Ride and lead...

[Michen]

Quick q.. would you ride the more sensible one whose less likely to do a 180 spin or put you in a hedge but is slower/steadier.. or the sharper/faster one that may do the mentioned? Also sharper one is more likely to pester, bite, annoy the steadier one.

4yo is the steadier. 8 yo is the annoyed. Both turned out together so know eachother well. Walking only.

Haven’t ride and led for donkies years so any tips appreciated, intend to use a rope through the bit to far away side for the lead horse (not a lead rope, a long rope that’s shorter than a lunge rein but more length if something goes wrong). Will only be off road initially and only ever in walk (for the next year anyway!).

Edited to add. The steadier one (Bear) did have a habit of pulling away/pissing off when he didn’t like something. But has been many months now (3/4 maybe) since he’s done so. However I guess there’s a possibility Bog would upset him and he’d end up trying.. but could lead him in his pressure halter which is generally foolproof.

Pics of the reprobates in question..

 

[PapaverFollis]

I *think* I'd rather be sat on the sharper one?

I do like your identikit horses. ❤

 

[Roxylola]

I think I'd ride Bog and lead Bear - Bog sounds like the sort where I'd like a rein in each hand!
Generally, all else equal it's easier to ride the less forward of the two - easier to chase them on ridden than have to hold back the ridden horse.

 

[Michen]

I think I'd ride Bog and lead Bear - Bog sounds like the sort where I'd like a rein in each hand!
Generally, all else equal it's easier to ride the less forward of the two - easier to chase them on ridden than have to hold back the ridden horse.

Hmmm but Bog is defo the more forward but also more likely to be a total knob!

 

[Roxylola]

Hmmm but Bog is defo the more forward but also more likely to be a total knob!

Yeah, I'd sit on Bog on that basis then

 

[Goldenstar]

Ride Bog .
practice in an enclosed field .

 

[turkana]

Which one is the boss, when I had 2 I took them out together regularly. I like to ride the dominant horse, the led horse tends to behave if it being led off the boss!

 

[Michen]

Which one is the boss, when I had 2 I took them out together regularly. I like to ride the dominant horse, the led horse tends to behave if it being led off the boss!

I actually don’t know. I’d have assumed Bog As he’s so dominant with every horse but this eve Bear swished his tail at him (he was pestering) and Bog reversed so quickly out of the way I’ve never seen him so submissive!

 

[Michen]

Ride Bog .
practice in an enclosed field .

Don’t have an enclosed field but will do so around the yard or even school a bit first! The “hack” is a sort of enclosed field that’s just behind the yard and takes 35 min to get around. So easy to get home if any issue.

 

[Michen]

Edited to add. The steadier one (Bear) did have a habit of pulling away/pissing off when he didn’t like something. But has been many months now (3/4 maybe) since he’s done so. However I guess there’s a possibility Bog would upset him and he’d end up trying.. but could lead him in his pressure halter which is generally foolproof.

this probably sounds like a really bad idea, but it would be super helpful long term and people ride and lead sharp polo ponies all the time- surely two connemaras can manage it!!

 

[Goldenstar]

If it does work riding Bog try the other way .

 

[cauda equina]

I've always ridden the more sensible one and it's worked ok

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd usually ride the most obnoxious one and lead the other. Try them in hand 1st and see which one is easiest to trail in your left hand and keep nose to level of no more than the shoulder of the other on your right (the latter which would be the ridden one).
Can you co opt anyone to walking alongside you for 1st proper attempt?

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Ride Bog and string Bear ?

 

[PoniesRock]

I currently ride my more sensible one, and lead my sharp Connie. Not out of my choice tho. My coloured sensible bog pony won’t lead off another horse! She just stands there refusing to move ??‍ In the ideal world I’d like to be able to chop and change who I ride. In the winter it often means that my Connie doesn’t actually get sat on apart from on a Sunday! But I guess at least she has the exercise. I think In your shoes I’d want to be sat on the sharper one. But once you’ve got them to co-operate one way round I’d swap it about!

 

[Afon_34]

I ride and lead mine and ride the naughtier one and lead the steadier one!

 

[FlyingCircus]

I ride my older one who is usually faster, because the 5yr old mare gets arsey if he is too near her back end!

But she does regularly nearly pull me off backwards with babyish "I'm done now thanks" moments!

 

[TPO]

Ride the most sensible one; you want to be on the reliable one in case anything untoward does happen.

