Who rides and leads? Any tips?

[tankgirl1]

Hi
I've just aquired a Shetland to keep my mare company. However he is HUGE! I am surprised he isn't crippled with lami!
As well as restricting grazing, keeping him moving in the field and walking him out in hand, I was hoping to get him out with my mare and I. I've never ridden whilst leading before... Do you just get on and go? Any groundwork prep? They are both very laid back and good in traffic, and my mare is only about 14hh so won't be towering *too* far above him!
Tips gratefully recieved!

 

[gryff]

I'm really tempted too, so will follow this thread for tips. I've got an unbroken 15hh mare and I'd love to exercise her from my 15hh gelding. They seem to quite like each other but I'm cautious to try until I've got an extra pair of hands in the ground who can grab the leadrope quickly if necessary.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Try it in the arena or field first, they both have to get used to what you want if they don't already know. If they don't behave you can find yourself being pulled in 2 directions at once, not good if you're on the road. I always use a bridle for the lead horse too, with the furthest rein threaded through the nearest bit ring (snaffle bit) and then buckle them up. Aim to keep the lead horse roughly beside your knee. It's useful if the ridden horse can be ridden with one hand for if you're having a sticky moment with the other.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

In the past I experimented with my two riding and leading.

The advice I've always had is to lead from the dominant horse. That's OK until you actually try it!! Dominant horse was a Welsh D mare; the one being led is a crafty pony-brained traddie cob, who as soon as he realised he was out without someone up-top, thought oh hee hee hee I can just stop and eat now!!

I tried it the other way round, i.e. rode Trad Lad, and it was marginally better, mare did keep Trad Lad in order a little bit, but he then realised that I had only one hand on the reins and figured that he could then take advantage of that............ we then met a quad bike coming towards us down the road, neither of them would blink an eye if they'd met it in ordinary circumstances, but both thought they'd be daft about it, which resulted in me being pulled in two directions with the very real possibility of a loose horse.

That was the last time I tried doing it. It just didnt' work for us, I really envy people who's horses will let them do it.

 

[tankgirl1]

Try it in the arena or field first, they both have to get used to what you want if they don't already know. If they don't behave you can find yourself being pulled in 2 directions at once, not good if you're on the road. I always use a bridle for the lead horse too, with the furthest rein threaded through the nearest bit ring (snaffle bit) and then buckle them up. Aim to keep the lead horse roughly beside your knee. It's useful if the ridden horse can be ridden with one hand for if you're having a sticky moment with the other.

Hmmm shettie isn't bitted, but is very responsive in a rope halter... my mare is a star and I usually ride her one handed anyway haha!

Is it a big no no to tie lead pony to ridden ponies saddle with a quick release knot? Genuinely asking as really don't know!

 

[Clodagh]

I always did it, and loved it. Bear in mind that a Shetland will have to jog the whole way to keep up, so don't go too far!
Start with someone helping you, they can either walk next to the pony, on it's other side, or beat it from behind, whichever is most useful. I led a 11hh Welsh of my 16hh hunter and we did fine.

 

[tankgirl1]

In the past I experimented with my two riding and leading.

The advice I've always had is to lead from the dominant horse. That's OK until you actually try it!! Dominant horse was a Welsh D mare; the one being led is a crafty pony-brained traddie cob, who as soon as he realised he was out without someone up-top, thought oh hee hee hee I can just stop and eat now!!

I tried it the other way round, i.e. rode Trad Lad, and it was marginally better, mare did keep Trad Lad in order a little bit, but he then realised that I had only one hand on the reins and figured that he could then take advantage of that............ we then met a quad bike coming towards us down the road, neither of them would blink an eye if they'd met it in ordinary circumstances, but both thought they'd be daft about it, which resulted in me being pulled in two directions with the very real possibility of a loose horse.

That was the last time I tried doing it. It just didnt' work for us, I really envy people who's horses will let them do it.

I cannot ride the shettie haha, so fingers crossed my mare is the boss!

 

[Clodagh]

Hmmm shettie isn't bitted, but is very responsive in a rope halter... my mare is a star and I usually ride her one handed anyway haha!

Is it a big no no to tie lead pony to ridden ponies saddle with a quick release knot? Genuinely asking as really don't know!

Huge no no. I can truly canter across a field riding and leading while talking on my phone, get them set and it is a doddle. (Don't try that anywhere but at home!).

 

[tankgirl1]

I always did it, and loved it. Bear in mind that a Shetland will have to jog the whole way to keep up, so don't go too far!
Start with someone helping you, they can either walk next to the pony, on it's other side, or beat it from behind, whichever is most useful. I led a 11hh Welsh of my 16hh hunter and we did fine.

