# My yearling is dragging me



## davard (3 July 2012)

My fully has started dragging me when being lead. She puts her head down and runs full pelt until I have to let go. I've tried using a be nice halter and also carrying a stick but being a sec d she is strong willed. I'd forgotten how much work youngsters are.
Has anyone else had this prob?


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## haras (3 July 2012)

I saw this title and thought...

yep, mine too!  Mines actually a lot better now, but she is bargy and has no awareness of what is MY space and what is hers, so I'll be very interested in the replies.  also steering while being led is interesting!  I am using a rope halter which has helped a lot!

Good luck!


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## davard (4 July 2012)

She has just realised that she is a lot stronger than me lol. She's also throwing her head around, she bloke my nose 3 wks ago


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## Enfys (4 July 2012)

Don't let them!

A chain *over* their nose (twist it around the noseband once and it won't slip then) and some serious 'walk on' and 'whoa' lessons should sort that out in short order.  If a horse prefers the nose down and plough a furrow version then the chain goes under the chin to bring the head up. 

I use a bog standard dog choke chain slipped through the noseband rings (you may have to squash them in a vice a bit to fit them through) and fastened to the lead line. If the horse walks politely then it has no effect, if the horse pulls you then a short jerk will make him think twice about manners. I actually don't care, if, like my arab mare, they canter on the spot beside me, as long as they do it on a loose line with their head at my shoulder.  

Some people use a dually or a rope halter, but some horses ignore those, I'd rather they learned that pulling is not the done thing, in fact, I want them to learn that pulling is downright uncomfortable and that it isn't on, *at all*, *ever*  It is not cruel if used properly. I have never marked a horse, nor created a headshy animal by teaching them their basic manners.


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## alfiesmum (4 July 2012)

interesting about the chain, will keep that in mind 

i used a rope halter and it done the trick for my 15hh yearling


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## Dry Rot (4 July 2012)

Enfys said:



			Don't let them!

A chain *over* their nose (twist it around the noseband once and it won't slip then) and some serious 'walk on' and 'whoa' lessons should sort that out in short order.  If a horse prefers the nose down and plough a furrow version then the chain goes under the chin to bring the head up. 

I use a bog standard dog choke chain slipped through the noseband rings (you may have to squash them in a vice a bit to fit them through) and fastened to the lead line. If the horse walks politely then it has no effect, if the horse pulls you then a short jerk will make him think twice about manners. I actually don't care, if, like my arab mare, they canter on the spot beside me, as long as they do it on a loose line with their head at my shoulder.  

Some people use a dually or a rope halter, but some horses ignore those, I'd rather they learned that pulling is not the done thing, in fact, I want them to learn that pulling is downright uncomfortable and that it isn't on, *at all*, *ever*  It is not cruel if used properly. I have never marked a horse, nor created a headshy animal by teaching them their basic manners.
		
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This. And make sure you understand pressure and release as it makes a very big difference.

One of my young helpers was having problems with one of my youngsters. It was easy to see she was applying pressure when the pony was really trying to behave, i.e. she was dragging it along. 

If the horse is confused, it will try random behaviour to escape from what it finds uncomfortable. (And if that random behaviour includes rearing which results in less discomfort, the behaviour will be repeated!). 

I showed her how to apply pressure and release correctly and the improvement was instantaneous. Pressure is only needed when the horse isn't walking correctly and should cease *instantly* it is going nicely.


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## Enfys (4 July 2012)

Dry Rot said:



			This. And make sure you understand pressure and release as it makes a very big difference.

QUOTE]

Yes.  Good point, thankyou. 

I *must* remember to include that, because it is automatic for me I assume that everybody does understand and assumption is the mother of all **** -*** isn't it?
		
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## AdorableAlice (4 July 2012)

davard said:



			My fully has started dragging me when being lead. She puts her head down and runs full pelt until I have to let go. I've tried using a be nice halter and also carrying a stick but being a sec d she is strong willed. I'd forgotten how much work youngsters are.
Has anyone else had this prob?
		
Click to expand...

You must must stop this behaviour immediately. You are going to get hurt and the young horse is learning to be difficult to lead for the rest of it's life.

Chain and/or rope halter and teach pressure and release in the stables.  Teach rein back, yield to both sides, step forward and then backwards again.  You tell it where and when to move it's feet, it must not shove you around.

Correctly taught pressure/release will making teaching to tie up really easy too.

My yearling is built like a brick outhouse and started to lean on the leather headcollar, I put a rope halter underneath and taught pressure/release, didn't take long to twig that giving to pressure was a pleasant experience.  The work I did with her left her able to open/close gates easily whilst on the way to her paddock and be led on a easy contact.  The effort will have been well worth it, because in 18 months time she will be nearing 17h and needs to be on my side.


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## Polotash (4 July 2012)

Rope halter and schooling stick, preferably from the moment they are halter broken so people don't get themselves into a pickle like this! Head collars only came into common use about 30 years ago, before then everything wore a rope halter and no one had leading problems!

The key is not to let them get ahead of you, if you keep them back by you they don't have the chance to get their head down which is when they get hard to hold. If she does try and get ahead you need to step back to give you leverage to turn her, again this needs a rope halter. I find an elbow in the shoulder grove is good for anchoring the forward ones back with you. Ditto a rope/ chain over the nose if you need it. She is not too young to be bitted either, but you need to sort out the charging issue first really, or she'll just learn to ignore the bit too.


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## AdorableAlice (4 July 2012)

I can see what you mean, but surely you are using force to yank the horse round if it takes a grip.  Even a 12h is very strong and not holdable by many should it wish to leave the scene.

If time is taken to teach the pressure and release on the rope halter the horse won't even try to get away from you, so you won't find yourself in a position to have to step back and haul it round in a circle.

I am not an advocate of any of the 'cult' training regimes, be it Monty Roberts, Prat Parelli etc, but after reading the very simple methods in pressure and release on a Richard Maxwell site and trying it on a young horse it is so simple to teach them not to be strong.


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## davard (4 July 2012)

I've tried a lot of the things listed so I think I'm gonna have to purchase a chain to put over the little minx's nose and keep practising. At lease she is not nasty and does not kick. Thanks for all your advice guys x


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