| Over the last few years there has been a lot of hype | | | | combination will get you the finesse of leading. |
| about horse training. All kinds of "new" techniques | | | | And once you are there, you can take it one step |
| were presented, but mostly it is the same show of | | | | further. Forget the lead rope and do it without. Once it |
| starting an "untouched" horse. In my opinion something | | | | works you have kind of reached the "Grand Prix level" |
| lost out - "finesse." | | | | of "lead the horse." |
| There is more to training, riding or driving a horse than | | | | Why would you do that? Why spend all this time on |
| "just get going." If the horse takes a halter and kind of | | | | leading? Two answers: |
| follows, the job seems to be done. But it actually is far | | | | First, to me it is a lot of fun. In my opinion it is worth it to |
| from done. The Spanish riding tradition is a good | | | | achieve this strong connection with a horse. This is |
| example of finesse. | | | | finesse - and that is what I like. |
| Leading the horse is a good way to get started in that | | | | Second and much more important, once you have this |
| direction. The objective should be something like this: | | | | connection, you will not loose it when you move on to |
| "the horse follows every move of the handler with it's | | | | more and other training. Everything else will be pretty |
| nose at the handlers elbow and without taking the | | | | much a breeze. |
| slack out of the lead rope." It could mare precise like | | | | Leading the horse to a level of finesse is the easiest |
| "at any location", but that will do. | | | | approach to finesse. All you need is a halter and a lead |
| This is about more than "getting from here to there"! | | | | rope. There are no cues you need to give - there |
| The biggest problem in our modern day world of | | | | actually should not even be any voice commands. If |
| training horses is, that it will take time - a lot of time. | | | | you have to say "back" - you are just not there yet. |
| You will not accomplish that in a few afternoons - not | | | | Let me give you a final example. I enjoyed visiting the |
| even in a couple weeks. | | | | Dublin Horse Show in Ireland. And it always amazed |
| It requires that you have your full focus on the fact | | | | me to see the handlers walk through a crowd counting |
| that you are leading the horse - and nothing else. In | | | | by the thousands with one of these big hunter jumpers |
| return it will gain you the full focus of the horse on any | | | | on each side. I am not sure, if these horses even |
| slightest move you make - ready to respond. Only this | | | | noticed the crowd - their focus was on their handler. |