Riding (hacking) one horse and leading another.

MDB

MDB

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Ok, so my OH has left home to work abroad until November, so here I am once again on my wee todd with our two lovely mares.

This year should be different however.. I actually hope to be able to ride! Last year I had six months with one horse nearly PTS with fistulous withers, and no saddle for the other horse. Both problems now resolved.

Over the winter we took them both bitless. Spurred on by me thinking there has to be another way to improve my little PRE's nervousness... she was a rescue, badly abused and has alwas been over reactive, looky and spooky out hacking. It transformed her.

So now that I am on my lonesome (in rural Spain with no instructors, few friends that can help) I figured that I am only going to get out riding if I ride one and lead the other. My husband's horse is bombproof. No problems, we hacked out for the first time this week, riding her and leading my mare. All calm and relaxed and enjoying our outing.

Swap the situation over to riding my little mare and leading the bombproof horse... queue my mare having a total confidence crisis, sweating up, nostrils flaring, looking this way, that way, zig zagging along the path, trying to spin and run home or zoom forward at warp speed. I managed 500m and had to get off. I didn't have enough hands to deal with my horse having a meltdown and lead the other.

Now she is a lovely wee thing. Genuine and honest and affectionate. She was not throwinga strop. She was panicking. Ordinarily I have no doubt that I would have been able to control her and carry on if it was just me and her and no horse being led.

They are both accustomed to being out on the trails, as for the past year I have been taking them both in hand for walks at varying intervals.

I am 99.9% sure she was not in pain. She doesnt have anything in her mouth. No issues putting her new treeless saddle on, girthing, getting on her and sorting myself out or even going up the lane to exit the property. And she was ridden by me recently when OH and I went out together. My gut insinct is that she just had a bit of a panic.

So, very long story short (apologies.. I really do try to write short posts but get carried away!)... how can I improve her confidence so that she is comfortable being ridden whilst leading another??

Thank you all :)
 
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Do you have to? Can you not just ride the safe one and lead her?

She obviously is confident with him "in charge" and is not happy when given the responsibility herself. Think about the herd dynamics - is he in charge at home?
 
It's a funny thing, riding and leading. To the lead horse, they may as well be on their own, in their heads.

When you hacked in company, did you take the lead or follow.

It's almost irrelevant because my young horse will lead in a normal hack very confidently however she doesn't get any confidence at all from towing the same riderless horse along beside us, we could be alone as far as she is concerned (she does hack alone too). I can't tell you why that is, only that it is a thing I've noticed, and I ride and lead a lot.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I could just ride the bombroof mare and lead my own, but ideally I would like to ride them both. My own little mare, well both of them, could really be doing with getting fitter. Also, the bombroof one is a bit older, a bit arthritic, and so I figured that alternating which one I ride will allow me to give the bombproof one days off so to speak, without carrying the load of a rider.

In the field my mare is boss. She herds my husband's horse about, gets the best hay, first at the water trough etc.

When we hack together, my husbad and I, my mare most definitely likes to be out in front and I have to make an effort to put her at the back so she doesn't always lead.

Yet, out riding her and leading the other mare... meltdown. Could it simply be that not having a rider on my husband's horse was enough to frighten her? And what can I do to improve the situation? :)
 
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I'd try wee short rides first, even just round your field and build up gradually....

Good luck :)

Hubby r&l our mates regularly but we want to try it with the child's pony soon to get a bit more exercise. ..

Fiona
 
Might sound odd, but did you lead the other horse on the N/S or O/S? Perhaps put the older mare on your offside (if you didn't already!). Might make a difference. (or swap whichever way round you lead in Spain!)

My mare is always the ridden one, I can't for the life of me 'lead' her - she just plants! lol
 
Funnily enough, I am about to do this today for the first time, riding mine and leading my friend's. Mine is the wussy one who is likely to have a panic so I will report back tonight (if we are back in one piece).

I have done a lot of riding and leading over the years and it is a slightly odd dynamic at times. However, from my old horse, who was possibly even sharper and more reactive than current one, I led a child on a lead rein on a horse about the same size as him and a nervous friend on her horse who was at least six inches taller than him and he was never anything but a gent, even though at times he cantered at walking pace.

My best suggestion would be that you ride your husband's mare and lead your own until they are both completely bored with the idea and then swap for little leads around the field from yours, gradually increasing the distance.

My plan today is to just do our shortest hack, which is basically down the village and back and which they are both completely comfortable with. Then if it all goes a bit pear-shaped, I can hop off and lead them both home. I will, however, have someone at the yard just in case...
 
I wish I could answer that but the reality is that it was such chaos... the lead horse was on every side including infront and behind at one point or another! We started on the O/S however, but that only lasted about 10 yards. Lol.
 
Thanks Moleskinsmum! Some good advice there. Let me know how your ride goes today, hopefully better than my one riding my mare! ;) Good luck!
 
