The one problem I'm having

[Fools Motto]

The new mare is amazing, in almost every way. I'm truly blessed and love her dearly... apart from this one thing, and I would love your inputs into how you'd deal with it!
She will not lead - well she does kind of, but she just drags. I have to take a schooling whip and encourage her to keep up, but it's like asking a lead block to walk!! She's a tiny bit better with a bridle though, but going out to the field and coming in, with a head collar oh my days!!! so frustrating. She'll walk when I tap her up, but as soon as I'm not, she'll just fall behind again. She is as laid back as they come, and so sweet and easy. Under saddle, if you press the right buttons, she comes alive and can get quite sassy which I love! Her sales video shows her trotting up in hand no problem...
As I said before, this is her ONLY fault.... and I shouldn't really complain.

 

[blitznbobs]

Its like everything - its about being consistant and making where you want her to be the most comfortable place. Id walk faster using body language to encourage her forward if she doesnt walk on straight away id go for a few steps of trot… and then back to walk so a decent walk is easier than not…

 

[Abacus]

I have one like this. I think he is just idle when led, it’s a bit annoying. I do believe instead of dragging from the front it helps to push from behind (so the schooling whip method). I’m quite brisk with it and demand a response from him when flicked (and he is responsive). Things are improving.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I would just persist, and keep repeating as you are now. I bet that once she has clicked on what you’re trying to achieve, she will cotton on quickly.

It might help to do some groundwork exercises with her. Mim loves them, and it has really helped her to be very responsive in-hand.

I did lots of of walk to halt/ halt to walk/ halt to rein back transitions, and taught turn on the forehand.

I then starting teaching her shoulder in, by standing facing her tail, angling her shoulders of the track and touching the schooling whip very lightly just under her belly. So I walk backwards whilst she walks forward.

That might help your mare to understand forward drive into the hand. And you could move her into leg yield by turning down the center line and then shifting your body so you’re standing facing her shoulder rather than her quarters, and ask her to move across.

Mim and I do this a couple of times a week. We have also done a bit of trot but I’m not fit enough to keep up ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Same as Lady G said, be consistent and maybe lead her in more often than just to and from the field for a little while so she can get a proper hang of it ? she sounds lovely ?

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Stick a piece of apple/carrot or treat in your hand as encouragement….the message being…keep up with me and this is your reward.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Who had they got out of shot waving a lunge whip behind her in the video?

I'd enlist the help of other person if you can, then you can concentrate with leading with both hands.

Get them behind her at a distance, when you feel she is falling behind ask her to walk on and instruct your helper to flick the lunge whip.

Do you lunge her at all? What's she like then?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I would love one like this!! My boys are big striding and always feel as though they are pulling me!!

 

[spacefaer]

Stick a piece of apple/carrot or treat in your hand as encouragement….the message being…keep up with me and this is your reward.

I wouldn't recommend this as it teaches horses to crowd the person leading, and to mug them for titbits

 

[KEK]

I wouldn't recommend this as it teaches horses to crowd the person leading, and to mug them for titbits

I did this with my Connie, who also dawdles terribly when led but is very food motivated. It worked really well, he offers the faster walk/trot to keep up now, I am just careful to reward when he is in the right position.

 

[spacefaer]

I did this with my Connie, who also dawdles terribly when led but is very food motivated. It worked really well, he offers the faster walk/trot to keep up now, I am just careful to reward when he is in the right position.

We've got 17.2 food oriented Irish draughts. I'd be flattened (and they wouldn't move any faster!)

I'd suggest that trudging at the end of the leadrope is actually a lack of understanding. So many horses aren't actually taught to walk in hand.

 

[FestiveG]

Old fashioned rope halter, pressure and release works just as well backwards as forwards

 

[Lady Jane]

I would love one like this!! My boys are big striding and always feel as though they are pulling me!!

Was thinking same. My current horse (in Avatar) is perfect (in just about every way) but my previous horses were tricky. As I am short and they had big strides I was sort of putting brakes on all the time and it wound them up. Give me one who drags a bit to and from the field anyday, especially as she lights up when you ride