horse standing still

Question

horse standing still   hello ma'am, how can i make a horse stand still if i leave the lead rope loose? actually, most of our horses try to runaway when they sense that we are holding the lead rope loosely. i drew a diagram of a groom in dark bluish gray uniform meeting another person in red shirt and blue jeans. this groom set the horse loose and i really wondered that the horse was standing still instead of running away. so, please tell me how can i train a horse in such a way that if i leave the lead rope loosely also, the horse shouldn't run away.

Answer
Rohit,

In the States, often riders (especially Western) will train their horses to "ground tie".
They start usually with a halter and lead rope, and may do something as simple as pulling down on the rope, then letting it loose, and with their body language and maybe hand gestures
"tell" the horse that he needs to not follow him.

If you do this, just step away from the horse for a step or two, then return, then maybe pull on the rope and step away and return, etc., until the horse realizes that he must stay in one place. You should be able to walk all the way around your horse and he needs to stay immobile.

This is a very useful exercise for a horse to know, especially if you use your horse and may have to leave it for a moment (trail riding, working with cows, etc., ) but this skill has to be carefully monitored by the rider. It is very dangerous to try to do this with resins attached to a bit (if the horse moves he may step on the rein and pull himself painfully in his mouth), or split reins..(horses have been known to put their foot in the middle of the rein and injure themselves. ).



Mitzi