More lead rope training

[near horse]

This is an issue I ran into this past weekend at a plowing event and I would appreciate any input on how to work on this behavior.

At this event there were somewhere around 40-50 horses and mules, some in corrals others tied up ….. Anyway, when I led my horses over to water, they were pretty excited about all the new faces (as one might expect) and they didn’t “want” to follow me on a loose line but instead were pushing forward (not running me over but I had to keep them pretty short). I tried shaking the lead rope at them but it seemed to create more anxiety/excitement. So, should I have stuck with the lead rope work until they complied – pretty challenging in the midst of that environment but not impossible?

Thanks.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Geoff, A couple questions and thoughts about your horse event. Did you harness and work your animals? How did they do? Maybe a little more excited than home, but willing to take direction? Willing to stand almost as good as they do at home?

If you animals are working well home and away, remember to be purpose driven. You were the one that choose to go to the water trough, so go there. I will pause to see what has distracted my animal, I may correct misbehavior while I lead animals, but unless I am teaching an animal to lead that doesn’t know how, I don’t stop what I am doing to teach it now.

Right or wrong, I feel this way about several things. I will teach a horse how to put on a bridle, and I can be very patient. But after that I am just putting on a bridle. I can still be patient with a beginner, but I am not teaching all the time. Horses and mules will respond to your sense of purpose.

Many people don’t like the training analogies that compare horses to children. But here goes, say you are at the carnival and you are leading your children back to the car because it is time to go home. They keep stopping to gawk. There are lots of possible and appropriate responses. Stop and gawk with them, tease them, remind them that it is time to go, calmly tell them that time is up. Be relaxed but focused, don’t forget where you are going.

I take it back, horses are easier than children.

[near horse]

Thanks Donn. Horses did fine. Worked hard, took directions etc.

While I understand what you’re saying about being purpose driven, I still am not sure how to translate that into action. If the horse “runs up” on me, do I demand it cease and yield or try to continue over to water?

The reason I bring up this issue (and you’re right about it being analogous to children) is that it presented itself in the new environment of the plowing event. They don’t behave like that at home and that’s why I attributed it to the excitement.

[Donn Hewes]

I guess the reason I mentioned the children is, if we found ourselfs in that situation with children their behavior would be completely understood by us. We might struggle with getting them where we want them; but we would understand. Trust your instinct to understand the animal. That doesn’t tell you exactly how to handle it. Just act natural, like you know what is going on. Give them a second to relax. Then be all business.

[mitchmaine]

geoff and donn, interesting analogy with the kids. ever notice how no ones kids cry louder than yours when your out. and you can’t speak to your kids out in public the same way you can when you are at home, so everyone is acting different out there. horses, kids, and us. i think it’s important to remember we might seem to be acting anxious or different to our horses as well, further complicating the matter. something to think about.

[Donn Hewes]

I guess the reason I mentioned the children is, if we found ourselves in that situation with children their behavior would be completely understood by us. We might struggle with getting them where we want them; but we would understand. Trust your instinct to understand the animal. That doesn’t tell you exactly how to handle it. Just act natural, like you know what is going on. Give them a second to relax. Then be all business.

One other thing; horses that go off to a Field Day and do well deserve a lot of credit (the teamster too). It shows the work that was done at home. If my kids had performed an Irish gig on stage at the carnival, now how would I feel and react as we were walking out. !!! But a word of warning: A mule can smell a proud man about mile away ( a horse too, just not so well). They will try very hard to make him look silly for his sins.

[Vand]

Our horses go to lots of events and plowing competitions. Whenever we’re out in public, we use a stud chain over the nose. Most of our horses will walk on a loose line and do wonderfully, but we’ve had the occasional youngster who is so excited by all the new surroundings that they forget to pay attention to their handler. It’s always good to have that safety mechanism to give them a little “pop” and make sure they’re paying attention to what they’re supposed to be doing (ie: walking nicely with you to the watering hole).

And as others have said, our reactions and excitement are absolutely felt by the horses and they react or get excited in turn.

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