Nix Lazy Leading

Letting your horse slog along behind you can cause other problems. Fix it early to maintain your horse's responsiveness and respect.

- AL DUNNING, WITH JENNIFER PAULSON

Some people might disagree, but I think the art of leading has greatly diminished in recent history. When I was a young man, we learned to lead our horses ahead of us. We had some bad horses in those days that would try to bite you or get after you, so you had to lead your horse in the "safe zone," walking with your horse beside you. This way, if one of those tough horses came after you, you could put your arm out to push him away and protect yourself.

Today, we generally have much better trained horses overall, which might make leading seem like a miniscule part of your horsemanship. Maybe you're too busy thinking about what's coming next as you lead your horse to the arena or trailhead to worry about him lagging behind you, pulling on the rope. But I'm here to tell you that lazy leading causes far more problems than you might imagine.

Here, I'll explain why proper leading technique is essential for all riders and how to reboot a horse that's developed the habit of walking behind you instead of up beside you.

The Liabilities

How you lead your horse to the arena-or even to the wash rack or saddling area-sets the tone for all you'll do with that horse on that day. One habit begets other habits. So, if he's lazy to walk to the arena, he'll be lazy about getting to the mounting block, for example. Then he'll be apathetic about the training session and schooling during your ride, or maybe he'll slog down the trail, ignoring your cues to move forward at a faster pace.