# Ponying on trails



## Annekooi (Apr 16, 2018)

I also have two horses who are closely bonded together and a cow in with them. When I take my horse out for a ride, the horse who stays in the pasture continuously neighs shrilly every time I go out even though I've been doing this for 2 years with the horses. The horse left in the pasture does not run around anymore, but she used to. The cow in the pasture with the horse doesn't stop her from neighing so I'm not sure companion goats would accomplish what you're goal is, but could be worth a try. I'm thinking if you continue to ride Brooke more often for short periods of time (gradually increasing the time away), Pippa might adapt and calm down a bit. Pippa needs to figure out that when Brooke leaves, she'll be back. 

Ponying would work too, but might get difficult without a western saddle horn. Would you hold the rope in your hand? If that's the case it may be a recipe for disaster. The horse you're riding might spook and go one way and the horse you're holding might respond and go the other way, leading to a painful fall. 

I hope this is helpful in some way


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

From my own personal experience, _and I admit it may be wrong..._
_When I pony I never, ever tie off to my saddle..._
Hold the shank in your hand and ride one-handed.
Do not make a coil putting your hand in it, do not tie it to your hand...but fold it so if you need to feed out quickly you are not "arm trapped!"
I use between a 10' - 15' shank when ponying and the ponied animal is at my ridden horses flank or nearer my leg.

Yes, I do this in a endurance, English saddle and the same when in my western saddle...
My horse is accustomed to 2-hands on the rein for guidance, but I can accommodate/cue enough one-handed we get around pretty good.
We mostly walk, some trotting. I have _never_ cantered/galloped doing this..._and will not._

Halter on the animal being ponied and if you are going to ride that one later, secured bridle for later use...
I would never risk tying off in case of a crisis situation happening. 

Far safer, easier and less damage to human _and_ animal to just drop the rope and give freedom, set the animal free than be caught up and ....mg:.... _the horrors going through my mind.._
I've let go on a trail when ponying just to see what would happen, yes I trusted the ponied horse to not bolt...
Ponied horse stayed with us...there were 4 mounted riders so maybe that made a difference, but stablemates and those used to being together I feel will stay together under regular conditions...
Now, all bets are off if a crisis arises or you are out alone...but if the pair are bonded as it sounds...I doubt ponied animal is going anyplace by itself. :smile:
The biggest challenge I face is mounting and not kicking the ponied horse in the face as my leg swings over.
I pony with ponied animal being on my right side always...not sure that is correct either but that makes for the ponied to be led from their left which is how my horses lead from the ground...so works well for me.


Best would be to break that bonding the two have established so independent riding and left behind can be done...
It doesn't always work that way though.
Good luck.


:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


----------



## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Subbing as I am not experienced at ponying. Have seen it done many times though, and the person riding held the lead rope in there hand. Would not tie a horse to a saddle; could be a recipe for disaster. You want to be able to turn the pony loose if needed. Always remember safety of rider first. 

No western saddle required, lol

It would be easier if your horse could neck rein, but again not required. 

If there horse get along well enough to share food, they should be able to pony. When I tried it my horse kicked the other one as they were not buddies. Would practice short ponying sessions at home in an arena or something to test the waters. 

One thing I have done quite successfully is to make sure the one left behind is safely in a stall with plenty of hay and recently given some grain. Start with very short trips at first, so the one left behind is reassured by the quick return of the one ridden. 

Don't think a goat would work as a companion since they are already bonded so tightly. Not even sure a third horse/pony would work either. 

I have a AQHA mare that is the perfect companion horse. She never wants to be BFF with horses, is not aggressive, and prefers to be alone. She doesn't even lift her head from the grass when we load up and doesn't whinny when we return. A true Gem!


----------



## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

I once ponied a Mini up and down a dirt road - never have I appreciated the value of neck reining more! Keeping control of the tension in the reins with varying tension in the lead rope is hard work - you don't want to penalize your horse for some shenanigans the Mini is pulling!

So, I'd agree saying that I wouldn't use the horn even if I had one, but if you have a nice straight line stretch where you can keep your horse straight with your legs and otherwise hold your reins in one hand for a little speed control, it may well be worth a try. I'd start with little sessions: Pony Pippa for 5 mins, return her, ride out 5 mins without her. Pick her up, do another 5 mins with her...and so on...just so she realizes she won't get abandoned. 

Since your ultimate goal isn't to pony her along on a weeklong trip so you have a backup horse, you may well be able to make do without neck reining.


----------



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I hope to be out on trail, riding one horse and ponying another later this morning (need to let the turkey hunters be finished first). As you know, I ride in saddles without horns, so ride with reins in one hand and the pony rope in the other.

I would suggest you start with Pippa in a secure area while you work with Brooke on neck reining. If she is already very responsive to seat, then it shouldn't take her long to catch on to your riding one-handed. I generally bridge my reins through my hand (versus having both reins come in the same way like traditional neck-reining) as that can give me the ability to cue from just one side of the bit if needed. If Brooke hasn't used a crupper before, work with her accepting a rope under her tail. Hopefully the pony rope never winds up there, but sure don't need a rodeo if it does!

