[faroutfax]

Sounds really interesting I curious as to the reasoning behind it. I'm going to try it with Misty to see how it goes

[Vengeance]

At risk of me sounding dumb. Why would you want to?
I would prefer my Mare stand still with something around its leg or am I missing something here?

I don't really have a reason for teaching him this, I guess it's just something that sounded cool, so I decided to give it a try... Lol. I probably won't really ever teach him to lead this way really well, like I said, it's just something to 'play' around with at the house... Otherwise, I really don't have a reason besides I guess... strengthening mine and Dakota's bond... though I'm not really doing it for that, I just wanted something to fiddle around with...

[CatandMinot]

Found it. Here's some of the lesson:

(Pat and Linda Parelli's Old Level 2, Stage 2 Pocket Guide)

"Lead You horse by the front leg
This task teaches your horse to think down to his feet as well as yield toward the pressure on his leg instead of fighting against it. This may be the softest bard wire fence he ever runs into.

Objective:
-To lead your horse by the front legs

Tools:
-"Horseman's Halter" (aka a cheaper rope halter), 12-foot line (lead rope), and 22foot line/ (lunge line)

Directions:

1. Have the Halter and 12-foot line on your horse. Lay the middle of the 12ft line across you arm near your elbow, this leaves your hands free to work with the 22ft line.

2. Pass the 22ft line behind your horses front leg above the knee holding an end in each hand

3. Play the "Friendly Game" with the rope, rubbing him up and down his leg. Do this with each front leg to make sure your horse is calm and confident. (Note, If your horse objects to you touching his with the rope around his legs, keep rubbing his legs with it until he is confident and relaxed. You might even go back to using your carrot stick if he's really jumpy

4. Stand at your horse's shoulder, toes pointed towards his hind end. Wrap the 22ft line right around his ankle, under the fetlock, and hold an end in each hand. Slowly lift the line up, increasing the pressure until he shifts his weight or lifts his foot off the ground. Then release. Do this a couple times, then lift the rope up so his foot comes all the way up as if you were going to clean it out. Hold it for a few seconds and release only when he relaxes. Repeat until he responds willingly and calmly.

5. Now stand in front of his. Lift his front leg forwards to you with the rope, slowly increasing the pressure phase by phase, until he shifts his weight towards you. Then release. Repeat this again, and when he lifts his leg in the air, bring it slowly toward you until he comes forward a step. As soon as he does, release, relax, and start again. If you horse panics, try to calmly hold onto the rope and keep him facing you until he finally makes the right decision and yields forward. Then release and relax.

6.Once you can bring the leg forward and get one full step, try slightly to the side (same side, don't cross over the other leg!) so he has to make a bit of a turn.

7. Try not to use the halter. If your horse turns his head away, keep a steady hold on the leg rope until his nose starts to come toward you and only then release the pressure. In this way, you'll teach him to keep his nose pointing towards you.

8. Teach him to come in a straight line leading by his front leg. Don't use the halter, but keep it on as a safety net.

9. Once you have forward accomplished, you can progress to walking in arcs and turns by adjusting your position to one side or the other and allowing your horse to follow the feel for direction."

[Dancers Mom]

I would think this would be dangerous.

[Lindsayanne]

Further proof parelli is not original... at all.


Yeah, my farrier was telling me about it. They've always done it, grew up doing it. I guess they do it as a precursor to teaching the young horses to hobble. I forget what the reasoning was- I'll ask next time I see him.

[StockHorseGirl]

Originally Posted by Dancers Mom

I would think this would be dangerous.

Why?

[Caterina]

I remember when I took a clinic, one of the activities that we were learning was to lead a horse by every part of his body. All 4 legs, chin, nose, ears, head, cheek, neck, shoulder, tummy, rump, etc....
I think I have a pic of leading Cowboy by his leg...
Here we are... by his back leg...


Then he decided to be naughty


Changing his tune

[buck1173]

I've done it... lead by all 4 feet actually... not for the sake of leading, but for helping an extremely foot-shy horse... I learned it from buck branaman and watched a demo by tom dorrance where he did it to help a nervous horse. I've also led my horses w/a rope around the base of the neck and one around the barrel. again learned from buck B.

[dotgotcalm]

Yep, it's an old trick that's been around for years. I do it to as part of hobble breaking. Horses are much less apt to fight the hobbles once they've gotten this on all four legs. Not interested in leading one around though, just in having one willing to move each leg enough to relieve the pressure.

[Banat]

Originally Posted by Dancers Mom

I would think this would be dangerous.

Having a horse that doesn't give to pressure is dangerous. Worse is having a horse that panics from having something moving, wrapping around, or trapping his leg.

Teaching this to a horse makes the horse safer.