Leading your horse

[@gmwwc]

I have been riding since 1966. I have been practicing true leadership like this and I have heard those snorts literally millions of times. I just wish we had video like this in 1960!!!

[@sheilabraun9294]

After traditional training, it took me years with a mustang who slyly jerked the lead out of my hands whenever he saw my attention lapse finally to realize that I needed a long, loose lead. Now you've confirmed what painful experience took a long time to figure out. Thank you for the video imagery showing the exact problem I've been dealing with.

[@Lillable1]

I have always been taught when leading horses I don't know, or nervous horses to lead as you described, "By the beard". After watching this it seems I'm lucky nothing had gone wrong in those times. Thanks very, very much! You videos are always very helpful. :)

[@kevinmelias]

Awesome video. I will definitely take a close look at what I've been teaching my horses. I look forward to the next one.

[@KerriMcKenna]

John thanks so much for this video. I am working with a friend's horse that is 'all over you' exactly as you describe and demonstrate. It frightened me because he also reared and kicked out whenever he didn't want to do what you asked. He is much improved through using the methods you show here and learning to enjoy being worked again.

[@wolfydan121]

beautiful boy! i was taught origionally in the BHS way, and never even realised just how dangerous it could be! thanks for the great vid, it just goes to show we never really stop learning!

[@imfanfreakintastic]

This is an amazing video! i love that this is the true reaction of the horse to the scary-ness! :D Handled beautifully!

[@naybellab2011]

Loved this, countless times I have seen children get over powered by their ponies and ofcourse they're all holding them under their chins.. need to share this about. I like to lead my horse loosely also. My boy has been broken in and trained very well. If a horse learns from the release of pressure then why invade their space and have hold of them under the chin while leading them I say!

[@V8hel]

Great advice thank you!. I grew up in the UK so yes, I lead from the beard by habit. However I now have a big Horse who leaps on me when nervous or in a pushy mood & agree with you that it's very dangerous. Have started with the way that you've shown & muchly improved thank you! and I'm still alive!

[@MegF142857]

6:45 Starts to get interesting... I'm impressed with you being able to keep control, even with that rope set up.

[@asportableskatesharpening4207]

Great video, valuable info, 12 foot or longer leads are the best....

[@rachelleadston9234]

We only have 6 foot ropes where I work (in UK, of course), however I always prefer to lead with at least 3 foot of slack rope with a relaxed hand near my side, I don't like leading by the beard. I recently led in a wound up horse from the field with rope in 1 hand and plenty of slack. Much easier, and I could stay away from him. I find even with the 6 foot ropes the more slack you have that most horses walk wider from you which is a great reassurance for them flying forward. BHS should review some of their methods, I have thought that for a long time.

[@XArabHunterX]

awsome video, I have a young polish arabian stallion that was a rescue that had never been touched, and wantes to lead behind on a long line. I do eventing, some hunter, and gymkhana and was trying to get him to lead on "the beard," like i was taught, but I dont think I will now.

[@miliser91]

thankyou so much for this video. brilliant!

[@BnFHorsemanship]

I would have said almost the same thing as Lou (chappysmom87) did :-) Although you got your point across ("English" way of leading vs. the natural horsemanship approach) quite accurately and leaving no more room for doubt, I myself would have done the introduction to the scary stuff first. One immediately saw how much more relaxed the horse was once you've given him the chance to check it out by himself. I think he'd have learned a lot faster then. Anyway, you've proved your point convincingly:)

[@ellepat238]

Again Thanks to you and your wife I've learnt a lot from all your video's and thank you for sharing them on you tube I still have a lot to learn, I was wondering do you teach riding and other things if so I'd be interested only thing is I live in N.S.W so I would have to come for two or three weeks and find somewhere to stay.