My cob mare is a real slow coach, they probably walk at about the same speed haha! Thanks for the big no on tying to saddle

 

[Abacus]

I can do this with my sons 11hh pony, from either a big horse (16.3) or my 14hh welsh. They all get on in the field and the little one is the least dominant. He's an angel; I thread a lunge line through the bit and over his head to add a little pressure and make sure his bridle doesn't come off. The first time we tried, he pulled back and lost his bridle, and went trotting home, surprising most of the village on the way.

For an older pony I might add a roller and not-too-tight side reins to make them work a little more, but obviously not a baby.

He just walks or trots along to catch up and seems to enjoy the extra activity. It's quite good fun and rather like taking a dog for a walk.

 

[milliepops]

I do this regularly, ride my 15hh dominant mare and lead 14hh sec d.
The one I ride is more schooled and easy to ride one handed, also steers well from the leg. I have to keep mine in fairly good order or they will squabble but I can park into the hedge for traffic to pass etc without a problem.
Practice with some help at hand and then off you go. I love taking them out together

 

[Limbo1]

I have done it quite a bit recently, with kids on board and without. Def use a bridle for lead horse, also if you can get a rope a bit longer than a lead rein that helps, it means if you have to put pony behind to go through a gate etc you are not stretched too much. Things to watch out for are the little one nipping the bigger, one stopping for a poo/wee and the other carrying on and them treading on each other.

Good luck it can be fun when it works!

 

[FfionWinnie]

You need someone on a well behaved horse or on foot to follow behind and send it forward. There is nothing worse than trying to drag one along.

Then, you don't want it's head further forward than your knee.

Then you teach it to drop behind for narrow bits.

Simples. We teach all of ours to do it in a couple of rides.

 

[Llee94]

All my horses must be able to be led off of and be led from another horse. I like to swap which ones I ride so no-one feels left out
I lead mine in bridles with a long lead rope attached to a bit chain thingy so that I am not pulling on one side of the bit.
My youngster learnt to be led from my mare before he was broken in (he was a bit confused to start but had it down within 5 mins) and now I can lead my mare while riding him. They can occasionally have the odd nip at each other if they are feeling cheeky but I normally carry a short whip in between them so that they get a poke before they can reach each other.
I much prefer riding and leading as it means I can get them both out for a decent ride rather than two short hacks.

 

[Annagain]

I tried with my two. Total disaster. Even though they get on pretty well they bicker like only brothers can. Tacked them both up so I could swap if I wanted. Rode the (slightly more) dominant one and the other wouldn't come close enough. Swapped over and the dominant one kept nipping the other causing him to shoot off down the lane. Jumped off and led them home and butter wouldn't melt. Tried again in the school and they just wouldn't stop nagging at each other so gave up!

 

[skint1]

I ride with a lady who rides and leads very successfully with her two ponies, we do quite long rides together, even with gates and all, and I am not much help with those haha... they have it down to a fine art and she can ride with those 2 better than I can with 1!

 

[elsielouise]

I ride and lead my son's pony with and without him on board. Strongly recommend you get the steering sorted in a field first. Particularly left turns. I usually make sure the ridden one is far enough in front to push led one over. Is much easier now my son can actually ride but I still ride and lead him on roads.

Just in process of teaching my youngster to lead off my mare. He had his third session doing this last week and was a star. Apart from trying to bite my mares ears anyway. She is boss in the field and ignored his antics completely so I would say you dont want something that will 'strike back' as you may find yourself having difficulty with the led horse backing away suddenly.

Always try first few times with a ground helper too. Then if you do drop the led one you have some chance of it not going pear shaped.

I learnt to ride and lead riding race horses to and from gallops about twenty years ago. We rode one and led two or three. I never will forget the morning I got a bit cocky riding them back for their breakfast and fancied getting all four into a trot. Given we rode them bareback as we'd just hosed them off so they were keen to get home it didn't end well!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My mini has been led off whatever i ride and is in a headcollar as she isn't bitted due to mouth issues. She loves going out, drops behind on narrow tracks, jogs to keep up on wider tracks and knows its forbidden to have her nose in front of lead animals shoulder at any time.
She loves jumping logs and having a good canter
When i have a different mount i will do a short circular route to start with.
As said above, practice leading in hand 1st with them both, then progress to riding in field and then go out with a walker if you can.
TF goes on a long lead rope, i usually try to stick to riding in single rein but do have my hunting whip in my right hand too as we have gates to negotiate.

