Tips for leading 3 or more horses

[Goranson Farm]

Do folks have any tips/tricks for leading three or more horses?

I’ve got three horses and two cows that I would love to lead out to pasture at the same time. The cows are definitely lowest in the herd hierarchy but get along fine with the horses. All three horses are comfortable in close proximity to each other. All lead well single and double. Diagrams would be awesome.

thanks,
carl

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Carl, I have my methods but I know there limitations with it. I have never lead cows anywhere, but I don’t think it would be much different than leading horses. I regularly lead six or seven horses and mules by myself.

I use lead ropes with three snaps spaced out about 2 or 2 1/2 feet apart. For leading six I have a rope with three snaps that is longer and allows three horses to walk in front of the three in back. Having lead ropes with multiple snaps allows me to work with out 6 different ropes in each hand.

I think for horses and cows I would try to put cows on one side of me and horses on the other. Would there be enough room through lane ways, etc, to lead them all wide like that? That is why I started leading one group in front of the other. leading horses three in front of three (or four in front of four) is really not that difficult. I pick animals for the back row that will listen to me, and they learn that they are expected to follow. That long tail comes up to my hand where I am at the shoulder of the front group.

What are the pros and cons of a lead rope with multiple snaps? I think horses must have some understanding of how to lead properly before they will adapt to this system, because they are moving further away from your direct contact. I use the tail of the rope against the chest / legs of horses far away from me to control them when they are too eager. This only works with horses that are willing to follow my directions from a distance. I feel it is very similar to my desire to be able to work them in larger groups; so the time I take to get them leading like this is well spent when I am hitching four, etc. if a person can’t slow horses down while leading them, a rope with multiple snaps would not be a good idea.

When I go to pasture to lead them in or in the barn yard getting ready to go out; I halter all the animals without putting any of them on a lead rope. if they are not near the point of a gate I will often, but not always, drive / push them to the gate before I put them on a rope. Putting them on a multi snap rope on pasture is one of the tricky parts. Once I start snaping one horse to another they must switch to being in my control, realizing that they are no longer free to go as they please, waiting for me to finish this step and get ready to go. This can take some caution, but the benefit is horses learning to wait. Imagine a four month old mule that is learning to wait tied to its mother while I open a gate in front of all of us.

Actually the biggest challenge, and the part I worry about when others use this method is turning animals loose on pasture. These animals might be eager to eat or roll or check out their new paddock, But they must wait as I let each one go in turn. A person must be very methodical about turning the animals so your back is to the opening and the animals will go away from you as you release them. With young stock, or donkey! or anyone else, I think about the best order to release them. Anyone green or young animals, or intact donkeys! need to be released first so they don’t try to go to quick. A person needs to manage all the halters and rope on their forearm so nothing is on the ground. This is the biggest risk of this method.

[dominiquer60]

I totally agree with Donn that the animals need to be broke to lead well already.

I walk 4 abreast at times. I don’t do this on a regular basis, but we get through it just fine. I walk with the more lower on the totem pole/timid horses to the outside otherwise they lag hard and are at risk of getting away easy. I also carry a stick, twig, or dressage whip with me and anyone a little too eager gets it shaken at them. I rarely ever use the whip, it is just there to remind them that they still need to mind their manners, if I do use the whip, it is just a light tap on the chest or forelegs to get them to slow to my speed. If the animals are all broke to gee and haw it is easy to make turns by putting the whip in front of the inside horses and asking for the turn with voice command.

I sometimes walk 3 or 4 while riding one too. It depends on the conditions. This spring was very sloppy and I had to get the herd up to the hill and I knew it would be easier for me to ride than slip and fall while walking 4.

That is what works for me, good luck and be patient. Maybe start with some of the herd and add on as they get good at it.

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[Carl Russell]

Nice Pic Erika….

My suggestion might be to practice around the barnyard, or after they have fed, or try it for the first time on the way IN from pasture so you have full and relaxed animals.

Cattle are really easy to drive, so depending on where you intend to lead them, I might be inclined to let the cows go ahead, and follow behind with the horses…. the only problem being somewhat different gaits while leading.

And, nothing will replace effective communication. If your animals follow your lead, then this is just another exercise, and as long as you think it through, you should have no problems. However, there are great opportunities for those edgy animals to take advantage of the situation, so try to set it up with as few openings as possible.

When I leave the barn I tie one, two, or three, then bring along the last one or two, untying each one as we approach, before I lead them to the field. I will snap the lead, or rattle the halter to get the attention of frolickers. Also, I usually walk faster than they do, with them following me…. not that I am trying to outpace a fast horse, just that I have a confident and “in-charge” pace that they must match.