[@horseproblems]

@chappysmom87 Good question. Given that he had to go there anyway, from that Day and every Day as he has to be tacked up and ridden on the Dressage Arena, he had to accept it. My Wife would have had to lead him and she is 5.5 and 55kg and had a bad broken leg a couple of years ago. So in the deep end, which of course fixed him as she lead him every day since and after two days he ignores the netting :) It turned out a good opportunity though. Regaards

[@chappysmom87]

Glad to see you have a vew vid up...I think it was a good example of why one shouldn't lead holding the lead near the snap...you are correct that being farther out is is safer. That was a bit of overload for the horse though--w/o this being an example, you wouldn't introduce him to that so quickly would you? If you would, why?

[@horseproblems]

@IHateHorseSlaughter1 Simply hang on the end of the rope with passive persistence until the horse does something. Either rear, walk backwards or come. If come, throw reward and relief to it, if rear, release momentarily as horse is in air but retake before it hits the ground and still be holding and if walking backwards, hold still, no matter how far for in the end, it will give and come forward. Miss the relief opportunity and you would have stuffed the system :)

[@xXEmoPuppyXx27]

Okay I need some help!! The horse I recently got is about 7 years old and has never been taught, rode, or anything. What are the first few things that I need to teach him? Where do I start with this horse. He has no ground manners either. Please tell me where to begin!!!

[@xXEmoPuppyXx27]

@ida2300 he's my neighbors horse and I was helping her. I do know what to do and I do have experience but when I worked with him he wouldn't listen because it had been so long. He still won't do anything and I've even had other people's help. He just stands there

[@ida2300]

oh okay :)

[@candy1971]

going to try that with my tb x racer,hes a pain to lead!loved your vid

[@hopebent2505]

I was wondering how long your lead rope is in this? I agree the 6 foot ones are useless.

[@ShelleyGow]

Really great video thanks

[@kierak8355]

great video !

[@vivaloriflamme]

So helpful. Thank you.

[@farbschlacht]

The FN is probably the german equivalent to the BHS. They teach the leading of a horse in the same bad way. Another problem here is, that there are leadropes an sale, that are way to short to lead a horse safely or to tie it up. How should people know? I forgot my gloves once, when I had to lead a spooky horse. Two burned hands taught me, never to repeat this again.

[@Equibreyer]

This helped me

[@horseproblems]

@BnFHorsemanship Thanks but I wanted and needed the reaction to prove the point in the most graphic and real World way, for it is the 'Real World" that most don't teach in. I wanted to warn and promote thinking and for people to appreciate risk. but thanks heaps. As you saw, had I given him a look before hand, the Video would not have got the point across and I would have been reduced to a "Float the Rope Dope" :) Regards

[@horseproblems]

@dappledbaybeauty Thankyou Dapplebay.

[@FrancescaCollodo]

Where, when, and how exactly, did the BHS ever stipulate, that a horse should be led with a tight grip under its throat? And as an aside....why does a horse need to be 'natural horsemanship trained'? I thought the entire point of 'NH', was that it was exactly as it describes itself, i.e. natural, to the horse?

[@horseproblems]

HI Francesca. Well I presume it has to be in their teachings as THEY ALL DO IT. I personally, have had around 3,000 Poms through my Hands here and 100% do it and 100% cannot let the reins go either. It's incredible

[@FrancescaCollodo]

Thanks for the explanation John. Unfortunately for our horses, I believe you :(

[@horseproblems]

That would have ruined the Production, the lesson and the message opportunity. This was to Teach Humans, not the Horse.The following Day, he wouldn't and didn't do it of course so in the World of Video, this cannot be.

[@judecampbell2919]

You rushed this horse into a scary place and nearly flipped him over backwards. He was telling you he was scared and pushed him in further. Pressure and release. You should have stopped at the start until the horse was ok. If your horse is looking at the scary place then he's dealing with it. This is how horses lose confidence and don't trust people.

[@chelackie]

Yes, the BHS is responsible for a whole lot of simply BAD horsemanship.Now that Martin Clunes is the new director and he is closely affiliated with Intelligent Horsemanship (Monty Roberts/Kelly Marks UK) I am sure there will be huge and lasting improvements!