To teach the concept of ponying, I would make sure they will both lead side by side with you walking in the middle (obviously having good ground manners is a must beforehand, but I know your girls are well broke to lead). I prefer to have the ponied horse on my right, so I would lead with Brooke on my left and Pippa on the right. Wander around the paddock practicing walk and halt and turns. I use a lot of verbal commands when ponying. 

Next, move to the same type of basics when mounted. I prefer to have the ponied horse in the vicinity of my knee whenever possible (versus trailing behind the ridden horse like a pack string), so I can keep an eye on what its doing. Ride in the paddock, so if something goes wrong you can just drop the rope without having to worry about loose horses. When you feel confident in everyone's comfort level, start in the paddock with the gate open for the first few minutes, then venture out into the yard and down the driveway, etc.

Assuming the horses pace well together, there is no reason you can't do any and all gaits with practice. I use ponying a lot when I am crunched for time and need to exercise more than one horse.






I have also ponied green horses at the start of rides, to keep everyone alive!










Good luck, I am sure you will all be enjoying the trails together in no time.


----------



## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

In the RDA yard we had to hack the horses every weekend (their time off) 40minutes to the nice field. We're talking 30 horses and most had to be ponied. English saddle etc and the rule was to just hold on with your hand- *never* tie to yourself or saddle. If in the case no one was around to assist with mounting and we generally HAD to use fixed blocks (heh) we would tie them and once mounted go over to fetch them. None of the horses neck reined in training, if you know what I mean. The ponied horse always had a bridle (no reins though). Obviously they were well mannered and you had to pair the horses in such a way that they got along. It was always a pain in the butt going down tight English trails when BOTH the ponied horse and ridden took advantage to grab food on the way -.- There were times we had to give slack as there was only room for lead file for short periods though it's not cool from a safety standpoint ofc. Some of the ponied horses were brought in their tack and the rider would swap midway. 

I wonder about this because I let my parrots free fly. The bond is strong enough and worth more than any harness or gadget. If I lived in a super rural area with no roadwork I wonder what I'd attempt... something stupid I imagine. Anyway, I agree that the separation anxiety should be dealt with but ponying is also fun but better to do it because you want instead of a feeling of necessity  Can't really say but I hope my experiences helped a little! It's all I know


----------



## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

I think the best option would be to leave the pony behind and train her to accept being alone for the duration of your rides, but since you asked about ponying ...

Ponying is not a big deal as long as the horse you're riding is decent. I can work with a pig on the lead line but the horse I'm riding needs to not be an a**hole and he needs to be responsive to my commands. Neck reining isn't necessary, although it certainly does help. I will work at all 3 gaits when ponying, of course pony the horse at a walk and trot first to make sure there's not going to be a rodeo. Remember, the faster you go, the more things tend to unravel, so make sure you're good at the walk and trot first. Never tie to your saddle, that's an accident waiting to happen. I will occasionally run the rope from my right hand, over the left side of the horn, and back to the horse when I have a fractious colt or when I'm ponying him for the first time, to increase the leverage I have available. This doesn't work well if you have a pony horse that's much bigger than your riding horse (as is the case when I'm riding Dreams and ponying Thunder the Shire, for instance), but this doesn't matter since you neither have a tall pony horse nor a western saddle with a horn. 

After that, it's just a matter of building your skill as a pony rider and building the pony horse's skills. You may also be careful about the pony seeing you above her for the first time, since some horses freak out when a human pops into existence on the riding horse's back. A certain amount of desensitizing may have to happen, with you standing on a fence or on a few hay bales so that you appear much higher in the air. Once the pony is okay with you up there, I'd say just go for it.

-- Kai


----------



## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I ponied for years and years, mainly because I was riding at 6:30 a.m. in a neighborhood, and the horse not being ridden would scream the whole time we were gone. I knew the neighbors would NOT want to be waked up at 6:30 on a Sunday morning every single week. I also took lots and lots of beginner kids who needed to be ponied, as I did not have a beginner horse.

If your horse doesn't neck rein, she soon will learn if you pony very much. Easy to learn, and fairly quickly too. In my opinion, you can pretty much expect to lose, drop, or have your pony rope pulled out of your hand at times, especially if you ride on narrow wooded trails. The ponied horse sees something, lifts the head quickly, and in no time, they are on either side of a tree. I never once had a problem re-grabbing the pony rope at those times. The horses seemed to be pretty happy ponying together, so did not separate when the rope was on the ground.

As someone else said, ponying a young colt is a lot more difficult, but you won't have to worry about that. 

I had a funny experience once, while ponying my 4 year old daughter on a longish trail ride. We were headed home, and not that far from the trailers when a huge branch broke off from a tree and landed right in front of my horse and my daughter's pony. My horse went one direction, my daughter's pony went the other. I had a split second to decide--let go of the pony rope or come off my horse. Of course, being a mom, I stayed with my daughter's pony, came flying off my horse, and landed on the ground. My horse stood quietly while we got straightened out. I could only imagine my daughter's pony galloping for "home" with a terrified child on top.

