subject: To Lead Or To Be Led? Training Your Young Horse To Lead [print this page] Young horse training is a step-by-step process: first they need to learn to be handled; they need to be trained to lead, lunged, and finally ridden. Here are a few basic horse training tips for lead training:
1. Conduct your leading lessons in an open area, preferably with the dam tied somewhere nearby.
2. Stand on the foals left side, holding the lead rope in your right hand. Hold the rope about six inches away from the halter.
3. Fold the rest of your rope and hold it in your left hand. Dont wrap or coil the rope around your left hand, because if your horse spooks, you could get pulled along.
4. Stand at your foals left side, then gently tug on to the rope with your right hand to move him forward. Do not stand in front of the horse, because if he suddenly moves forward, you will be in the way.
5. When you stop, say whoa and gently tug the rope backwards. You can also stand facing your foal when you stop. That way it will get the idea that when you are both facing the same direction, its time to move forward. Then when you face him, its time to stop. Repeat this several times during the lesson. Remember that it is best to keep the lessons short, maybe about fifteen minutes only.
6. To move left or right, place your right hand on the withers, and gently push toward the direction you want to go.
The most important horse training tip for leading a young horse is consistency. Every time you have a training session, you should use the same commands or language to indicate what you want it to do. That way you will build up both skill and trust between you.
