead rope for ground work and I just switch.

I also teach my horses not to panic when they step on their rope. They feel the "stop" and just calmly back off.

I suppose I would prefer a short over a long lead rope. Less material to deal with and the extra length just ends up bunched up in my hand I guess. So fairly useless for me.

 

[CMcC]

I also teach my horses not to panic when they step on their rope. They feel the "stop" and just calmly back off.

Agree with this

 

[ihatework]

No I don’t like the idea of attaching one lead rope to the other.

For day to day stuff I’m more than fine with the standard 6ft type.

I’ve also got a thick 12ft rope that is my go to for leading anything a bit fresh/naughty. Most recently yearling taming ?

 

[Keith_Beef]

What about material?

Do you need something soft synthetic materials, or do you prefer natural materials like hemp, jute and manila? Do you find some ropes too rough?

 

[Callieann]

For me it's always 12 foot for everything. Has to be natural fibres, but that's because I'm anti plastic

 

[HollyWoozle]

I like an average sort of length, whatever that is these days! 5 or 6ft? I find short ones frustrating for some reason but I don't like having too much rope leftover either, just seems to get in the way.

I don't like the super soft ones but prefer if they aren't too lumpy/bumpy to handle (some of the twisted rope types can be very hard and lumpy). As poster above, I prefer natural fibres.

 

[milliepops]

about 8 foot for me - a bit of slack if needed but not so much that you have too much in one hand. I'm usually leading 2 horses at once so too long is as bad as too short.
I find shorter ones a bit annoying, i do have a longer one for certain things.

i don't like the idea of linking one to another, that just sounds like it's going to be awkward to hold and potential for the horse to whack itself on the head (or me!) with a clip of some description.

I like the braided synthetic leadropes, I don't get on with traditional cotton ones and natural stuff is too rough on the hands IMO

this sort of thing

 

[fredflop]

I use 12ft ones generally. The “traditional” cotton ones are far too short

 

[Polos Mum]

I would love a short one - mine are permanently rolled up with a longer 'tail' so they are about the length from the clip to the floor when on the horse - I turn our 3 or 4 at a time so can't hold all the loops if they were full length.

I wouldn't want one with loops/ clips in the middle - more to break and more for them to bang around if they have a silly moment.

I use a longer one for 'strange' horses - until I know they lead nicely and if I'm taking youngsters out in hand around the village or loading practice I have a short lunge line - about 6 meters - which is great.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I generally use a standard 6ft one but I have a very big horse and prefer a longer 12ft one for exciting days. With the standard if he takes an excited big walk step forward I'm already at the end of the rope and can't have a conversation with him, I can only apply pressure. It's better if I still have room for some give and take.

 

[Silver Clouds]

I see what you mean about the practicality of having a leadrope that could have it's length adjusted by removing a section, but if the horse ran off/reared/pulled back suddenly I have visions of the attachment ring/clip whacking either the human or the horse and causing injury.

Re. material: I had always preferred the cotton ones but was given a round woven nylon(?) one which has stayed smart-looking for a lot longer (hasn't frayed, dirt doesn't stick as effectively). On the whole though I would probably stick to buying cotton rope as I don't think we need any more artificial fibres floating about the ecosystem.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I see what you mean about the practicality of having a leadrope that could have it's length adjusted by removing a section, but if the horse ran off/reared/pulled back suddenly I have visions of the attachment ring/clip whacking either the human or the horse and causing injury.

Yes, after reading a few comments about the danger of horse or human getting whacked by a metal ring, I think it would be easy and quick for a handler to make a bight on the lead rope and then add another rope using a slipped sheet bend.

 

[Widgeon]

about 8 foot for me - a bit of slack if needed but not so much that you have too much in one hand. I'm usually leading 2 horses at once so too long is as bad as too short.
I find shorter ones a bit annoying, i do have a longer one for certain things.

i don't like the idea of linking one to another, that just sounds like it's going to be awkward to hold and potential for the horse to whack itself on the head (or me!) with a clip of some description.

I like the braided synthetic leadropes, I don't get on with traditional cotton ones and natural stuff is too rough on the hands IMO

this sort of thing

I have exactly the same ones as Milliepops, I think they might be Shires? However I could do with another foot of length on them for when I'm heaving gates shut - it would save me having to spin the horse back round to face me every time.

However I agree with Silver Clouds - the only thing wrong with the ropes I use is that the clip is very heavy and picks up a fair bit of momentum swinging under the chin even when a horse is just marching along in a nice rhythm. Any mid-rope connection would need to be very slim and not metal, and very light, or someone would definitively end up getting clobbered with it! I can definitely see the value of a rope that you could make longer, though.

 

[rabatsa]

I use 12' as everyday lead ropes and have an 18' one for loading anything that may be funny as it can go into the trailer, round a bar at the front and then back to me so I can stand alongside the horse.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I have a short one permanently attached to a headcollar that I use if I want to lead my youngsters at home. If they rake off it doesn‘t reach the ground.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I've been making these up in several colours, (2 metres long) 6 and a half feet long, made from soft polypropylene with breaking strain of 890kg , nickel free trigger hooks which seem popular and the breaking strain on the triggers is 340kg.
People seem to like them so far and prefer the 2 metre length.

 

[Lois Lame]

What's your ideal length for a lead rope?

And what do you think of the idea of a short lead rope (say, 50cm to 80cm ) with a loop or ring, to which a second, longer lead rope can optionally be clipped?

The idea being that if the horse pulls a short rope out of your hands, the rope won't reach the floor and so the horse is not able to step on it unless it puts its head very low down.

Sorry Keith but I think it's a daft idea

My lead rope is...
[leaps up to check]
...maybe 8' long. It's difficult to measure accurately while standing in the driveway under dripping bushes. (This season has been amazing. Thanks La Niña.)

Loops are a no-no IMO. Short lead ropes are useless.

Anyhow, I love my lead rope. I got lucky one day in the saddlery and among many different long lead ropes found this beautifully soft-feeling one.

It was threatening to die recently, from old age, but a fellow agister braided its fraying end.

 

[Micropony]

I like a cotton 2m lead rope. Can't bear the really stiff synthetic ones that don't bend properly. Yuk. Wouldn't fancy anything with a clip part way along it. I am very clumsy, and would have my own eye out, which might upset the horse.

 

[dogatemysalad]

My preference for a large horse is 12ft long. It gives enough length to bring horses out of the field when the herd is desperate to get through the gate without yanking them on a tight circle whilst shutting the gate.
For new horses and stressy horses that feel unsafe being tied on the yard, I use a 20 metre lead rope with an idolo tether tie. This allows them to release that if they pull back in panic, they have enough time and space to sort themselves out without needing to snap the twine.