I would second practising at home and around the field. I used to help a friend exercise polo ponies - they were fab at it and lulled me into a false sense of competence. I tried to lead my tb mare from my ex-hunter. He completely ignored her, she was as good as invisible. Miffed at being made to walk one step behind, she tried to bite his shoulder, missed and got my knee. It was excruciating!
 
I will definitely try at home and see how it goes. I had to giggle reading your post about your tb biting your knee accodently. I can imagine it would have been very sore indeed!
 
I did a lot of riding and leading when I was working with hunt horses without any problems so had the shock of my life when I tried to ride my seasoned Arab gelding and lead my newly backed youngster from him. There was no way my horse was going to tolerate the youngster that close to him! It ended up with me having to ride the youngster and lead the old one, not exactly my plan. I aways thought as my old horse was boss he would not let the youngster invade his space but it is hard to guess what is in their heads sometimes. Or could the older horse have resented the attention I gave the young one?

It can be dangerous when one horse resents the other one though. My little pony got booted by a mare he was being led from so be careful. If you have somebody who could help, perhaps try riding your mare while the other person leads the other horse closer and closer until they tolerate being in the same led position as if you were on your own with them.
 
FfionWinnie, to be honest i have only ever hacked in company. Except once last year but the horse I left was not happy in the field. So we did go out alone. She was not brilliant but she did do it. This was also before I got a better fitting saddle and went bitless.
 
Thanks Planete for your reply. I will bear it in mind, however my gut feeling it that she is not bothered by the proximity of the other horse beside her out behind her. Unless it was just a riderless horse so close to her which I guess could be the case. Normally she doesnt bat an eyelid if another horse with rider is right up her bum. Also when I take them both out for walks together in hand, they are right beside each other no problems or bickering or pulling faces. In fact i used to take them and the dog together. The dog was offlead most of the time, but for about half a mile going downhill through the woods and past a river with some houses, I would put the dog on the lead in one hand, and have both horses walk behind me with both lead reins in the other hand. They were always impeccably behaved, that is why I doubt it is a proximity problem. My gut is that she was having a confidence crisis because of the weird dynamics.. horses eh?! :)
 
my gelding has always been good to lead other horses and ponies off, even a mini shetland who could go underneath him if he wanted! although he did not ever until he was about 14 years old (now 18) as a way to save time when i moved to my current yard with no school or lights. however, my mare is good to leaf off him, but at first was terrible to lead off. with practice however it did get better with practice.

i also thought good idea as then she is not alone hacking (she will hack alone but more spooky) and she is the younger fitter one. she did get the hang of it eventually. helped that my gelding is well behaved and could even be slightly in front at first. however, he gets bored being led and starts to want to nip her- even though he can be ridden even in canter leading.

you have to try really hard to almost forget you are leading another horse. as she will feel uneven pressure in the reigns and use this as an excuse to play up (whether that be in fear or strop). your other horse also needs to be good at staying still when needed and not trying to over take or lag behind too much. I have a few times (on a private road) actually dropped my boy in order to concentrate on napping mare, and he has continued to follow and i then reached for his lead rope a few meters later!
 
Ideally you should be able to ride one-handed so that you can ram the leading hand against your thigh to keep the led horse's nose as close as possible if he starts playing up while still having an independent hand on the reins of the ridden one. It is essential you do not let the antics of the led horse interfere with your riding especially on the roads.
 
I would actually start with doing some groundwork with her on her own.

I'd lead her a distance from the other horse and practice getting her to listen to you- leading forward, halting, moving backwards and sideways.

Once I felt she was listening to me, I'd hop on and ride on her own, still not to far from her comfort zone or the other horse.

Then I'd practice leading and riding, still in the safety of the field.

You need her to be trusting you, not the other horse. At the moment, she is following the other horses 'instructions' not yours when she's out, and when she's asked to lead, she's not confident enough in your instructions to handle it. She needs to know its ok because you're there, not because the other horse is.
 
planete said:
Ideally you should be able to ride one-handed so that you can ram the leading hand against your thigh to keep the led horse's nose as close as possible if he starts playing up while still having an independent hand on the reins of the ridden one. It is essential you do not let the antics of the led horse interfere with your riding especially on the roads.
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Thanks Planete. The horse being led is not the problem, she will do whatever I ask, no antics. It is the horse being ridden that has the panic... hence, impossible to ride her with one hand only on both reins because she is flipping out, looking this way and that way and spooking etc and so I need two hands to help calm her down... but then I don't have a hand for my horse being led.

Swap the horses around and ride the bombproof horse and lead the spooky one and all is good in the world. I would just like to alternate which horse I ride and lead ideally. Fortunately when things did go pearshaped the other day I could just drop the lead rein (out in the back of beyond with no roads) and let the led horse go loose until my mare stood still enough for me to jump off. Strange thing is she is dominant in the field and likes to go in front when we hack normally, but ask her to go first when we have a riderless horse in tow and she has a panic attack.
 
