Ride and Lead, how do YOU do it?

[Enfys]

I am having a bit of a, shall we call it, discussion? On a FB page (where else?) on the subject.

I am saying that I, personally, prefer to have the head of the lead horse at, or just behind my knee, so I can control what it is doing. Apparently they should be towed behind so that riders (if you are leading a novice) doesn't get crushed (presumably OK if they get their teeth kicked out though) My comment that the leader should train the horses to keep their distance has not gone down well .

Everyone has their own way of doing things, and I don't actually care how they do it as long as the end result is the same, what works for one does not necessarily work for others. I am also old, but can still remember our DC making us do it 'properly' at PC camp, I think there was actually a certificate for Ride and Lead, or maybe she made that up


So, saying that ^, how do you ride and lead/pony whatever you choose to call it?

 

[be positive]

Where I trained we took out two novices, they weren't true beginners just not ready to hack in the open off lead so had some basic idea of control, on the lead one either side with the horses head just by your knee, the lead rein was fairly loose so that the rider was basically in control with the leader as a safety net.
Having something directly behind your own horse gives you no control in any situation as far as I can tell, you could be little help in an emergency, they would probably be just as safe loose, I don't remember anyone getting crushed maybe the odd knee bump and we used to canter like this, polo ponies are often exercised up to 5 at a time, all in a line side by side, if the horses are well trained they learn to stay in their own space except for the odd moment.

 

[AmyMay]

Like you, Enfys, the horse that I'm leading's head by my knee (or thereabouts). Lord, never trailing behind. And also in a bridle with reins.

 

[thatsmygirl]

I led a horse out quite often to get them all exercised and have the horse I'm leading at my leg, never behind more than that and they get brought back if they go ahead to far.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Like you, Enfys, the horse that I'm leading's head by my knee (or thereabouts). Lord, never trailing behind. And also in a bridle with reins.

Exactly the same as me. Having a horse behind would give you little control.

 

[pippixox]

if you have a horse behind and the horse you are riding decides to kick....
totally agree with you- i lead horses, and they are roughly by my knee, not much further forward as then head to head they can start to interact too much! they are next to me, but space so they are not pinning my leg next to the horse i am riding.
then also, if they for example decide to stop e.g. to have a poo (my mare does this), you have a bit of leeway on the lead rope, rather than already having it at its longest and either having to let go or get pulled backwards out of the saddle!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Always with the lead horses head by my knee/foot (depending on height) has worked for me for a goodly number of years, taking children at RS's, out hunting etc etc

Anywhere else and the rider has no control over the horse/pony being led.

 

[_GG_]

Like you Enfys, head by my knee. I actually think horse behind is fairly dangerous, not just because the horse could get booted, but because it leaves the leading rider in a pretty precarious position should things go wrong. All it takes is a tangled lead to get caught around you should the led horse bolt and you are hurt and on the floor. At least with the head close, you have better control can act quickly and constantly assess.

 

[Hetsmum]

Exactly the same as me. Having a horse behind would give you little control.

Same - only time horse is behind me is if the path is too narrow to lead alongside.....

 

[Hoof_Prints]

head by knee here too, seems stupid to have them trailing behind, lack of control, could easily spook and run past my horse, get kicked or just be annoying by crossing the rope over the back by going on the wrong side... I have had this experience, luckily my horse was very well behaved as I untangled the rope

 

[NellRosk]

Yep, head by knee too! Once we were hacking by some cows and the horse I was leading stopped, my horse kept going so the lead horse ended up behind mine in the 'towing' situation that you describe in your OP. She was impossible to control and for the 30 seconds or so that she was there before I managed to get her by my knee was swinging about all over the place! Which pretty much proves your point I think

 

[Polos Mum]

I only ride and lead with a riderless horse (if I had two riders wouldn't need to lead!) I have the horse being led in a bridle with a long leadrope (knotted at the end) threaded through the bit ring on the side nearest me and clipped onto the other side.
I have the horses nose then in line with my hand so the lead rein (which I have like double bridle reins in both hands) goes in a straight line from both hands to the horse's mouth - it seems to give me max control and we can neatly walk trot and canter in the fields (and with my old boy the odd blast in the stubble fields)
Towing behind I think the ridden horse might object to the sawing of the rein over their bum

 

[Goldenstar]

I train mine to go a little further forward with the led horses bit parallel to my hands .
I also thread the near side rein through the bit on the off side .
I do a lot of riding and leading most days in winter .

 

[Polos Mum]

I train mine to go a little further forward with the led horses bit parallel to my hands .
I also thread the near side rein through the bit on the off side .
I do a lot of riding and leading most days in winter .

Thanks - more neatly put than my waffle !

