What to use for a plod around the block?

[AutumnDays]

I'd recommend a good second hand treeless and make sure you have a good pad for spreading pressure. Walking is actually pretty hard on the horse's back and skin, as it occludes blood flow to an extent; faster work shifts pressure allowing blood flow to return even if it's just fleetingly every stride. Walk doesn't have that.

You'll find some good stuff in this group if you're on FB https://www.facebook.com/groups/169680956504884

Thank you for that... I'm always interested in how tack affects physiology, more so since I got this boy.

 

[AutumnDays]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply and giving me plenty to consider! There are a lot of pros and cons to everything, and it's definitely got me really thinking about if riding is something I want to do, given it's been so long since I've done it now... That's if he gets the ok to do it, which may also be wishful thinking. But it is good to be armed with knowledge before committing to anything, so for that I do appreciate you all for sharing insights and advice

 

[IrishMilo]

Honestly, yes. Unless you have a horse that is spectacularly ill-mannered, leading in a head collar and lead rope should be as safe as anything involving horses is.
Slightly off topic, but I'm not a fan of lunge lines for leading- once a horse has got the length of his body past you you've lost all leverage and you won't get him back after that if he really wants to go. All you end up with is a choice between being dragged or letting go and having a long, potentially leg breaking, rope trailing behind.

Leading in a lunge line has saved me from MANY horses getting loose over the years. Once a horse has had a spook you're already at the end of a 5ft rope. I would never lead in just a head collar on the road.

 

[Gloi]

If you are riding in a bareback pad without stirrups can you get back on if you have to get off for any reason.

 

[SpeedyPony]

Leading in a lunge line has saved me from MANY horses getting loose over the years. Once a horse has had a spook you're already at the end of a 5ft rope. I would never lead in just a head collar on the road.

Possibly you've been luckier than I have, I've had horses get loose (mercifully in fields and uninjured) and I've seen people injured after getting yanked over at the end of a lunge line- they can get up quite a bit of speed before the rope is fully extended! I don't mind the 10' ropes, as they give you a bit of space without allowing the horse to get too far past you, but I personally wouldn't risk leading a difficult horse with a lunge line. That said, everyone's risk assesment will be based on the accidents they've seen, if they've seen people get trodden on with shorter ropes they'd be justifiably concerned about not having enough space.

 

[Fieldlife]

Honestly, yes. Unless you have a horse that is spectacularly ill-mannered, leading in a head collar and lead rope should be as safe as anything involving horses is. Obviously if you have a horse you know to be a problem you should take the appropriate precautions, but most should be perfectly well behaved without needing a bridle. I'd expect the insurance to cover it unless there was evidence that the horse was dangerous- after all I'd expect them to cover it if I fell off and the horse got loose.
Slightly off topic, but I'm not a fan of lunge lines for leading- once a horse has got the length of his body past you you've lost all leverage and you won't get him back after that if he really wants to go. All you end up with is a choice between being dragged or letting go and having a long, potentially leg breaking, rope trailing behind.

Firstly I think you are giving me your personal opinion not an insurance company’s claims division’s opinion!

I work in insurance (though not horses) and I am not as confident as you are of the outcome of handler was deemed not no be using sufficient equipment. And I didn’t say had to be a lunge line. But I did say standard headcollar & rope might not be considered sufficient for travelling along a public road.

Secondly a horse can potentially break a leg if a lead rope is trodden on at speed too.

I have lost a bolting long reining horse that went down twice on road. Was not pretty but no serious injuries. But was very lucky!

 

[SpeedyPony]

Firstly I think you are giving me your personal opinion not an insurance company’s claims division’s opinion!

I work in insurance (though not horses) and I am not as confident as you are of the outcome of handler was deemed not no be using sufficient equipment. And I didn’t say had to be a lunge line. But I did say standard headcollar & rope might not be considered sufficient for travelling along a public road.

Secondly a horse can potentially break a leg if a lead rope is trodden on at speed too.

I have lost a bolting long reining horse that went down twice on road. Was not pretty but no serious injuries. But was very lucky!

