where do you place yourself when leading your horse?

kerrieberry2

kerrieberry2

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Have been thinking, after talking to my farrier today! he's opinions are normally different to mine, but on this occasion we place ourselves in the same position! however when I had a new instructor out last week, she tried to say that I should position myself else where!

I won't say who said where but the opinions differ from at the horses shoulder or the horses head at your own shoulder!

so just wondering where you all place yourself and what your reason are for this? safety/comfort/not ever thought about it? etc
 
Normally at the horse's shoulder, as I was taught but going into our field, the horse has to be behind me, so you have to trust the horse not to jump forward and land on you.
 
I place myself at the side of the ramp and ask my horse to walk past me up into the float so I can fasten the bum bar and put the ramp up before going to the front and bringing his lead rope to the front of the breast bar......
 
At the shoulder, so I can dig an elbow in if necessary! Not with mine I must say but the spoiled pets at the yard need a dig now and then.
 
I am a closet Monty / Kelly fan so I try (the operative word!) to lead with the horse's head at my shoulder, rather than the other way round.
 
I was taught to lead at the horse's shoulder however my girl always goes behind me, I don't know if she takes confidence from me there or what but if I go to her shoulder she stops and sometimes she physically nudges me in front of her. She normally walks behind me without me even having to hold the lead rope. I think it's quite sweet but I am sure some would disagree. In a situation where it was required I would of course have a good hold of her
 
At the horse's shoulder, always. Safest place to be if the horse jumps forwards; backwards, sideways; whatever. A horse trailing behind you is either waiting to jump on you or herding you - neither is good.
 
I position myself in front of the shoulder near the head, if the horse spooks into you and your at it's shoulder your likely to get trodden or bold over, also you can see better if your leading a larger horse and being near there eye as they will take more confidence from you if there that sort, as well as being in more control, I don't care if that's incorrect or not, it just works.
 
Cortez said:
At the horse's shoulder, always. Safest place to be if the horse jumps forwards; backwards, sideways; whatever. A horse trailing behind you is either waiting to jump on you or herding you - neither is good.
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I saw a really good video on Youtube about this, can't remember the trainer though. At the shoulder is felt to be the best position, as Cortez says, if you walk in front of your horse, the horse may take the view that he is directing you. Which is not good with some horses.
 
I tell my boy where to walk, he doesn't get to decide. For trec they have to be behind us, so I have "behind me" and "beside me" commands. When behind he is not allowed to jostle me forwards, and knows this, and would mostly be slightly to one side rather than directly behind.
 
As someone else said, depends on the horse! I'm pretty useless with my girl and doodle on in front and leave her to it, she usually trots on and walks beside me but occasionally i'll be in front all the way to the field! She can walk with me at her shoulder though.
With my boy, everything's done with me at his shoulder - for showing purposes and he's young (15 months) so not 100% trusting of his ability NOT to flatten me if i doodle about.

In-laws horses are always led properly as both can be pretty pushy/rude and it's not worth the accident - i don't trust either of them! I guess it comes down to knowing your horse.. but really, i ought to lead Gem properly too.. i just have far to much confidence in the fact she'll go around me instead of through me... ;) famous last words i hear you say...
 
I walk slightly in front of the shoulder, so that in the event of any sillyness I can brace my elbow into the horses shoulder, also well placed to send forwards anything which hangs about. The older girls tend not to need either, but the youngsters are still only learning. I also use cow halters and being near the shoulder works well with them.
 
So do you all walk into the trailer with your horse? Then does he stand there while you do up the back or do you all have helpers to do this??
 
YorksG said:
I walk slightly in front of the shoulder, so that in the event of any sillyness I can brace my elbow into the horses shoulder, also well placed to send forwards anything which hangs about. The older girls tend not to need either, but the youngsters are still only learning.
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This.

I think when just in front of the shoulder, you still have the ability to control speed, and can use your frame against the horse if necessary which makes you seem stronger

When going into a trailer, we walk level, then I go in front and expect the horse to follow behind, so I can tie up.
 
In the middle. One horse in front at end of lead rope, one behind at other end of leadrope, no bumping into each other that way :-)

But doing it properly, at the shoulder or if loading hand on the headcollar. It also depends on the propensities of the horse. My young horse in particular is very good when I am at his shoulder, if I stop, he stops. As for loading, if one is in already, the other will go in if you stand and point him at the bottom of the ramp. None of this is very correct, but its very convenient when you are doing it a lot and you're on your own at a show with big horses!
 
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To be honest I've never really thought about it until reading this thread - I just walk and the horse comes with me. I guess it differs where they are depending on the horse and their mood. Ill have to make a conscious effort to notice so I know!
 
I'm usually somewhere between the horses head and shoulder depending on what I'm doing and always slightly to the side unless I'm doing something that specifically requires me to be elsewhere. (very rare that I place myself directly in front) I probably tend to end up leading more from the head than the shoulder with my own horse in general as he seems to take confidence from me being that bit further in front but I do sometimes drop back a bit if I'm asking him for certain things during groundwork. I think with a horse where I felt there was a chance of being ran over or bitten then I'd lead more from the shoulder to lessen the chances of this.
 
Generally, their head at my shoulder - I am the leader, the horse is the follower.

How close, and where I lead them from depends on the horse, and the situation. Unknowns I tend to stay nearer to the shoulder, stallions ditto.

My horses all just walk along beside me with a slack rope (tut, tut) go when I go, at whatever pace I go at, and stop when I stop. That is how I train them.
 
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Can do, but I use a helper if there is one available, and with youngsters I always have a helper, I set myself up to succeed! My old hunter would load herself, in fact had been known to try to get up the ramp before it was all the way open!

Sorry, missed the quote - that was to the trailer bit.
 
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