Learning to lead a horse should not mean dragging him here, and dragging them there. It means teaching a horse responsibility for his end of the bargain, and this means using feel, timing and balance to soften your horse. In this part, we discuss float, what it is, and why it’s a good gauge of your horse’s training, and very quickly go over the basics of leading a horse with a float in the rope.
Wow! When the hell did I move down under? Wait! I know what it is! Necey, stop watching Youtube upside down!
Serious problem here: 3 foals, born 2 years ago. 1st and 2nd foals born in spring, had lots of handling and were halter broken at 2 months old by a big fat fella sitting on their leads while sitting on their ropes drinking beer. Those 2 are very light int he hatler and lead NO problem!
the 3rd foal was born in autumn, had lots of handling and then it rained, big fat fella never came round and we ran out of beer anyway! so he didn’t get halter broken until we needed to take him to a show the following summer.
Now at 2 years old, foals 1 & 2 lead beautifully, foal 3 likes to play a game. Using a rope halter and long lead, I’m dragging him along, he says NO! won’t shant go back into my paddock, he stops, chucks his head up – sending me flying backwards and ‘giving in’ to his request, THEN he walks forwards.
He will only take a step or two, then stops again, chucks up his head and back I go! WHAT can I do to teach such an ignoranous!? The fascinating thing is… he’s the quietest of the 3 foals, he’s so laid back, he’s the one featured in most of my videos, the little white guy with my daughter climbing all over him.
He’ll go anywhere, do anything at a nice quiet pace, but on HIS terms, when HE’S ready. An example of how willing the other 2 are on the lead was when I heard back from the lady who purchased one of them, aparently her 4 y o lead him over a dug-out-trampoline and he happily followed, then went back for another go!
Those 2 need to come with a warning at point of sale: Will lead ANYWHERE so please be selective where you take them! The 3rd foal needs another warning: Won’t always go there! LOL!!
LOL. I’ll respond in a PM … hold on.
Ro, I realize that is probably a tree trunk in the background… but it *looks* like a frozen little critter with feet in the air!
Brrrrr! Just making an observation and pulling your chain a little.
Good video, Ro. :~)
TFF. Oh my gosh that made me laugh! No, it was stuff I had pulled out of the old barn to burn. Like I said, this is really BACKYARD horsemanship. lol
U see it too, huh?
Does that not look like a little frozen critter with a spear thru it or what??
Ahhhahhhaaaa! Luv ya’ Ro! :~)
I watched that related ExpertVillage… who the heck are THEY? WHAT??
The world may never know. LOL
Great vid! I just got my horse and remembered this vid when the transport guy said..”she’s good ‘for a wild horse’ and handed me the lead rope. Had to stop the horse bus across the street from my house. 3 am I walked my new horse home “with float”. appreciate your vids so much
Sunlei and the nameless black mare.
Great story. LOL. Sometimes all a horse needs is space, and a handler who can effectively use their energy to keep the horse’s respect and attention. … So what are you gonna name that critter?
Good video but i think your scared your horse with the WHIP when you move that he follows the signal,of the whip
Thank you for the kind words. I don’t think he’s scared of the whip, I think he understands that it is an extension of my arm. But yes, he does follow the signal of the whip, as well as the signal of my body language.
watch his ears they signal his dislike of the whip,the ears twitch when the whip moves i understand you know what your doing its just i too train horses and dont believe you need a whip to get a horse to work with you much respect to you and your training methods
A lot of the time horses ive trained listen to the voice commands rather then other commands they listen for certain command words when im speaking and i find there responses are tuned into waiting for these key words
Actually, I agree. You don’t need to strike a horse in the manner that an angry person would. But you do need to present pressure in the same manner that another horse would (making the horse move their feet, their hindquarters, etc.)
With the problem horses I am sometimes called on to deal with, though, the distance that whip affords me in being able to touch (not strike) the horse and assure him I mean no harm, keeps me safe. I don’t enjoy being kicked by a frightened horse.
The ears, by the way, also follow the train in the background, they follow my arms, they follow the lead rope, as well. It’s not so much dislike, as it is awareness of what is going on around him.
If you’ll notice, the whip is always in the “off” position until I need him to pay attention to it as a tool, such as when the lead rope is in my left hand and spinning, and the whip is in my right hand to reinforce that hand’s presence.
And I too offer much respect to you and your opinions. Without differing opinions, we’d never broaden our understandings.
Im already having respect issueswith my 9 month old filly Scarlet. She has already tried running in the barn while leading and will not back up when i ask her to. She knows how to back she just doesnt want to do it unless its on her terms. Im back to square one again with her ground training. I hope to use what you have on this vid to train her to RESPECT!
So how is that filly doing?
She is doing much better! She is now eager to go outside to be worked with and her backing has improved. She stands at the gate and nickers when I have a lead in my hand!
thanks