Ride and lead

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LetsbeFrank

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Hello, not sure if this is in the right place - apologies if not!
I’d like to start leading Frank, my 2 yr old cob, while riding Stan. I walk them out in hand together with no issues, currently a couple of miles at a time. Frank is very sensible. How far should/could I ride while leading? Just at a gentle walk to start..

Thanks 😊
 
Best to ensure you have a foot soldier (with gloves, hat and decent boots on) who can start off leading him. If all going well then you could pick up the rope/line. Keep it to 20 mins or so on a round route if you can, keep foot soldier for quite a few trips. Horses can be fools, youngsters more so!
Its advised to have horses bitted on the public highway and I expect your 2 yr old isnt ready yet? So if possible avoid any busy roads.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Best to ensure you have a foot soldier (with gloves, hat and decent boots on) who can start off leading him. If all going well then you could pick up the rope/line. Keep it to 20 mins or so on a round route if you can, keep foot soldier for quite a few trips. Horses can be fools, youngsters more so!
Its advised to have horses bitted on the public highway and I expect your 2 yr old isnt ready yet? So if possible avoid any busy roads.
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Thank you for your reply. No, he’s not bitted yet - that was the plan for the next couple of months Before introducing long reining in the spring. Probably best to leave the ride & lead , I’ll continue to take him out and about in hand.
 
I use a rope halter and a 10/12 ft rope for ride and lead. The rope halter is stronger in pressure if needed but they are a lot less resentful about being lead by their mouths. I have had it with a bit where you are almost dragging them along but stick them in a rope halter and much more cheery. I usually ride out with someone else first time to give a tap in the bum if the led horse starts to fall behind. Just sets them up with understanding what’s needed.
 
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The problem with just isn’t my a head collar and rope is the f there’s an accident your insurance company probably isnt going to pay out. Rule 52 states

Rule 52 – Saddlery​

It goes without saying, you must have control of your horse out on the roads. As riders, we know that some horses are naturally spookier than others. If your horse can be flighty or nervous, try to ride out with friends if this will help. While it can be tempting to hop on board bareback or in a headcollar, it is stated that you should never ride on the roads without both a saddle and bridle. These should be well fitting and in good condition.

Now it’s the first sentence here that applies. You’d be considered not in control without a bridle on the led horse.

Just something to think about.
 
Parrotperson said:
The problem with just isn’t my a head collar and rope is the f there’s an accident your insurance company probably isnt going to pay out. Rule 52 states

Rule 52 – Saddlery​

It goes without saying, you must have control of your horse out on the roads. As riders, we know that some horses are naturally spookier than others. If your horse can be flighty or nervous, try to ride out with friends if this will help. While it can be tempting to hop on board bareback or in a headcollar, it is stated that you should never ride on the roads without both a saddle and bridle. These should be well fitting and in good condition.

Now it’s the first sentence here that applies. You’d be considered not in control without a bridle on the led horse.

Just something to think about.
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'You’d be considered not in control without a bridle on the led horse'

Not necessarily in my experience.

When I restarted my horse, I did all of the re-starting in a rope halter - I could walk, trot, canter, gallop & jump in it (and had lessons in it). I specifically asked the question to the insurance company at the time and they were happy I could prove as much control as with a traditional bitted bridle so could offer cover.

It's something I would 100% check with insurance company before doing but it's not an automatic given that no bridle = no control.
 
Red-1 said:
I always start them on the arena. I make sure I can get on and off unaccompanied (in case we have to when out), can stand for a period of time (such as you would at a junction) and can both walk and trot (in case you have to trot to unblock the road).

I did a tiktoc video and for some reasons it had 72k views???

LOL

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7318831811080113440

And here they are the other way round...

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7280960620428643617
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Love your mounting block.
 
I've tried pretty much every combination for ride and lead. The led horse in bridle, in head collar or in cavesson (if you attach your lead rope to the middle loop on the nose band, if your horse gets a bit forwards, it pulls his head back round to you). For the ridden horse, I normally have a saddle and bridle, but will hop on bareback in a head collar if I'm just going through the village to change fields. Not necessarily recommended, but because I have a strider (ridden) and a slow-poke (led) I carry a long schooling whip between the two horses to encourage my slower one forwards to avoid having my arm pulled backwards, I can also move it to in front of her nose if she gets a bit speedy and threatens to overs take us.
 
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