Leading by headcollar

[blitznbobs]

Hi there guys,

Just want to see if anyone else has come across this...

I have a 3 yo warm blood mare ( who btw is v lush I am in total adoration of her) anyhow that said I've come across an issue she has that I have not seen before.

Over the last couple of weeks she has grown up so much mentally and behaves most of the time like a ' big horse ' but there are the odd days that when I get her out of the stable she throws her head and snakes her neck about as if to get away from me... But today it came to me why... Most of the time I lead her with a headcollar and lead rope and tie her up about 6ft from her stable but it came to me today that she snakes when I have done the cob first and led him back to his stable with just his headcollar and leave the rope outside ready to tie the mare up to ... Thus I don't use a rope to lead her out of the stable.... Ie she doesn't like being led by me holding on to the headcollar... I've had dealings with hundreds of horses over the years and never come across this one so just wondered how common it is....

 

[Beausmate]

My big idiot ex-racer does it. It's almost as if he doesn't get what's happening because he can't see a rope.

 

[Auslander]

If you're leading with a rope, chances are that you have it fairly loose, so no pressure on her head. Leading in just a head collar means that you are putting more pressure on nose and poll - and I suspect that's what she's objecting to. She'd probably do the same if you led her with constant downward pressure on a rope.

 

[Tnavas]

As above!

It's also a very quick way to have your fingers tips removed! Also not a cool look when your horse gets away from you.

 

[PolarSkye]

Another one who doesn't like leading from the headcollar - IME it seems to make horses feel "trapped" . . . but it could also be (as Auslander says) that there is unwanted pressure on the poll. I give my stressy, sharp, quirky horse a really long rope and he behaves beautifully. Ditto the relatively unhandled four-year-old mare on the farm - lead her by the headcollar and she is quite scritchy about it, give her a length of leadrope and she leads like a lamb.

P

 

[brighteyes]

And shoulder dislocated.

 

[Wiz201]

I wouldn't lead from the headcollar, particularly with a youngster.

 

[twiggy2]

you are forcing the horse to invade your space as your arm is not long enough to create a respectful (or safe) distance between you

 

[Auslander]

I prefer to lead by the forelock personally.

 

[PolarSkye]

I prefer to lead by the forelock personally.

Well, I do this with the shetlands . . . is it wrong?

P

 

[Auslander]

Well, I do this with the shetlands . . . is it wrong?

P

It can be an uplifting experience when your 17hh+ horse spooks at the hosepipe!

 

[Wiz201]

and I wouldn't lead by the forelock either. Man invented a lead rope for a reason I just use the forelock to grab if they manage to get loose for some reason.

 

[Auslander]

and I wouldn't lead by the forelock either. Man invented a lead rope for a reason I just use the forelock to grab if they manage to get loose for some reason.

I believe that having horses who are carefully trained to lead by the forelock is the ultimate life hack - saves loads of time gaffing around. Leadropes are for sissies...

 

[JennBags]

I prefer to lead by the forelock personally.

*sniggers* is that what you're calling it nowadays? Pervert