Your horse or pony may feel uncomfortable entering and exiting an arena under your or someone else's guidance. Here are some steps that may help you.
Steps
Step 1. Put the halter on the horse
Step 2. Hold the lanyard in your right hand about a foot from the halter and the rest of the coiled rope in your left hand
Do not wrap the rope around your hand otherwise, if the horse starts running suddenly, you risk getting seriously injured because it will drag you away with it.
Loosen the rope more if the horse is calm and well trained
Step 3. Position yourself in the direction of the road ahead, bring your right hand slightly forward and ask the horse to "walk" and / or click his tongue
Begin to advance carefully and release your grip as soon as the horse begins to walk.
If the horse tries to pull forward, take the rest of the lead and spin it quickly in front of the horse's head. If he does not stop or no longer responds to this command, pull the rope in the opposite direction and accelerate the pace to overtake the horse. Do this more than once to get your horse used to taking control of the situation
Step 4. Ask the horse to slow down or stop, give the Alt, shorten the distance between your hand and the horse's head, then bring your right hand to the level of his ear with the tight rope
Step 5. It is difficult for a large quadruped to make a sharp turn, so you should always plan your movements in advance so that you have enough room to turn
Also, if the horse is nervous, avoid passing it near any potential danger, such as a pitchfork, wheelbarrow, tractor or similar object.
Step 6. Ask the horse to make the turn, face the road ahead and make a slight movement of the right hand in that direction
Step 7. If the horse does not respond immediately, it is possible that he has lost concentration
Get her attention by saying her name or clicking your tongue.
Step 8. If the horse stalls (and intentionally comes on you or rears), if it rushes to the gate etc
stop him by starting to walk in front of him if necessary, or by walking him in small circles. Ask him to stop and get in line. Be gentle and don't raise your voice. When you are both calm and ready, ask him to step up again.
Step 9. If the horse shakes his head and tries to pull the lead, let him:
you can't compete with the strength of a horse. Normally, the rope is about two meters long. This means you can distance yourself from the horse while still holding the end of the rope. Usually, once you have recovered its space, the horse calms down and only then can you recover it.
Step 10. If the horse grabs the lead with its mouth, pick it up and correct the horse by saying a firm "no"
If he continues to do this, stop and wait until you see him bored. Whenever the horse takes the lead with its mouth, stop and wait.
Step 11. The wheelie is when the horse gets up on its hind legs
When a horse rears it is scary and could be very dangerous. Take a step back, stretch the rope with which you hold the horse and do not let go of the end only if you feel confident in doing so. Stand aside and as far away from the horse as possible. Do not stand in front of the horse or behind and be careful because the horses sometimes fall during the wheelie.
Step 12. Escape is when the horse suddenly runs away
It is very difficult to stop a runaway horse, even for the most experienced of the sector. By tightening the end of the rope, with a brusque movement on the halter you may be able to turn the horse around and slow it down. If this doesn't happen, let it go as you risk it dragging you away with it. Hopefully, the horse will end up in a field or fenced area away from cars.
Advice
- Be relaxed when walking alongside a horse or pony. If you show that you are not afraid, the animal will probably do the same.
- With one hand, hold the rope at a distance of about 10 cm from the horse's chin and with the other the rest of the rope wound around itself. Walk with determination and sure-footedness, showing that you know where you are going. Keep your horse at a safe distance and DON'T be afraid to push him away if he approaches. Horses that get too close and are overconfident can be dangerous. Don't let them decide when it's time to stop.
- Always hold a whip in your right hand when leading a horse to the lead. A horse that comes on you does not respect you and is therefore dangerous. If he doesn't respect your space as you lead him to the lead, keep the handle of the whip facing his shoulder so he can bump him if he gets too close. To get him out of the way, you may need to tap him on the shoulder with the handle of the whip. If you haven't brought a riding crop, use your elbow. Don't be fearful and never give up on a horse that gets too close or you will teach him that he is the boss!
- A horse should be able to follow commands from both sides. However, if you don't know it, it's best to take it from the official side, i.e. from the left.
- Give the horse a warning before making it stop by saying the command "Alt" or slowing the pace.
- When leading a horse to the lead, always stand on the side where there are objects (a building, a fence, etc.). This is an important precaution because if the horse gets nervous and tries to escape, it will automatically move to the side with the least obstacles. This way you will avoid being stepped on.
- If you make a horse turn in your direction (to the left if you are leading from the left), do so only with a trustworthy and balanced horse and keep it at a safe distance to prevent it from stepping on your toes, although it is impossible to completely prevent this from occurring. unpleasent inconvenience.
- Use a lead with chain for better handling of the horse: it is much more effective if you are in difficult situations. However, some see it as a useless, hostile and even inhumane practice. An experienced and well-disposed trainer should only use it with particularly lively horses.
- Do not allow the horse to stop and eat by the roadside. Give it a yank and keep walking.
Warnings
- Never wrap the lead or reins around your hand: if the horse were to pull it could break your hand or drag you along on the run.
- If you are not comfortable leading a horse to the lead, have its owner or trainer do it for you. Don't put yourself in situations you can't handle.
- There are different types of bridle and equipment to lead a horse. Their use usually indicates that the horse may be difficult to manage. Only experts in the field should use this type of equipment as it could hurt or frighten the horse.
- Managing a horse is in itself a dangerous activity regardless of the precautions.