Yes LadyGascoyne... you are right. She is getting confidence from the other horse. I have spent a year doing groundwork with her and virtually no riding (like half a dozen times) and we have a wonderful relationship on the ground. But clearly she fears the big wide worls more than she trusts me. What I havent done is ride her, just her in the field and work from there. I will definitely give that a go. Thank you.

Just to add... we do not have problems when each horse has a rider, so she CAN trust me out there, but obviously the strange dynamics of one rider and two horses is freaking her out. Lots of field practice I think!
 
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I ride and lead all winter, in the past with different horses I alternated them but with the current pair can only ride the Tb and lead the cob otherwise the Tb is just a nightmare!
 
Sorry mdb - bit of a late update. When I got to the yard they were charging up and down the field as the flies were horrendous so slightly unsettled to start with. Tacked up mine for a trial run with the oldie being led. Oldie kept nipping mine, resulting in him charging off and bucking.
Tried twice, both of which resulted in me dropping the lead. Then hopped on oldie bareback to try leading mine which was better but oldie still clearly not happy so gave in and rode both in the school instead.
I might have another go when they haven't been mithered by flies to see if they're more settled.
So not great but not disastrous and showed I can still sit a charge and a couple of bucks :) but I was glad I had tried in a safe area first!
 
moleskinsmum said:
Sorry mdb - bit of a late update. When I got to the yard they were charging up and down the field as the flies were horrendous so slightly unsettled to start with. Tacked up mine for a trial run with the oldie being led. Oldie kept nipping mine, resulting in him charging off and bucking.
Tried twice, both of which resulted in me dropping the lead. Then hopped on oldie bareback to try leading mine which was better but oldie still clearly not happy so gave in and rode both in the school instead.
I might have another go when they haven't been mithered by flies to see if they're more settled.
So not great but not disastrous and showed I can still sit a charge and a couple of bucks :) but I was glad I had tried in a safe area first!
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Hi Moleskinsmum.. sorry for the delay in replying. It isn't easy is it. At least you managed to stay intact despite the bucks and charging, lol. It is a good idea to get on the other horse bareback if all else fails, however I would need several step ladders positioned around my route in order to clamber up onto mine! The downside of having a tall horse! Better luck for us both next time I hope :D
 
Hi MDB - yep, I'd have been hopeless if we hadn't still been on the yard as the oldie is a good hand taller than mine - couldn't have got on with a saddle, let alone without! Luckily, we have a tall mounting block...
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
OP what if you tacked up both, rode your husband's horse out and your own horse home?
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That is a very good idea! However.... I hate my husband's saddle for his horse. It is one of these silly Spanishy Portuguese ones with ridiculously high cantel and pommel. The problem I have is that once I am up I am stranded!! I cannot swing my leg over to dismount. *hangs head in shame* I seriously need help to get off!!! Haha. And I used to be a gymnast! So I actually use my own mare's treeless adjustable saddle on the big horse cos at least then I can actually get off! But that means that I only have one saddle for two horses making saddling them both up impossible. :(
 
moleskinsmum said:
Hi MDB - yep, I'd have been hopeless if we hadn't still been on the yard as the oldie is a good hand taller than mine - couldn't have got on with a saddle, let alone without! Luckily, we have a tall mounting block...
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I am ashamed to say that I cannot get on either of mine from the ground. I know it is kinder to go from mounting block, tree stump, wall etc, but in emergencies it would be nice to be able to get on from the ground. But nope.. I clearly am not as nimble as I once was! ;)
 
Just a thought, you say your mare is the boss in the field, however, when she is ridden she is under your control, this may make her feel vulnerable. I've noticed that my old TB, who is always bossed about by my other horse, will happily nip him given the chance if boss horse is being led from the field and he is loose. I have no doubt that if I rode boss horse and led the old boy, there would be trouble. Herd dynamics can be quite fluid and one horse ridden, one led might change them.
 
I did try - briefly - doing a lead-and-ride with my two.

Traddie cob is a wiley little s0d, and I led him from my (dominant) mare. Started out fine with her nipping him nicely into line, which is what she's obviously done before in her previous home with youngsters, but it didn't take long for Himself to realise that, hee hee, he was out without anyone on his back, and that meant that hee hee, he could behave like a loon coz he didn't have a person on his back. Everything was fine till he decided to spook at something that he's gone past a million times before, and in the end I had to dismount and lead both home.

I did try riding the Traddie and leading mare; that did work slightly better, but Traddie knew that I had something else to think about and his evil brain figured that hee hee he could then try behaving like a loon and start spooking to the extent that I nearly let go of the mare who I was leading.

So that was the end of the experiment really. A pity, coz it would save me so much time to be able to ride-one, lead-one. Blimmin horses.
 
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