BLITZING BAD BEHAVIOUR
CALM LEADING
Trying to lead a horse who is intent on towing you around is not a pleasant experience, but it is possible to re-train him to lead like a lamb, finds Mel Beale
‘‘WHO IS TAKING who to the field today?” “He’s a bit keen — is he running late for something?” “You might as well put on your rollerblades and let him drag you along!”
These sorts of jovial quips will be all too familiar to equestrians who are used to their horse steamrollering his way towards the paddock, dragging them behind him. However, although this picture might look amusing, the reality is very different. Trying to lead a strong horse can put both horse and handler at risk of injury — not to mention lead to anxiety at the thought of a battle to and from the field every day.
The good news, explains equine behaviourist Millie Martin, is that it is possible to address such bolshy behaviour without an argument and get the horse on side.
“Horses are powerful animals and they can easily overpower their handlers,” she says. “Dangerous behaviour while leading can result in an accident, so it should be addressed as soon as you feel like you’re losing control. If you are worried about leading your horse or have any doubts, it is time to tackle the issue.”
Why a horse can become strong to lead
“A horse who is strong to lead tends not to look to his handler for direction. Instead, he’ll pull to get ahead, lean on his handler with his shoulder to avoid being stopped, or in extreme cases drag his handler off their feet,” says Millie. “There are a lot of reasons why a horse might do this — excitement, anticipation, stress, pain, previous negative experiences, poor training, or evasiveness can all contribute to the reasons a horse is strong to lead.”
THE PULL FACTORS
• The horse — “Horses are born with their own characters and personalities that are influenced by genetic predisposition, experience and their environment. The latter two elements include how a horse is handled and trained by people, especially at the beginning of his life,” explains Millie. “Breed and size aren’t the main contributors. However, how a horse has been handled in response to these things can be. For example, a handler might assume that a bigger horse will be stronger to handle because of his size and often his early training will reflect this. On the other hand, less care is sometimes taken with ponies and smaller horses who are deemed ‘easier’ to handle, but this can result in problematic behaviours down the line, despite their smaller stature.” • The handler — “A horse will read his handler’s body language, and a nervous handler, particularly when paired with a nervous horse, can l
