Strong to lead

jj_87

jj_87

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Hi,
Hope you can help!
My mare had just turned 5 and is a real softy, really soft mouthed and is quick to learn.
However I have to lead her up the road to her field and she is so strong to lead, she's obviously excited to go out and play, but doesn't appreciate that I would like to go up calmly!
I was wondering if a controller Headcoller would help her understand that I am in charge not her! What type would you suggest? I don't want anything too harsh but she needs to know I am in control not her!
Kinder eggs for all those who get this far!
 
You can't just put a stronger halter on her and expect her to behave. You need to take her somewhere safe and teach her to yield to pressure, stand in her own space, move her around you etc until she becomes polite to lead.
 
I would do some groundwork with her, but in the meantime lead in a bridle to give you that extra bit of control.

My friends Horse can be very strong to lead, I give him a couple of sharp tugs on the leadrope give him a growl, then back him up, make him stand then walk him on, He is so much better now and rarely pulls me. He has learnt that if he pulls I will make him wait, meaning that it takes him longer to get what he wants.
 
Sorry may have been a mixed message, done lots of ground work with her and she is brilliant everywhere else in just her headcollar and voice commands, she just gets her knickers in a twist with excitement about going out in the field. She doesn't "do" anything apart from get strong! Thanks for all your replies so far they are really helpful!
 
I like the monty roberts head collar, but obviously you can just put it on and expect it to work.
You have to do groundwork first and teach her what the pressure means and what is right and wrong when leading, teach to respect your space.
My boy used to rear in hand going to the field, now i lead him on the end of the rope, he knows as soon as he does anything the pressure will be there on his nose and he will have to wait to get out.
 
Second the ground work suggestion. Treat yourself to a lesson from an instructor who understands the importance of getting it right (you can always pay for an extra 1/2hr of ridden fun if that helps tip the balance) and practice what you learn little and often. Ideally you should not have to rely on physical restraint with an animal bigger than you - they should 'lead' nicely even at liberty (although would be no means recommend you try that out and about.)

ETS: just read your second post, LaurenBay's suggestion abt backing up is a good one. Don't worry abt fancy head collars - you can do this yourself :-)
 
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It's not always about groundwork - and the OP has said that this little horse does have manners.

Sometimes exhuberence just takes over............:rolleyes:
 
Sorry but if its groundwork was excellent it wouldn't be strong to lead EVER. In situations like these it IS always about groundwork. Manners are manners, if my horse is excited it still leads next to me. The idea of groundwork is so that when you do get into a situation where your horse is excited/nervous/wound up you are safe and have control. I'm not saying they walk along like plods, they jig jog and bounce about but they do not pull me or bool into me.
 
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Sorry but if its groundwork was excellent it wouldn't be strong to lead EVER.
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What a load of rubbish. Really, do some people actually have anything to do with horses on a daily basis????

I really wonder sometimes................
 
LouS said:
And I wonder why people just accept bad manners from their horses.
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It's got nothing to do with accepting bad manners. It's about understanding that these are not robots - but living creatures, that actually can get a little excited at times, don't always behave as we would expect, and are not all paragons of virtue.
 
amymay said:
What a load of rubbish. Really, do some people actually have anything to do with horses on a daily basis????

I really wonder sometimes................
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I second this! The Op has already said the horse has manner everyother way, it just gets a little to spirited walking to the field!! When a horse is so excited manners dont come into it!

Why not put her bridle on to walk to the field?
 
I didn't say they were robots, a little spirited is fine, rude is not. They can jog and prance about all they want as long as they don't interfere with me. Getting "strong" is rude and unsafe.
 
Hi, yes I agree maybe using a bridle to lead up to field, alternatively, find a day when you have time and go to put her out and the moment she starts even hinting that is going to be strong, stop, turn round and go back to the yard, repeat as often as necessary till she gets the message.
On other days when she is calmer I would still stop her, then maybe back her up a few steps, if safe do some "move over" work, anything so that she learns it is never going to be straight from yard to field anything could happen so I had better behave and listen to Mum!
 
LouS said:
I didn't say they were robots, a little spirited is fine, rude is not. They can jog and prance about all they want as long as they don't interfere with me. Getting "strong" is rude and unsafe.
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Jogging and prancing, i would find more unsafe, then being a bit stronger then needed!!
 
So a horse that's trying to pull you down the road purely because its excited is safer than horse jogging/prancing with complete respect for your personal space and the pressure on its headcollar, that doesn't pull and will stop when asked? And I was using this as an example, my horse's will only do this when really wound up, not walking out to the field. Dread to think what would happen if strong horse got really wound up/frightened. A horse needs to have respect for the handler and the headcollar/halter/bridle, it has to yield to pressure at all times or what is the point? It starts small, then it'll realize it can just go off and do what the hell it likes.

