Hoof Beats: Beware of Closed Circles
Every time I see a rider leading her horse by correctly holding the lead rope in her right hand, a few inches below where it attaches to his halter, but coiling the rest in her left hand, I cringe.
When you lead a horse, make sure not to carry the rest of the lead rope in circles. What happens if your horse spots something dangerous and shies? Maybe you have a well-trained, good-natured horse who, when he feels resistance, will stop. But what if the wind’s blowing that day, and your good-natured horse turns spooky and starts to bolt?
If you coiled the rope, the coils will tighten, and you will realize they’ve tightened so much that you can’t let go of the lead rope and your horse is pulling you, trying to get away. You’ll be much safer if you make figure-eights out of your lead rope. (Work on this without the horse on the other end.) Make a loop in one direction and lay the two lengths of rope side by side in your left hand. Then make a loop going in the opposite direction. Now you have a figure-eight.
By holding the rope this way, if your horse shies so suddenly that he yanks the rope out of your right hand, let go of the loop closest to him, so that he feels the release of the pressure. He will probably stop pulling.
Avoiding coils and circles of any type can keep you safe in many different circumstances. I know too many lesson-givers who want their beginning rider to focus on keeping her reins short enough to be effective. But instead of reminding her — again — to shorten her reins, too many lesson-givers will snap a nylon rope to the bit on both sides so the rider has only a small amount of rope to steer with, and — if she’s a real rooky — to balance herself with. What happens if the horse trips and falls? If he falls hard enough that his front legs buckle, he will inadvertently punish himself in the mouth and fight to stay upright. His rider will probably fall off.
Many years ago I was riding Sinjun, my first American Saddlebred trail horse, and I dismounted — this is when I didn’t need a mounting block — and left the reins loose on his neck because the time out wouldn’t take long. I ride English, so I use leather reins. Sinjun realized immediately that he could lower his head to graze, and the reins slid over one ear. To my consternation, he took one more step forward — right between the two reins. His leg was inside a circle. As quickly and as quietly as I could, I moved to his shoulder, picked up that foot, and untangled him.
If he had taken just one more step forward and raised his head, he would have tightened the reins and — again — hit himself in the mouth trying to free himself. In a situation like that, leather reins will break. The problem now is your horse. Some will stick around. Others will not.
I recently read an article about a couple of trail riders who got off their horses to adjust something, and their horses took off. The women weren’t together, and in one case she was riding alone in rough country with not a road or a house in sight. These events happened BC — Before Cellphones — and all the riders could do was watch their horses gallop away. In spite of a lot of detective work on their part, neither woman found her horse.
Even if your horse stays with you, you will probably have one long rein and one short rein. Unless you’re good with knots, riding him home is out. So how will you get back? By walking him, and thinking about how you can prevent this from happening again. My advice is to pack an extra pair of reins in the fanny pack you’re wearing, along with your lunch and your cellphone. NEVER attach these items to your saddle. If you and your horse part company, you’re flat out of luck.
One more tip to keep you safe. Do not wear jewelry — a bangle bracelet, a watch with an expandable metal band, even a necklace — any time when you visit the barn. I first started wearing a helmet in the summer, and at the end of my ride I could feel my sweaty, itchy hair, and I couldn’t wait to ditch the helmet. I was wearing medium-size hoop earrings, and one got caught in my hair or the helmet itself as I yanked it off. I probably screamed — it hurt — but at least I hadn’t pulled the hoop completely through my earlobe. It just felt that way!
Joan Fry is a lifelong horse lover and the author of “Backyard Horsekeeping: The Only Guide You’ Ever Need” (The Lyons Press, Revised Edition, 2007). She can be reached via email at joan@joanfry.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Hoof Beats: Beware of Closed Circles