Well to be fair, I'm not an insurer, so I can't give you their opinion, but I'd be astonished if they didn't cover it- or if they weren't going to I'd expect it to be stated in the policy what exactly they required (i.e. does the horse need a bit, if not what kinds of bitless bridle to they consider appropriate, etc). It's very horse dependent what is safe- a nicely mannered horse shouldn't need to be led in a bridle, whereas some need a chifney to be handled- where on that continuum they fall is (IMO) something for the handler to determine.
I'd agree that a short rope can be a risk as well, but it's at least less likely they'll get tangled/tread on it than with a lunge line.

 

[maya2008]

I have had occasion to contact insurance about a similar issue, many years ago now. At the time, I was advised that a bridle (sold as such) was necessary, but saddle was not. So off we merrily went, while waiting for the saddle fitter to come round again. That was more than a decade ago now. Ring your insurer and ask is my advice there!

 

[Fieldlife]

I have had occasion to contact insurance about a similar issue, many years ago now. At the time, I was advised that a bridle (sold as such) was necessary, but saddle was not. So off we merrily went, while waiting for the saddle fitter to come round again. That was more than a decade ago now. Ring your insurer and ask is my advice there!

100% if you are going to not take a belt and braces approach, I would just check your third party liability cover is what you think it is.

Most people havent. actually read all the small print of your policy and cover details,

Numbers of equestrian third party liability claims are going up. So claim conditions and policy small print is getting more restrictive. Not all insurers are the same.

I think a cavesson / pressure halter / serretta / bridle / bitless bridle would potentially be ok on the road.

Equally if you are going to ride / lead on the road without hiviz, how sure are you that your insurance covers you fully.

 

[Time for Tea]

I do not know about insurance. But I have always put a bridle on my led pony when riding and leading. I thread the lead rope through both bit rings. I thought it was in the Highway Code. But maybe it is not now.

 

[JenJ]

Are you absolutely sure that IF you were leading a horse on a public road, in a headcollar and leadrope, and you lost control of horse, and it got away from you and caused a serious road traffic pile up, that your third party liability insurance would pay out? I think leading a horse on a public road, not in a bridle / lunge line / cavesson e.g. might be seen as not taking due care?

Similarly if you were hit leading / riding a horse on a public road and not wearing hiviz, I think some insurance companies are starting to consider you as not taking due care.

Quite a few yards I know of have to walk a short way on public roads to get from the stables to the field - would you consider that they should be leading in bridles rather than headcollars, just for turning out?

(genuine question, I'm not being snarky!!!)

 

[Lois Lame]

I wasn't too sure about stirrups on them from pressure, but also wasn't sure if you had to have them for riding on public roads. I have the peacock stirrups, so I could get a foot free. Maybe I'm just over thinking

Wasn't there a thread on here not too long ago about the danger of using these stirrups?

 

[Time for Tea]

Quite a few yards I know of have to walk a short way on public roads to get from the stables to the field - would you consider that they should be leading in bridles rather than headcollars, just for turning out?

(genuine question, I'm not being snarky!!!)

I have done this myself when renting a field up the road. I used a headcollar. Never thought of using a bridle! I suppose it depends on the horse and how quiet the road is, how far you have to go.
I think you have more control from the ground, with leading a horse, as when riding and leading you are controlling your ridden horse as well as your led one.
But what insurance companies would say, that might be another matter.

 

[Fieldlife]

Quite a few yards I know of have to walk a short way on public roads to get from the stables to the field - would you consider that they should be leading in bridles rather than headcollars, just for turning out?

(genuine question, I'm not being snarky!!!)

If i was doing this regularly, I’d check expectations with my insurance company and see if they required a bridle on the road or not. Then I’d follow their requirements.

 

[maya2008]

I just read the wording of my third party insurance (BHS Gold). It states that reasonable precautions must be taken to minimise risk.

Horses are flight animals and we are liable pretty much just because they exist. If something spectacular happens, horse spooks sideways and you come off, their resulting actions out of fear could cause damage that you would then be uninsured for - because you could have used a saddle and stirrups, which generally help keep the rider on when a horse spooks.