# Lead Ropes and Chains left on loose horses??



## SarahF92 (Jul 13, 2014)

Hi everyone
Recently I was farmsitting for a warmblood breeder, when I walked into the barn I found one of the young horses completely unattended with a long lead rope left on her halter. I have personally found this quite alarming and removed the rope and put a notice on the whiteboard asking about it. Sure enough someone stepped up and confronted me claiming my worries were "idiotic" and I know nothing about horses. Then I was imformed that this person had left a chain over a yearlings nose for a week straight turnout in a decent size paddock. Am I crazy? Or is this super unsafe? Or is there some kind of point to this "training method"?
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## sorral3 (Jun 7, 2013)

the point to this training method is they don't know how to halter train and catch horses. It is not safe, I have seen horses get the halters caught in fencing and the horse gets hurt.

good luck


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

I don't even like halters on unattended horses. However, leaving halters and lead ropes on a loose -- but observed -- horse can teach the horse not to panic when it gets caught on something. The first time a horse steps on a lead rope when grazing and finds he cannot move, he may become disturbed. As soon as he moves his foot, he realizes he is not trapped. Most horses soon learn not to panic, just simply pick up the foot they have put on the lead rope. This knowledge can be useful if a horse ever gets its leg caught in a fence.


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## Ian McDonald (Aug 24, 2011)

It is super unsafe, but yes they do this in barns where the horsemanship is slim to none. In places I worked back in the day we would routinely turn yearlings out to pasture wearing halters and lead ropes, and we routinely handled these little guys with chains across their noses as if that were the only way a horse -could- be handled.

No use in saying much if you're gonna stick around there. You won't change them. But don't believe a word of "you don't know anything about horses". That's just something that people will say to you sometimes when you ask uncomfortable questions. I suspect that on some level they know that this is poor horsemanship, but I'm sure that they've justified it as necessary.
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## clumsychelsea (Jul 9, 2014)

Leaving a leadrope attached to a halter in a round pen or other safe area while supervised can be a great way to teach a horse that it's okay and they don't need to panic if there's a lead on the ground or if they step on it. However, leaving a leadrope attached to an unobserved horse in the barn where it could get caught on just about anything... Not so good.

Also not liking the sound of the chain on the nose for that long. :\ I don't like chains on noses to begin with, let alone for that period of time. You were right to be concerned.


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## SarahF92 (Jul 13, 2014)

Well its nice to see everyone agreeing. I understand how it makes sense under supervision but unattended not so much. I have been at this barn for 10 years and this other person has been there a couple months.being reamed out over concern for a horses safety makes me want to pack up and leave. Worst part is they are well bred warmbloods that dont belong to this person. Would be a real shame to see one bolt and step on that chain.
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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I read some biographical books from the USA about a young horse dealer who would buy herds of horses and drive them home often for several weeks. One thing he odd was to put halters and ropes on some of the horses so they learned to give to pressure when they trod on the rope.

Another thing, when we use to rode one pony and lead four to and from the fields we had several of the blighters who knew that of you were trotting and they stopped dead they would get loose and could go eat grass! 
They could prove to be naughty to catch and would charge off, rope dangling. It didn't take them long to hold their head to one side so they didn't tread on the rope.

Not a thing I would do though I have when a horse has pulled away when being turned out, left them with the rope on. I cannot see it being any more dangerous than leaving a halter on them.


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Lead ropes and halters are commonly left on by the old timers around here. For two main reasons. 

Hard to catch horses: It makes it a lot easier to grab a horse that doesn't want to be caught if they are dragging a line. Or you know, you could teach your horse to come. 

Reason two. Which I have used while supervising on my colt. To teach them to give to pressure. They, or another horse steps on the rope. They can't move. So they learn to back up or give their head to the pressure. 