I'm not trying to cause an arguement but I hate people making excuses for poor training, if your horse dragged you around the yard would you say, oh he's just a horse? I train my horse's to have respect at all times to ultimately keep me and them safe, so when I do get into a sticky situation where they are wound up or frightened we are both safe and they will look for me to take charge. They're allowed to react but they're not allowed to be rude, ever. And if it takes making them stop and back up every time they get in front of me, even if its every two steps, then that is what I'll do until they learn. I like having horses that are a pleasure to handle, not a chore.
 
amymay said:
Not really. But I guess it's about what you're used to dealing with...;)
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Well I'm sure you know all about what I'm used to dealing with, probably super safe dobbins while I'm sure you're an absolute expert and can handle everything! Don't be so rude, I didn't make any assumptions about your abilities. OP asked for advice and I'm adding my opinion to what is safest.

I train/school a lot of horses and funnily enough none of them are rude to lead after a few weeks, but I'm sure its just coincidence, I must be lucky to find such polite horses, or maybe they sense my lack of knowledge and ability and just decide to behave.
 
So a horse that's trying to pull you down the road purely because its excited is safer than horse jogging/prancing with complete respect for your personal space and the pressure on its headcollar, that doesn't pull and will stop when asked?
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I'm not sure the OP has said that she gets pulled down the road???? Just that the horse is rather eager.

All my horses have had excellent manners - but one in particular could need a little something extra when being led through several fields to arrive at the TO field. Not dangerous, just a little strong. Now I don't consider that bad manners, just a natural anticipation of something that the horse enjoys, and wants to get to a little quicker than I'd like. Pop a bridle on - problem gone.
 
maybe they sense my lack of knowledge and ability and just decide to behave
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I'm sure you're absolutely right. Horses aren't stupid, and the person at the end of the rope has 100% influence on how they behave.
 
See eager is different to strong, my horse's get eager, I check them and they settle, OP is asking for something stronger so it would suggest horse is ignoring her requests.

I didn't say your horses weren't perfectly polite, I'm sure they're lovely, I didn't like you insinuating mine were just easy. I work very hard to get them how they are and do a lot of groundwork.

If OP pops a bridle on and horse is good to lead out, then great, but if not she may need to look into to doing more schooling on the ground and ideally I'm sure she'd want to be able to lead her horse out in a headcollar in the long run.
 
Maybe try putting the bridle on over the head collar. Then you can lead her with the head collar, but have got the back up there if you need it and see if you can gradually reduce the reliance on the bridle.
 
Deary me, if the horses has been taught decent manners on the floor it shouldn't be pulling or dragging you about, course they are animals they get keen and excited, but pulling and pushing you about is plain rude and bad manners! I think respect and manners go a long long way :)
 
When my horse was coming off boxrest he was so excited and full of energy he would drag me around no end! Instead of buying an expensive monty roberts type headcollar - I made my own!

Just wrap the leadrope round the nose, and then thread through itself or the little metal circle underneath. When he pulls it tightens, and acts as a drop noseband (of course, be careful not to block the nostrils!). This worked brilliantly, and after the first couple of times using it he didn't need it again.
 
I have to say, most of our horses are great to lead in headcollars and have pretty good manners - even my rising two year old is doing pretty well, save for the odd head shake and pull but a sharp tug and a growl tends to sort him ok. However, my horse who I have hd since he was 4 (he's now 20), although he loves people is great when you're on board and generally likes to please, has at some point learnt exactly how strong he is and uses it when the mood takes him. That is only when being lead though. I have tried various things over the years but this is just his 'vice'. he is not nasty and he will not actually go anywhere in particular he just gets a 'look' in is eye and you knwo he's going to try play up.

I have found what worked for him was the Eskadron chain headcollar - it is essentially a normal headcollar with a 'choke chain' like is used on dogs, across the nose bit. Basically an integrated stallion chain (these used to be used on my horse when he was lead about at college - in fact that may be where he got worse in his handling and hence why they resorted to the chains! Lol). It is step up from having the leadrope across the nose and certainly works with mine. He will still try it on but soon realises he can't get away when he has that on.

Do not feel your horse does not have manners just because she is a little strong when you are leading. In my opinion every single horse has a vice/quirk and in all honesty I prefer my horse having this one than having a problem when being ridden! The trick is to reach a solution so that you feel confident in leading her in a headcollar and for me the Eskadron did the trick.
 
littleme said:
Deary me, if the horses has been taught decent manners on the floor it shouldn't be pulling or dragging you about, course they are animals they get keen and excited, but pulling and pushing you about is plain rude and bad manners! I think respect and manners go a long long way :)
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Where has the OP said that the horse is pulling or dragging her about??
 
Chifney and head slip? would fit easily over or under headcollar and not as many bits and pieces as the bridle..

Just a thought :)
x
 
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