Used to ride one and lead up to 4 (semi ferals) at a time, I'm sure I still have one arm longer than the other because of it. Even leading one when it decided it had enough was a nightmare, being on a sane one saved the day more than once.

Riding something super sharp and leading something that has bogged off previously wouldnt be my choosing for the first attempt.

 

[SOS]

I always ride the sharper/spookier/nappier one out, I’d much rather be sat on that one than try deal with it at the end of a lead rope.

That said Ioften would jump onto the other one for the way home when doing hunters, especially as work increased. So I’d take both of yours tacked up and you can always swap!

The reason Id swap is if not the led horse doesn’t get as fit to a rider/saddle on its back and also they tend to walk with their head a bit turned in so can do with some straightness. I’m sure you will still be riding Bear regularly but just be aware of this if you do ride and lead a lot.

Ps: put overreach boots all round on both to start with, or if you don’t mind looking a bit strange on their both feet closest to each other. They can stand a bit on the other horse to start with and if they’re spooky can also step on them.

 

[whirlwind]

Try both ways, we have 4 and they all ride and lead but only some combos work and sometimes ones better being led or depending on the combo better being the ridden one

 

[chaps89]

Which one is the boss, when I had 2 I took them out together regularly. I like to ride the dominant horse, the led horse tends to behave if it being led off the boss!

Funnily enough I was taught the opposite ?
Ride the one lower down the pecking order and lead the dominant one - because if you do it the other way round, chances are the one lower down the pecking order may not want to come too close to the dominant one and may hang back etc which makes things tricky.
Though I don't suspect that's an issue for Michen.

Think in this case I'd rather ride the steadier one (Bear) and lead the sharper one (Bog). If you ride Boggle and he spins etc, you'll quite possibly lose Bear and possibly Bog too if you come off (hopefully not!) Whereas if Bear's steady you can relax on him and focus on Boggle more if needed?

 

[Michen]

So many differences of opinion re ride the twit or lead it!! Thought it would be more clear cut than this ?

I guess the only way to find out is to try but I’m inclined to try riding Bog first but have them both fully tacked so I can swap if i needed..

 

[Michen]

I also am slightly ashamed the more sensible one is the 4yo and my 8yo still can’t be trusted to be referred to as sensible ?

 

[AmyMay]

I've always ridden the more sensible one and it's worked ok

Me too.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I always rode the steadier one, Idea being I’m able to keep riding it forward and find it easier holding a led horse back than dragging it on!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I also am slightly ashamed the more sensible one is the 4yo and my 8yo still can’t be trusted to be referred to as sensible ?

I took my 20yr out in hand (retired) to give a 5 yr old a lead if need be... guess which one was the complete arse ?
You could be saying the same for years yet!

 

[Ceifer]

Try both ways, we have 4 and they all ride and lead but only some combos work and sometimes ones better being led or depending on the combo better being the ridden one

This.
I also found when training them it’s helpful to have someone else on a nanny escort to help either chivvy up forwards or block in. But this was with hunters we took straight out on the road and didn’t have the luxury of an enclosed space to train.

The worst one I had to train actually pulled back and peed off. I managed to land in a crumpled heap on the road (ouch). After that experience the horse wasn’t keen on being either lead from or off. We ended up doing the training with someone on him whether he was being lead or ridden. It took some time but it worked.

 

[SusieT]

I ride the slower- it's easier to slow a speedy one in hand than make it walk faster constantly.

 

[GinaGeo]

I wouldn’t lead my own ‘may pull back’ four year old off something that may spin.

If Bear is reliable I’d probably ride him. And lead Bog.

I might be tempted to put a loose outside Side Rein on Bog if you think he might be mouthy. Not tight enough to do anything in regards to outline, but tight enough that he can’t get his mouth round to annoy Bear who will be being very grown up and won’t need a bad shoulder angel ?

 

[Nudibranch]

I'd just try both combinations to be honest. Usually I ride the most sensible and lead the idiot/baby as this tends to give the idiot/baby more of a clue. However with the two I have at the moment, the smaller who I always used to lead, behaves like a moron when led with my other horse. No problems with other horses in the past but she just wants to be in front and race the whole time (and she is submissive to her in the field). She does the same when ridden out with this particular mare. Yet you can ride her and lead the other no problem. She is normally a super sensible ride and drive sort, so you just never know.