In the field I put on halters, tucking leads looped into the chin strap and work back to the gate if they haven’t met me there. Sometimes I need to ground tie a few at the gate waiting while I go get a loafer. Then I can pull the leads free, open the gate, and head down the road.

It can be a handful of lead ropes, but I like having individual leads (not that I have ever tried a multiple lead). I can send messages directed at a particular horse by sending a wave up the rope. I will pass leads behind my back, taking up and letting out slack, putting three horses on one side, or mixing it up depending on what’s going on. Sometimes I find turning them back on themselves, insy-outsy, is a great exercise to practice to get them following…

Also field manners will help. I found my four horses 3 miles from home in a nearby yard, walked up to each one, haltered them, took the leads, and headed for home, no fence, and no assistance.

Have fun and be safe, Carl

[Does’ Leap]

I believe that leading animals is not just about getting them from “A” to “B”. For me it is yet another opportunity to tune in to my horses (and vice versa), refine my communication, and re-establish expectations. It is fun and rewarding to be able to give them subtle cues and have them respond. We lead 4 daily and often ride one and “pony” the rest. I like the horses’ attention to be focused on me at all times. If I see them drifting mentally I call their name to bring their attention back to me.

I agree with Carl R that practicing in the barnyard is a good idea. When you lead only one horse can you lead with an absolutely slack line? Can you jog and then go to a snail’s pace, again with a slack line? Will s/he “get over”, Gee, Haw, and back with minimal pressure? Will they put their head down on command?

Ideally you have all three horses being able to do the above. Really it is not about passing tests, but having your horses tuned in to you and understanding your rules. Your job is to enforce and reward through pressure and release.

My preferred training tool is a long twitch or driving whip. First I “desensitize” my horse the whip. It is not something to fear, simply an extension of my arm. When leading one horse, I hold the twitch in my left and lead with the right. A swish in front (and sometimes a bonk on the nose) is a reminder to slow down. If I want him to speed up, I reach behind my back and pat them on the rear. Soon enough you can dispense with the whip. If you have horses stepping ahead, use your lead rope as a warning.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

George

[Carl Russell]

I thought that it might be fun to share with you our daughter Tulie’s journal entry from yesterday morning…she is mentoring with me for her senior project….

Tulie McCrory
Mrs. Pratt
Senior Project
October 21, 2014
Journal Entry 11: Three to One
This morning, when I arrived at the barn to meet with my mentor, he informed me that I would be leading the three horses up to the barn… all by myself. At first, I didn’t really think it was going to be all that difficult; I had led each of these horses alone many times, and I see my mentor leading all of them at once often. When we actually got to the pasture I started to think about the whole thing a little, and once all three lead ropes were in my hand, I started to think a little more. It wasn’t going to be as easy as throwing some halters on the horses and walking away with them.
When one person wishes to lead two or more horses simultaneously, it is a necessary step to loop each lead rope in the halter underneath the chin between haltering each horse. The purpose of this is to keep the lead rope from dragging on the ground. Once I had all the horses haltered is when things started to get more complicated than I had anticipated.
Leading each horse over the fence, I started to think about the order in which I should line the horses up to make the walk to the barn as cooperative as possible. Leaving the pasture, I thought I had ordered them quite perfectly. The walk to the barn was great! The horses were calm and responsive, no one was stepping on anyone, and the pace was reasonable. It wasn’t until I got to the barn that I realized my ordering could have used improvement. This task really put an emphasis on the fact that whenever you work with any animal, planning ahead is always an important step.

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[Donn Hewes]

Nice Job Tulie, I personally have fun leading animals, but I have seen it be very stressful for folks. I think that is another way to look at it. Figure out what you are comfortable with and then add to it gradually. There are many days (too many!) where leading is the only contact I have with animals all day. When I come into the the barn yard with a large group, I slowly turn all three, four or six around and make a big straight row looking back at me. I am sure my animals think “this is not the Fair – is lining up like this really necessary?” But I always get kick out of seeing them all watching me while a drop the ropes and slowly pick up a wire to close them in. Then halters off and have drink of water!

I have made a game of leading them.

[Will Stephens]

This discussion inspired me to try leading in a new way. We only have two horses but our gates and one of the barn doors is very narrow so I have always brought them in one at a time. I have always switched up which side I lead from and make detours occasionally to make sure everyone is actually paying attention. But leading them both in together has fun. I laughed at loud at myself for not learning from Tulie about planning it out better before hand. In the end, horses did great, thunder and lighting went unnoticed while they were trying to figure out what I was trying to ask of them. Incident free and now becoming the new norm. Now I have to by a third horse to try that!

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