lizzieb
Well-Known Member
I often ride and lead as I don't fancy hacking them separately in the freezing cold. And it gives me a bit more to think about so I don't get as bored!
Riding and leading or 'BOGOF' as I call it! *photo*
- Thread starter Chloe_GHE
- Start date
MegaBeast
Well-Known Member
The comments about tying up struck a chord as a friends horse tied up last week after being stuck in for five days due to ice so did a quick google
Tying up and Horse Walker: Just found this from http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/article.php?aid=47596
"Avoid schooling, lungeing, the horsewalker and hills in the short term as the muscles will not be up to such intense work for a while."
AND: http://www.livinglegends.org.au/health_diseases_tiedup.shtml
"If certain trigger factors (such as not reducing feed on days of rest; prolonged periods of stable rest; overexertion, being in season, using the horse walker, restraining from reaching top speed when galloping, etc.) can be linked to episodes then these trigger factors should be avoided wherever possible. "
So the walker might be a trigger factor in some cases.
Tying up and Horse Walker: Just found this from http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/article.php?aid=47596
"Avoid schooling, lungeing, the horsewalker and hills in the short term as the muscles will not be up to such intense work for a while."
AND: http://www.livinglegends.org.au/health_diseases_tiedup.shtml
"If certain trigger factors (such as not reducing feed on days of rest; prolonged periods of stable rest; overexertion, being in season, using the horse walker, restraining from reaching top speed when galloping, etc.) can be linked to episodes then these trigger factors should be avoided wherever possible. "
So the walker might be a trigger factor in some cases.
MillbrookSong
Well-Known Member
Very interesting articals - thank you for posting
1928sky
Well-Known Member
Soap and Jack are looking great. I too have worked at a polo yard and enjoy riding and leading, to those adverse to cantering and galloping with a led horse there was only one pace at which we were to work the ponies which was canter only for a continuous 20 minutes, the horse walker was for walking, don't need to pay anyone to walk a horse! Its no more difficult than any other pace provided the horse is well trained, raise your hands in horror but the lead horse was only ever in a headcollar and leadrope, admittedly the ridden horse had a gag and running reins- now thats a handful of reins when you have a led one too! I soon learnt which were best to ride and which were better led, that was after having to be chased with a lunge whip to make the led horse move needless to say the ridden one shot off pretty quickly too!
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
ooh, I Love Duns - you've made me brave enough to admitt that when I do it, the led pony is only in a rope halter
..... and the horse I ride from is in a bog standard french link snaffel
(ooh, and if we're just going for a quiet one round the farm, quite often I don't bother with the saddle - bad me!)
(ooh, and if we're just going for a quiet one round the farm, quite often I don't bother with the saddle - bad me!)
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I rode and led to teach young pony how to do ditches, figured if she fell in them she only had herself to blame! Led her off my hunter who knew all about it. I used a lunge line for those but I think if I did it again I'd get a retractable dog lead as you had to be quick to control the lunge line if it got baggy.
Festive_Felicitations
Well-Known Member
Used to do it when I rode in Endurances to help get other horses fit. Used to ride 1, lead 1 and have a 3rd following loose (who was a pain in the neck when she decided she wanted to play piggy in the middle). As most of the trails were single file only I had to make sure all 3 were perfectly calm about habing ropes round their bums/across the back/round head etc...but once they got used to it they were very good and used to stop dead if the rope got round thier legs
I used to ride at all paces - had to to get them fit. The flats did tend to turn into a race...=) Especially with Baby (who was all grown up) loose reving everyone up.
Before I get yelled at for having a loose horse we rode in the Andes miles from any roads and the only other people out there where the odd Huaso (stockman), a few cyclists on the lower trails, and cows. Baby took great delight in sneaking up behind cyclists and snorting down the back of their neck =)
I used to ride at all paces - had to to get them fit. The flats did tend to turn into a race...=) Especially with Baby (who was all grown up) loose reving everyone up.
Before I get yelled at for having a loose horse we rode in the Andes miles from any roads and the only other people out there where the odd Huaso (stockman), a few cyclists on the lower trails, and cows. Baby took great delight in sneaking up behind cyclists and snorting down the back of their neck =)
Chloe_GHE
Well-Known Member
that sounds amazing! I wish I had a few thousand acres of mountainous terrain to ride loose with mine on. I don't think the MOD would be too chuffed if I arrived with my horsey convoy galloping loose all over Salisbury Plain!
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Wow, Felicity, I'm soooo jealous!
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
I regularly took our old pony out leading her from on my horse. I went to Shropshire and stayed with a lady who took three out (leading two) and would let them loose on certain stretches, then catch them back up when they had, say, galloped to the top of the hill
I watched this and it was 'mad' - but worked perfectly. She really had a way with her horses.
Jul
Well-Known Member
Lovely pics - that's inspired me to get one of my 2 next time
I ride and lead my 2 eventers pretty regularly and I do enjoy it. Sometimes there's just no other way to get them both out if I'm strapped for time and it means we can go for longer. It's not quite such 'quality' work for the led one though is it?
