Walking out in hand

[Footlights]

One of my boys has to have 3 months off ridden work but needs working from the ground every day.

We lunge, long line, walk in hand etc but to be honest we are both getting a bit bored and as he is used to doing a lot of hacking I was thinking about taking him out for a hack in hand.

I have bought a coupling for his bridle but don't know whether to use a lead rope or a long line?

He is usually pretty well behaved, but I am thinking worse case scenario - if he spooks and runs off I will have more line to work with if I had a long line, but IF he did get a way then a lead rope would be safer.

What does everyone else think?

 

[pines of rome]

When I had to do this I used an extra long lead rope which was enough when he decided to have a silly moment!

 

[Finn]

My mare is currently on box rest, has been for the last 5 months with another 3 to go. When I walk her in hand I use a Dually, long lunge line and wear hat and gloves. Mine is currently being extremely silly when walking in hand though to the extent that she goes ballistic even if another horse on the yard whinneys in the field or someone closes a tack room door or if anything, and I mean anything, makes a noise. She goes up, down round and round, bucking, broncing and farting in the process then ends up snorting like a dragon for 10 mins or so afterwards lol. So I figure the safest place for her to be ( and me) when she kicks off is in the school rather than walking up and down the drive or anywhere else for that matter. If you saw her you would think she was being lunged in canter/ gallop. Not bad to say shes only supposed to be doing straight lines!

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

I've never had a horse get away from me in a lunge line, so that's why I pick when leading out any box rested horse

Wear gloves!!!! I hate them, but it's not worth the pain from not wearing them if wee beastie plays up!!

Good luck

 

[AmyMay]

Always use reins when leading out in hand - never a lunge line.

 

[Footlights]

"bucking, broncing and farting" - haha this did make me laugh - sorry!

hmm interesting - not thought about using reins. Does anyone else use reins?

 

[catkin]

Have mostly done in-hand hacking with youngsters to get them used to the big wide world. As your horse is older and used to 'life' he should be fine as long as he is mannered from the ground. Ours have always enjoyed it.

Personally I use a long leadline of some sort or a lunge line, attached to the bit by a coupling, always wear gloves and I carry a cane or schooling whip too.
A short session in an enclosed area to make sure that the aids are working is a good idea too.

 

[TelH]

I almost always lead out in a bridle and reins. The only exception is my 2yo who isn't bitted yet, she's only a tiddler (11hh at the moment) and is possibly the most chilled out 2yo I've ever known. I lead her out in her headcollar

 

[BSJAlove]

Always use reins when leading out in hand - never a lunge line.

Agree with this. If the horse gets away from you and bombs off with a lunge line attached, it will make things worse.

 

[stencilface]

I used a bridle to take my recovering horse out for walks in hand most of the time, just with a leadrope through the bit rings - I worry about the coupling breaking if under pressure tbh as there's more clips/links involved.

Sometimes I would take him in just a halter - depending on his mood. He is far safer to talk on the roads in hand than in his field - in his field was far exciting, and after having a near miss with his back feet an my head (on normal length rope) I'm not doing it again!

Ditto not having a lungeline. TBH I hate seeing people lunge at shows, a loose horse with a 10m rope trailing behind it would be a disaster with all the stuff at a competition