Plenty of people around here turn out with the leads still on. I wouldn't personally do it. Though I leave halters on. I have on two separate occasions had a tree on my neighbors land fall, and take down my electric fence, and free the herd. Halters with the phone number and horse's name come in handy in those situations.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I have seen a small tab like lead left on young foals who are learning to be caught. Its a leather bit about 4 or 5 inches long attached to a leather foal/weaning halter. For foals that like to say hi and dash away or are a bit head shy. 

I have seen folks leave leads/bridles on for "breaks" during trail rides. The horses do learn not to step on the dragging lines. I have also seen folks stake horses out in the yard with a halter and a long line. Much like you would do with a dog or goat. It is not something I would do but not my horses not my problem.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

If it was left in a stall this way and the rope was a non twisting type, its a common and proven way of training. They learn by stepping on the lead to give to the pressure. If the horse is a problem in the stall, then it give the farm hand a chance to grab the animal before they horse gets the first cheap shot in. 
I have left chains on problem stallions ( stallions do not get turned out, they are stalled only ) , to keep a nasty one in check. I think it all depends on why and where it is being done. I wouldnt do it , and turn a horse out in a pasture. However, my turnouts are not large and when I am on site, I could do this if needed. I dont stand in the barn to supervise, but I am on the property somewhere


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

leaving a leadrope on is one thing, leaving a chain on is another.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

They actually make a halter with a built in chain , for this purpose. The chain does not have a line on it , just a ring on the side to snap your line on. They are a must have item, for stallion breeding farms


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## clumsychelsea (Jul 9, 2014)

SarahF92 said:


> Well its nice to see everyone agreeing. I understand how it makes sense under supervision but unattended not so much. I have been at this barn for 10 years and this other person has been there a couple months.being reamed out over concern for a horses safety makes me want to pack up and leave. Worst part is they are well bred warmbloods that dont belong to this person. Would be a real shame to see one bolt and step on that chain.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


If these horses do not belong to the woman that's leaving them sitting around with leads and chains left on, then she has no place to tell you that it's not your business when you tell her you don't think it's safe. It's amazing how superior people can be when dealing with horses that aren't even theirs to begin with! If it continues, I would talk to the owner of the horses. I know it might seem like "tattling" but when a horses safety is involved, I think it's more important than being liked by this woman. Besides, she doesn't seem to be the nicest person to deal with anyway, so I would hardly care whether or not she liked me! Horses safety comes first.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

TXhorseman said:


> I don't even like halters on unattended horses. However, leaving halters and lead ropes on a loose -- but observed -- horse can teach the horse not to panic when it gets caught on something. The first time a horse steps on a lead rope when grazing and finds he cannot move, he may become disturbed. As soon as he moves his foot, he realizes he is not trapped. Most horses soon learn not to panic, just simply pick up the foot they have put on the lead rope. This knowledge can be useful if a horse ever gets its leg caught in a fence.


This, but I would _NEVER_ do this with a chain. Just asking for a broken nose.

And leaving a catch tie (very short lead rope) on a hard to catch horse is acceptable (as you train obviously) but I'd never leave a long lead unattended)


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Know of someone that did this with TB short yearling...came down to find horse had gotten all 4 feet tangled up in rope and had died during the night because of thrashing around and panicking so.

And another who found horse with broken leg because got rope caught up.

Foals tied off to burros or donkeys works to teach them to lead, leaving ropes on will, but better yet is working with them to teach them to lead and not leaving rope dangling.

And chain? Never.


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## jamesdean57 (Feb 2, 2013)

We used to leave halters on our horses in the pasture by the house, till one of them got hung up on the fence and cut his throat, it was not serious. But it scared me bad enough that I'll never do it again.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> leaving a leadrope on is one thing, leaving a chain on is another.


Agree totally-no harm is done when a horse steps on a lead rope and he actually learns from this. The chain over the nose is overkill and dangerous for the horse-I have run across 2 horses with permanently broken /deformed noses from having been tied up with a chain over the nose.
Even if they don't care about the extreme pain caused to the horse, it's truly an ugly sight and decreases his value.


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