I do the same as someone said above, ie clip a leadrope to the opposite bit ring, through the nearest bit ring and lead from that. The rope I use is slim and smooth so that helps - easier than with one of the twisted ones.
Usually I just walk and trot but I have cantered them a few times, only time I had a slight problem was when the more dominant one (ridden) started to warn the other one in case she overtook! They're both pretty controllable though so its easy to get them back in line
I ride and lead my 2 eventers pretty regularly and I do enjoy it. Sometimes there's just no other way to get them both out if I'm strapped for time and it means we can go for longer. It's not quite such 'quality' work for the led one though is it?
I do the same as someone said above, ie clip a leadrope to the opposite bit ring, through the nearest bit ring and lead from that. The rope I use is slim and smooth so that helps - easier than with one of the twisted ones.
Usually I just walk and trot but I have cantered them a few times, only time I had a slight problem was when the more dominant one (ridden) started to warn the other one in case she overtook! They're both pretty controllable though so its easy to get them back in line
Festive_Felicitations
Well-Known Member
I think you should rock up on Sailsbury plain with your own cavalry! If MOD complain just say it is to help them train for Afganistan and they just have to use their imagination and pretend that they are donkeys, as you don't have any =)
And just to make you jealous =)-
The photo is of mum on Sahira, Baby loose and I'm on Geronimo (not in photo). This 'flat' area is the plateau/ saddle on the top of a ridge about 5kms from home (or 4-500 m up the mountain from the stables). Unfortunatly I don't have any other digital pics of us out. The ridges in the background are the 'foothills'. =)
PS this was taken in the 2 month 'growing season' in which there is grass shortly before it all gets burnt off and goes yellow for the summer, then the snow returns for winter.
And just to make you jealous =)-
The photo is of mum on Sahira, Baby loose and I'm on Geronimo (not in photo). This 'flat' area is the plateau/ saddle on the top of a ridge about 5kms from home (or 4-500 m up the mountain from the stables). Unfortunatly I don't have any other digital pics of us out. The ridges in the background are the 'foothills'. =)
PS this was taken in the 2 month 'growing season' in which there is grass shortly before it all gets burnt off and goes yellow for the summer, then the snow returns for winter.
Cash
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I too have worked at a polo yard and enjoy riding and leading, to those adverse to cantering and galloping with a led horse there was only one pace at which we were to work the ponies which was canter only for a continuous 20 minutes, the horse walker was for walking, don't need to pay anyone to walk a horse! Its no more difficult than any other pace provided the horse is well trained, raise your hands in horror but the lead horse was only ever in a headcollar and leadrope, admittedly the ridden horse had a gag and running reins- now thats a handful of reins when you have a led one too!
[/ QUOTE ]
Totally the same about cantering- we just go round and round the grass track or the pitches! Once they've had the initial moment of excitement, tends to settle down fairly quickly!
I polo groom every summer, and riding and leading is very very common- the Argentine grooms will often take an entire string of polo ponies- so that can be anything up to 10 horses.
I've never dared do more than 4 in total. If they are used to it (which they all are as they do it so regularly) it's really not that bad. It makes everything SO much quicker- when I had my string of 8 this summer, imagine how long it would take to exercise all of them!
Generally use headcollars and leadropes for the led, and a gag or pelham with running reins, like I_love_duns.
I too have worked at a polo yard and enjoy riding and leading, to those adverse to cantering and galloping with a led horse there was only one pace at which we were to work the ponies which was canter only for a continuous 20 minutes, the horse walker was for walking, don't need to pay anyone to walk a horse! Its no more difficult than any other pace provided the horse is well trained, raise your hands in horror but the lead horse was only ever in a headcollar and leadrope, admittedly the ridden horse had a gag and running reins- now thats a handful of reins when you have a led one too!
[/ QUOTE ]
Totally the same about cantering- we just go round and round the grass track or the pitches! Once they've had the initial moment of excitement, tends to settle down fairly quickly!
I polo groom every summer, and riding and leading is very very common- the Argentine grooms will often take an entire string of polo ponies- so that can be anything up to 10 horses.
Generally use headcollars and leadropes for the led, and a gag or pelham with running reins, like I_love_duns.
RobinHood
Well-Known Member
When I was looking after hunters the only way I could get them all exercised each day was by riding and leading both for roadwork and canter work in cirencester park. There were 6 horses in fit work and I had to fit my uni lectures into my daily routine, as well as doing their pc ponies and 4 polop ponies.
I always lead in a bridle and reins, but I thread the outside rein through the inside bit ring so the bit stays the right way round. I'm also careful to alternate which side the lead horse is when doing canterwork otherwise they always have their head and neck crooked to the same side.
I always lead in a bridle and reins, but I thread the outside rein through the inside bit ring so the bit stays the right way round. I'm also careful to alternate which side the lead horse is when doing canterwork otherwise they always have their head and neck crooked to the same side.
Tharg
Well-Known Member
Do the led horses stop at the same time as the ridden one? I can imagine my arm ending up longer!