I have hunted with a small led pony on each side, that was entertaining!

OP, have fun

 

[Gottaloveaginger]

I ride and lead most of the time as I'm only a happy hacker and mine and husbands pony suffer from separation anxiety so it just makes life so much easier! I always have hi viz on myself and both horses (in case we part company then there is not a non hi viz horse loose on the roads!) Mine wear either mesh quarter sheets (attached to a lunge roller for the lead pony) or i have a ride on yellow waterproof sheet that i put on the lead pony if its raining. Put it underneath the lunge roller. Lead pony also wears bridle with reins looped under throatlash and always use a lunge line instead of a lead rope so that if pony spooks I'm less likely to be pulled off as you've got further to let it go whilst still holding on. Also my ridden horse has her usual boots and the lead pony sometimes has overreach boots on the right hand feet front and back if im doing faster work or they are likely to be getting close to each other. I usually only walk and trot. Tried canter a few times but my ridden horse gets grumpy if the pony tries to go in front and the pony loves to canter so always wants to go faster and in front being that she is my husbands ex polo pony! This is also the reason why i find it so easy to ride and lead as thats how the polo pony was exercised most of the time! And it helps that they are best friends!

 

[spacefaer]

I ride and lead our hunters all the time. Bridle on the lead horse with the reins twisted in the throatlash and lunge rein on the furthest bit ring

Obviously ridden horse is on the right hand side so that the lead horse is protected from the traffic.

I tend to just get on and go - they work it out pretty quickly - and i think trying to get them organised in an arena environment would cause more problems than it's worth - they don't normally do turns and circles at this time of year!

OP - make sure your lead rope is long enough if the Shetland plants that you don't get pulled off (or your shoulder dislocated! ) and it's helpful if they have an understanding of voice commands.

 

[Orchardbeck]

I learned to ride by riding bareback and leading another pony, what an education!! In a ride of around 16 ponies at a time on busyish roads, it was a spectacle! I used to bring my own in from the fields like that too, often at a canter!

Much too much of a chicken now, although I'm thinking about leading my daughters 11.2 from my 14hh, only problem is small pony is a bit nervous as bigger pony is very dominant, but I'd love it if my daughter could hack out on the lead rein with me.

 

[stencilface]

I've done it in the past, but leading off a lunge line would have led to lots of loose knitting!

I'm hoping to do it with my 4yo 12.3 of my 16.1 horse, they've been out on in hand hacks together, and get on well (both are low ranking in the herd). I'm planning on getting my sister to rude on hers with us to help box him in if needed. My only worry is the lead pony walking faster than my v laid back horse. It used to happen when I did it with our retired tb, who would always get in front! He didn't care how much I pulled. That's an old ex racer for you!

 

[frannieuk]

I ride and lead any combination of two of the following - 2x17hh DWB, 1 x 16hh and 1 x 13.2. The big horses all get tacked up and I often put the lead horse in side reins so that it gets a bit of a work out. I tend to swap over half way around the ride too, so both get ridden. The pony is only 3 and picked up ride and lead very quickly. I have her in a bridle with the rein passed through the bit and keep her on my left. I also carry a whip in my left hand in case I need to chivvy her up a bit. Mine all wear hi-vis and probably the most important thing for me is to make sure they're all booted all round in case they tread on each other if you're going through gates etc.
They do seem to get the hang of it very quickly, especially if they're used to being lead together from the ground. Have a play in the field first with a friend for help and I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[Starzaan]

It just takes practice. I regularly ride one and lead four out hacking when the polo ponies are in. I too can canter along a field with that little lot and text someone at the same time. Riding one and leading one other is a luxury now haha. When I first started doing polo sets I was all fingers and thumbs and struggled to get used to leading more than one other, but it does come with practice.

Practice practice practice! And like someone has said, take them into a field or school first. And never ever tie the Shetland to your bigger horse. HUGE Nono.

ETA - please don't try leading with a lunge line. Far too much potential for disaster. Most of our polo ponies go in headcollars and a slightly longer than normal lead rope, any strong or silly ones go in a bridle with furthest rein threaded through nearest bit ring. It may never happen but lunge lines have too much potential for wrapping horses up and breaking legs for my liking!!

 

[Abacus]

I started with a lunge line but now use a long dog lead which is similar to a lunge line in material - it's about 10m I think. I prefer it because with my tiny fine delicate pony even normal lead rope clips are huge and clunky around his face and this dog one is much more fine.

