Question:

Our weanling — a 6-month-old Appaloosa colt — doesn’t walk out when we lead him. I’d like to get him to walk out without being too hard on him. Any suggestions?

Lon and Mary Nalder

via e-mail

Answer:

The more that you teach your weanling on the lead, the more he’ll have to focus on what you ask of him. Once he’s focusing on your cues, he’ll also start to focus on picking up the pace when asked. Here are several exercises you can teach him.

Whoa. Teach your weanling to stop on cue. At the walk, apply light, backward lead-rope pressure as you give the verbal cue, "whoa." The instant he gives you the correct response, release the lead-rope pressure and praise him with a rub and kind words.

Back up. Teach him to back up by applying backward pressure on the lead rope, and cluck. (Note: Make this cluck sound different from your forward-motion clucks — your weanling will understand the subtle difference.) If he doesn’t understand what you’re asking for, lightly tap him on the chest with the end of the lead rope. Keep up the gentle lead-rope pressure and tapping until he makes any kind of move backward. The instant he moves a foot back, release pressure, and praise him. Progress slowly in this manner until he’ll back several steps on cue.

Lateral flexion. Teach him to bend his neck between the poll and withers to either side, bringing his nose toward his inside shoulder. Start with a minimal flex, increasing it slowly as his muscles become more supple, and he understands what you’re asking of him.

On the Lead

Be sure you’re leading your weanling correctly. Stand with your shoulder even with his throatlatch. As you ask him to move forward at a slow, regular walk, cluck once and apply even, light pressure on the lead rope. If he doesn’t respond, stop, and try again. You may need to increase your lead pressure, but don’t jerk the lead — and cluck only once.

Once your weanling gives you a regular, forward walk, keep him walking. As you do, say "good boy" in a soft voice, and rub him gently down the side of his neck. After several more steps, stop him, and reward him again the same way. Repeat these steps until he walks out well with light lead pressure and only one cluck.

When your weanling walks and stops on cue, you can teach him to speed up his walk. After he takes a few steps, cluck six to eight times as you apply light lead pressure and pick up the pace yourself. Keep your shoulder even with his throatlatch. If he lags behind, stop, and start over. You may have to do so many times before he picks up the pace. Be patient with him — and yourself.

On The Longe

When your weanling becomes a yearling, teach him how to longe. Snap a 15-foot longe line on the inside buckle on the halter’s noseband. (When longing to the left, this is the noseband’s left-inside buckle.) Lead him to an enclosed area with good footing. (A 40- to 60-foot-diameter round pen is ideal.) Take a longe whip to your work area.

Begin by longeing your yearling to the left. Hold the longe line in your left hand (your lead hand when longeing to the left) and the longe whip in your right one. Point your lead hand past his nose about an inch, and cluck once for a slow, regular walk; this is the same verbal cue you gave him while leading. Slightly tip his nose to the inside so that his body slightly arcs.

If your yearling balks, crack the whip on the ground behind him to send him on forward, but be sure you don’t hit him with it. If he takes out too fast, drop the longe whip, and bring him down with steady longe-line pressure using your off (right) hand.

After your yearling walks around in at least one complete circle, ask for the trot. (Always have him complete at least one circle before asking for a gait change to enhance clarity of cues.) Cluck six to eight times for the trot; this is the same verbal cue you gave him while leading.

To bring your yearling down from the trot to a walk, say, "easy." The word "whoa" or "ho" means to stop now! When he responds correctly, release all longe-line pressure. (Note: We’ll save loping on the longe line for another column.)

Longe your yearling equally in both directions. To change directions, ask him to whoa by applying light, backward lead pressure and saying "whoa," just as you did while leading. If he ignores you, take some slack out of the longe line, and patiently repeat your cues. After he’s stopped, turn him around, and buckle the longe line onto the noseband’s right side. Hold the longe line in your right hand and the longe whip in your left one, and send him onto a circle, as outlined earlier.

Keep in mind that your yearling is still a baby, so longe him in large circles in short sessions. But train him consistently. Give him four short, consistent sessions in a row per week. After each session, check his knees, hocks, and back to make sure that he isn’t being overly stressed physically.

Note that everything that you teach your youngster on the ground strengthens your leadership position. Be a positive responsible leader to him.

Trainer/clinician J.F. Shepard, 55, specializes in responsible training for trail horses, and safe horsemanship for trail riders. He's certified under top Paint Horse trainer WIlliam T. Lawrence. Afflicted with osteoarthitis, he continues to actively ride and train. For clinic information, visit www.horsecreekoutfitters.com.