 

[Honey08]

I lead with the horse's head level with my knee, whether there is a rider or not. It enables you to control the horse and communicate with the rider. I like the horses to be able to drop behind and go single file if asked, as the lanes are narrow around here if you need to pass a car.

 

[_GG_]

I lead with the horse's head level with my knee, whether there is a rider or not. It enables you to control the horse and communicate with the rider. I like the horses to be able to drop behind and go single file if asked, as the lanes are narrow around here if you need to pass a car.

Absolutely, I also think they should know and be ok with going behind when needed. Just don't know why or in fact think I have ever known anyone do that all the time.

 

[Brontie]

I've been taught the military way, and the way for training to ride postilion on a carriage. The horse is lead on my right side, with bridle and reins or a posting rein, which is effectively a coupler chain and leader. This means that equal pressure is applied both sides when riding into the halt. Horses will be lead shoulder to shoulder slap bang next to each other.

 

[AmyMay]

So the riderless horse is on your right hand side and nearest to traffic Brontie?

 

[Highlands]

As above lead pony is the lazier one, boots on both, taught to go behind and get up on he verge

 

[Brontie]

So the riderless horse is on your right hand side and nearest to traffic Brontie?

Yep, that's correct Amymay
Below is a photo from a recent trip to France. The horse on the right matches the stride to my ridden horse.

 

[stencilface]

By my knee ideally, however on occasion leading our (now sadly departed) veteran, yes VETERAN racer out beside mine, he would end up in front, then crossing under my horses neck, bridle on the lot.

Needless to say I didn't attempt that more than once or twice! I do need to extra bombproof my horse over the next few years, and teach our pony youngsters to do this before mini sf is ready to ride though. I have a 3 years I reckon!

 

[AmyMay]

Yep, that's correct Amymay

That's crazy.

 

[Brontie]

That's crazy.

All of ours have been exercised that way. If they're not safe in traffic they're not taking onto the roads. 90% are more than fine and don't bat an eyelid.

 

[Red-1]

[video=youtube;GRt5qPzZ4X8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRt5qPzZ4X8&list=UU0lJP-CVlvm1ywFllb-umLQ[/video]

 

[Captain Bridget]

Led horse on left, in a bridle, with lead rope clipped on the far side and threaded through. Preferably his head is at my knee but sometimes it's needed to go single file and he's very good, sometimes he drags behind annoyingly and other times he suddenly has a spurt of energy and zooms off! But generally he's good!

 

[MissMistletoe]

Led horse's head next to my knee on my left.
The only time the led horse goes behind is if we are doing single file around a sown field.
It helps an awful lot if the ridden horse is the boss of the led one so you can use it to your advantage when moving onto verges etc!!

 

[Cragrat]

Led horses head by my knee, unless passing cars on on a narrow path. Led horse on the left on roads, but off road swap around so neither horse becomes one sided. I do a fair bit of ride and lead, but the same one has to be led each time - one of them is just too bone idle to be led, and it's a pain keeping her up with the ridden horse.

Ps v smart photo Brontie

 

[starryeyed]

I always used to ride & lead with the led horse's head level with my knee - always in a bridle!

 

[Spring Feather]

I do it both ways tbh.

I ride and lead the youngsters fairly frequently. Led horse is just slightly ahead of my knee, shoulders just behind my ridden horse's shoulder. I don't like heads of led horses being on a parallel with my ridden horse so their heads are just beyond withers of ridden horse. Led horses keep at the same pace as ridden horse, w/t/c. These led horses are all unridden horses.

When I'm riding and leading a horse with a rider on however, I use my ex-trail horses for this who know to remain behind my lead horse. These ex-trail horses have ridden with my usual horse for almost 10 years so they know the drill. My horse is perfectly happy with them up his tail or wherever and is used to it. The ridden led horse will be behind my ridden horse on a long leather thong. Again my ex-trail horses know that they keep up with the pace so will also do w/t/c behind my horse.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I am having a bit of a, shall we call it, discussion? On a FB page (where else?) on the subject.

I am saying that I, personally, prefer to have the head of the lead horse at, or just behind my knee, so I can control what it is doing. Apparently they should be towed behind so that riders (if you are leading a novice) doesn't get crushed (presumably OK if they get their teeth kicked out though) My comment that the leader should train the horses to keep their distance has not gone down well .

Everyone has their own way of doing things, and I don't actually care how they do it as long as the end result is the same, what works for one does not necessarily work for others. I am also old, but can still remember our DC making us do it 'properly' at PC camp, I think there was actually a certificate for Ride and Lead, or maybe she made that up


So, saying that ^, how do you ride and lead/pony whatever you choose to call it?

I completely agree. Mine all lead with their head at my knee. Whether or not they have a rider on. And I've never managed to crush anyone even though my daughter is on a mini Shetland!