 

[only_me]

I take the yard shetland out hacking via ride and lead, except my horse is slightly bigger than yours at 17hh
It is quite an effective way of slowing down traffic, they all stop to go aww! it is quite a funny sight lol.

the shetland was a rescue so we didn't actually know if he had ever been led before (or bitted!) but my horse is safest on yard, and the most biddable - we were used as a buffer for other yard horse who got very uptight hacking and basically bounced off bill for the way home part.
We put the smallest bridle and bit on him, found a inhand lead with a chain on it. The chain is clipped onto the near side bit and threaded it through off side bit ring, and then the lead is attached to that chain. This gives me a bit extra control, and only comes into action when shetland tries to get infront lol. Because there is such a huge height difference I also attach 1 pony rubber rein to the lead, so I have more rope incase something goes wrong or need to drop rein for any reason - I can lean down far enough to catch shetland via bridle and then can grab hold of the rein. Bill is just in his normal snaffle, and he's happy enough to stop and wait to catch shetland lol.

Tbh, we went for a practice round the field for our first time ride & lead, just to make sure both ok. Billy decided he couldn't care less and marched out at his usual active walk, the shetland trotted alongside to keep up. Bill has a big walk so we don't actually go far out hacking when leading shetland as he trots the entire time, very happily! We did try trotting in field but poor shetland had to canter to keep up! Its also a good idea to drop rein on shetland in a closed arena (!) and try to re-catch from your horse, just to know that you can do it and your horse is happy to let you. If i can do it from a 17h you can do it from a 14h

What is your mounting block like? is there room on the far side of it for you to put shetland on far side while you get on the normal side? Thats what I do.
If you just mount from ground then put shetland at a right angle to your horses shoulder on the near side, as you need the ridden horse to be nearest to traffic to ensure control of led horse.

I wouldn't ride and lead without the led horse in a bridle. too many things can go wrong and better to have more control than less. I would try a small rubber bit on the shettie, he might accept it really well and tbh, I don't think many shetlands are broken to bit like a normal horse lol. you can always put some molasses on the bit if he isn't accepting it as well. Ours was a rescue who we didn't know if had been bitted, and he accepted bit straight away! I would also recommend the chain through the bit rings, I don't really need it but it helps to keep better control especially as my horse is so big!

Also, try to avoid going out at very busy times, we have to avoid the church rush on a sunday as they really don't care about horses when they are speeding off to church :rolleyes3: but we only have road hacking, you might be different I will admit Billy is a one of a kind, and he had only done ride and lead a handful of times while I was doing PC tests a few years ago, but he just gets on with things and was happy to go out ride and lead after walking round yard then walking round field once. You might need to practice more with your horse, depending on what they are like personality wise as well

The field practice

 

[pansymouse]

I've tried and failed - last time I had to let go of the pony leap off my horse abandon her in the middle of the road and chase the pony

Just a thought about lead pony head gear - to me a lunge cavesson makes sense, you can clip on centrally and have good control from above. If I had another go I would definitely use a cavesson and lunge line and if snacking was on the pony agenda (and when isn't it) pop on a roller and side reins.

 

[Clodagh]

If you use a cavesson the lunge line will be pulled up over the ponies eyes, most uncomfortable I should think. I took my son's LR pony out hunting for the first time with no jockey from my horse, it was great fun, if tiring!

 

[Goldenstar]

I would bit the Shetland and use reins thread the near side rein through the offside bit ring this keeps the bit nice and stable .
It is a little difficult to lead a horses with a big height difference but it's doable .
Start with a person on the ground to tap up the the horse being lead while you give him the command you have chosen for keep up until he gets the idea .
I ride and lead all of mine and have no problems leading the dominant horses perhaps because they are very clear I am the leader .
I ride and lead almost every day in winter it a great thing to be able to do and will be very very god for the Shetland .
The only world of warning don't let the horses get used to always going out together

 

[cornbrodolly]

We ride and lead all the time. The ridden/outside horse must be 100% in traffic [sorry to state the bleeding obvious!].
All our unbroken youngsters are led off our 'old schoolmaster' , so that by the time they are backed , they are also well on the way to being traffic proofed.
Generally we lead off the bridle ,with chain attachments to the bits and a 6 foot line . Have to echo those above that say a lunge line too long and has potential to wrap around all legs. I have always ridden the 'saner' horse, so if the worst happens the led one can be let go of and you can get control of your mount easier [ helpful when exercising after being 'snow-bound' with fit hunters....]
I think its a fantastic way of getting your Shelttie fit and exercised.Too many equines are under-exercised,fat and bored.