Dawn
M. Richard and Karyn Malinowski Ph.D.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Always
lead from the horses left shoulder with your right hand about
15 inches away from the head of the horse and with your left
hand holding the lead neatly coiled or folded. Don't let the
lead drag on the ground where it can be stepped on. Holding
the lead in this manner allows you to quickly release your
right hand and keep you on the ground, while preventing the
left hand from getting tangled, and still maintaining control
if the horse suddenly rears. Never wrap the lead strap around
yo r fingers, hand, wrist, or any part of your body. A knot
at the end of the lead can help you keep a grip on the lead
if the horse pulls back.
Walk
with the horse, at its shoulder, not ahead or behind. Slightly
extend your right elbow towards the horse so that if making
contact with you, its shoulder will strike your elbow and
move you away but not knock you over. If necessary, the elbow
can be used on the horses neck to keep its head and neck straight
for more control, as well as prevention from crowding. Always
turn a horse to the right and walk around it. One exerts more
control when turning the horse clockwise and pressing against
it.
The
horse that refuses to move or starts to pull back while being
led, can be made to move by sharply turning the horse to one
side or the other and pulling forward. This throws the horse
off balance and it will take a step to regain its balance.
When
leading, always prepare yourself for sudden movements from
the horse by noticing the horses reaction to the environment.
If the horse is frightened and attempts to run, turn it in
a circle and tighten the circle until it stops. If a horse
is scared by a new element in its environment, do not punish
it. Give the horse time to investigate and become familiar
with the obstacle, then lead the horse by it. Don't look directly
at the horse because a horse becomes unsure of your intentions
when you turn and face it.
When
leading through narrow openings, step through first and let
the horse follow. Be sure the horse is calm and straight as
it goes through to prevent it from bolting past you. In the
case of a horse trying to pass you; turn to face the horses
shoulder while continuing to stand at its side. Push against
the horses shoulder with your weight while continuing to restrain
it with the halter and lead shank.
When
leading into a box stall or pasture, turn the horse so it
faces the direction from which it came and make it stand facing
you as the lead is released or the halter or bridle is removed.
Do not let it bolt away from you until you are ready for it
to go.
It is
up to the judgment of the horse owner, but it is recommended
that one should not run a horse into a pasture with a halter
on. The halter can become tangled in objects as well as the
horse itself, and if the halter is strong enough the horse
can strangle itself. However, with a hard-to-catch horse or
in an emergency situation, a haltered horse is easier to catch.
Breakaway halters should be used if a halter must be left
on. Always unsnap the lead rope before removing the halter.
This will prevent the horse from pulling back and becoming
a halter puller.
Remember,
horses are stronger than you are, so don't try and out pull
them. If a horse acts up while you are leading it, a quick
snap down on the lead will usually get its attention.
When
moving horses a short distance or just out of your way, hold
the underside of the noseband, not the cheekpiece or the throatlatch.
The nosepiece gives you more control over the horse, as well
as keeping the halter properly positioned on the horses head.
While
halters and lead ropes are important and useful for leading,
they are also necessary for safely tying horses to
solid objects.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This document
is
FS345
,
a series of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, rutgers, the
State University of New Jersey. Publication date: November
1988.
Dawn
M. Richard, Graduate Assistant, Department of Animal Sciences,
and Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D., Specialist in Horse Mnagement,
Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey, PO Box 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231.
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