Help! This filly wont lead

[zoey829]

A friend of mine bought a filly and she is so sweet but will not lead! She is friendly, stands for the halter, farrier and even worming. But we cant get her to lead we tried a butt rope and nothing. We hate to pull hard on her neck. She was looking a already made butt ropes but they are costly or they are too big.

We joke and say she is part mule. Will it come eventually? I have never had this problem to this extent!!

 

[Chazzy]

If you put the rope behind the butt, pull hard on that rope. It doesn't matter how hard you pull. I'm sure she is small enough you can get her to move. What I always do if my arm gets tired of pulling is have someone else lead the mom or another friend in front of her. She will lead then and she will learn eventually what you want her to do. You could even try having someone get behind her and push while you stand in front and lead first. Then eventually get next to her.

Chaz

 

[ohmt]

For the foals that are hard to teach I use a different method than the butt rope because it only works with the ones that somewhat cooperate....which isn't many of them!! You have to be strong to do this though-you teach the horse how to give to pressure. First what I do is put the mare and foal into a round pen with the halter and lead rope on the baby and let them walk around (do this after their exercise so she doesn't run around and get hurt) making sure you're there AT ALL TIMES. She will step on the lead rope and this will begin comprehension of giving to pressure. I do this for about a week. Then I start to lead them. I let them pull....and I wrap the lead rope around my waist for a better hold. The foal will jump forward eventually and when she does then pat her neck and tell her she's a good girl and give her a treat. i do that for about 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 at night. Almost all of my foals have learned after 2 or 3 days. They figure it really really fast and will love you for giving them treats

Once they figure it out then I go to work on leading them around and stopping so they learn "Whoa" and they learn to stay out of my space and to lead with their head parallel to my body.

good luck!

 

[zoey829]

If I push her she will lead. We have been doing this for wks. I mean get it already!!! If we do pull the butt rope it works but she is getting butt marks.

PS. We dont have her mom.

Her halter has a lead tab on it. We have kept that on her while we were outside. Should we keep pulling her? I dont want to hurt her neck. I like the waste idea though. We have the hip power

:

 

[Chazzy]

No, I wouldn't pull hard on her neck but the waist thing sounds like it might work. I'd try that if I were you. Good idea omht!!!

Chaz

 

[ohmt]

What I like about putting the rope around my waist is that when the horse gives in it's because they decided too...not because I'm pulling them. I don't pull, the horse does. You have to step back a little like you're going to lead her and then she'll pull but don't pull back. Just stand there. When she comes forward then you pat her and give her a treat. Also this way if she decides to flop over or do something dangerous you can always let go of the rope so she doesn't get hurt. I only do it for 10-15 minutes so they don't get so tuckered out. I've been teaching the babies to lead this way for 8 years now and all have learned very quickly...and never any injuries since I'm the one in control.

**Thanks Chaz! I think I read about it in one of the mini magazines actually so I can't take the credit for it!

 

[zoey829]

The thing is she doesnt pull back unless we pull forward. She will stand thier content as can be until we lead her. If we stop leading her she stops pulling.

 

[ohmt]

Lead her until she pulls. When she does that then do what I had mentioned earlier

 

[zoey829]

When you let her pull what are you doing? Just standing thier with the lead rope around your waist?? Wouldnt that be pulling her back? Putting strain on her? Sorry about the questions we just want this little girl to lead.

 

[ohmt]

When you try to lead her she isn't going to lead right?? So SHE'S going to be pulling on you. Stop trying to lead (pull) when she stops and starts pulling. Then, yes, you just stand there with the rope around your waist. She'll be pulling on you because she won't want to lead. But eventually they all jump forward. Sometimes right away they'll back up and start pulling again but you said she's a pretty nice girl so I'm thinking she's going to figure this out fast. She'll jump forward and you'll pat her and give her a treat. Try leading her again and when she pulls then you're going to stand there until she jumps forward again. It's not going to hurt her...I promise

make sure you talk to her while you're doing this. It helps alot because she'll not want to pull anymore.

 

[Jill]

When I've had them plant their feet and refuse to move, I just hold a steady pressure to the lead until them "give" to it. I don't keep applying more pressure or pulling, but I do not give and, so far, they always have gone on and come forward when they see that's the only option other than standing planted.

 

[zoey829]

Thanks. We are going to try again once it stops raining. She is sweet, I just think she is smarter then us

:

 

[Jetiki]

Take a large horse halter, put her head through the nose hole and the crown piece around her rump, with the normal lead ring at her withers, pretty much upside down, instant butt rope, that won't slip, won't hurt and won't slide down around her ankles. you can pull to your hearts content and won't hurt her neck. This is what I use to lead all my babies.

Karen

 

[Marty]

The engine is not in the front

 

[Jetiki]

Marty, to what are you referring to?