Training Tip: Safely Leading Two Horses

Question: I lead both of my geldings at the same time next to a road to get to their pasture that’s 200 yards away from the barn. The one gelding is always in a hurry and walks faster than me and the other gelding. If I put a little pressure on his halter, he slows down and stays beside us for a short distance, and then once again, he is ahead of us. How do I get him to slow down? – twistedrope

Clinton’s Answer: Whichever gelding wants to walk faster, back him up. As you’re leading him and he runs up past you, as soon as his hip gets level with you, yield his hindquarters to get two eyes and then back him up. When you’re leading two horses, I think it’s easiest to do Backing Up Method 3: Marching, but it doesn’t matter how you ask the horse to back up, just that he backs up.

I’d back him up for 50 to 100 feet. Then I’d stop asking him to back up and walk on as if nothing happened. If he runs up past you again, repeat the steps. If you do that four or five times, pretty soon, he’ll figure out that when he gets past you, you’re just going to make him back up. Turn a negative into a positive. With horses that are forward-alcoholics— always thinking go, go, go!—I make them back up everywhere. I back them up so much that they forget how to go forward. (That’s a joke of course – don’t take it literally.)

Now, you may have to train your horse to lead better by himself before leading him with another horse. You can do that by practicing the Leading Beside exercise in the Fundamentals Series. And it would be a smart idea to practice leading the two horses together in the arena before you go out next to the road and put yourself and the horses in a dangerous situation.

Have a horsemanship question or looking for more training tips? Check out the No Worries Club.