By the way, although ponying is kind of tedious at times, it also can be very very fun.


----------



## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I have ponied horses and ponies, I had a pony to keep my horse company, they were ok with being separated but I thought the pony could do with some exercise. My horse was well trained and could neck rein to a degree and had been used for ponying before.
I experimented in a closed area to see how well the pony would be and then out on the trails. I use an English saddle so no horn but I would drape the lead across my horse's wither and down on the left side so if I should drop the lead I could pick it up again easily. As others say NEVER wrap the lead around your hand. Also a good idea to wear gloves.
I had one mare that ponied so well that I would lay the lead across my horse's wither and never have to touch it as she would stay right beside me the whole ride.
I had a flat leather lead that I liked for ponying and I would lay it across the wither and then tuck a piece under my left knee to kind of hold it in place.

one thing with a pony you may have to watch for is since they are shorter and if they lag behind, the rope can get under the lead horse's tail, not something you want to happen, so watch for that and try to insist the pony keep up to avoid it.

I would lead her on single file trails at times and she followed well and I made sure the rope couldn't get under my horse's tail.

Even if my horse doesn't neck rein I often ride on trails with one hand and they learn to follow my seat leg cues very well so using one hand for ponying was no problem.

And it would be a good idea to work on having them separated at times so you can ride alone if you wish, but ponying may be an interim answer for the time being. good luck and happy riding.


----------



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Avna said:


> I took Brooke out on an experimental trail ride yesterday. Predictably, she was reluctant to go, and a bit bug-eyed with all the new things, but obedient. Also predictably, Pippa raced around screaming frantically until I came back (in 10 minutes).
> 
> As I see it, I have three options when I go out, not mutually exclusive (that is, I could alternate them as needed).
> 
> ...


Personally, I would do BOTH 1 and 3. I would want Pippa to be able to be left alone. But it's also handy to teach a pony to .... pony!

I would put Pippa into a safe corral, or whatever you have that would work. And let her be. So long as you think she won't panic to the point of hurting herself (there's really not that many horses that would actually do so). She'll eventually get over it.

This might be a terrible comparison, but we're currently doing some sleep training (again) for my daughter.  She's almost 2 and she's normally very good about sleeping through the night. However, with the arrival of her new brother, she understandably wants more attention. However, it was the last straw on Friday night when I had to get up every single hour to go cover her up. That's all you have to do, just cover her back up with the blanket and she lays down but this mamma needs her sleep!! Sure, it breaks my heart to let her cry (I do poke my head in a few times to let her know I'm there -- I just don't go cover her up) but she's already down to only fussing for 10 minutes before covering herself up and going back to sleep, and it's only been 3 nights. She fussed for almost an hour the first night.

Same for a buddy sour horse.  Let them know you are still there once in a while, but ultimately they just need to "cry it out". Eventually they will learn they are okay being alone for the short term. And you have a better trained horse! (or child, haha)

As far as the ponying, Brooke will need to learn how to neck rein. You don't realize how vital good neck reining is until you only have one hand! If you've got a good start with your seat and legs, that's good, but I still like to be able to control the horse ONLY with the reins if need be. 

I NEVER NEVER tie the horse I am ponying to the saddle horn or anything. I hold the lead in my hand, and steer my riding horse with the other hand.


----------



## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Rather than try to avoid getting the rope under the tail, I agree with @phantomhorse13 and think you need to practice having the rope go under the tail because in my experience it will happen sometimes. 
Also watch for trees that pop up unexpectedly because you can end up with one horse on either side of the tree.

I also don't canter, just walk and trot, so have not found it necessary to neck rein. At slower speeds I can just direct rein if the horse didn't follow my seat and leg cues well enough. I just hold the lead in my right hand, along with the right rein of the horse I'm riding. If I need to pull back hard on the horse I'm leading, I put both reins in the left hand for a bit and use the lead rope. 

It sounds like the horses get along great. That's the biggest obstacle I've had with ponying. If the lead horse won't tolerate the horse being ponied in their personal space and tries to kick or bite, it may not work. But it can be worse riding the less dominant horse, because when you need to turn sharply, it can be difficult making the wimpy horse turn into the dominant one. You kind of have to push the horse you are ponying with the other horse sometimes. It's easiest to ride the leader horse, as long as they don't want to kick or bully the other one for being in their space. The less dominant horse will also tend to follow the other and not try to take over the lead.

Of course you try to direct and lead both horses, but it can be tricky sometimes when they are both trying to do their own thing.


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

If the lead horse is decent, ponying is a great way to get both horses out for exercise. You want a lead horse that will tolerate another horse up next to or behind them without kicking or ear-pinning, one that is obedient to the point where you can ride one-handed if need be, and one that won't act up if the ponied horse does. Your ponied horse should be good with leading. You can teach that from the ground so it's not an issue from the saddle. 



I ride primarily western and the only time I need the horn is if I'm ponying a colt or a stubborn horse that you need to dally off to and hold while he settles down. Even if you ride western, I would not recommend this unless you have experience safely handling a rope so you don't lose a finger or worse, a roping saddle that will not come apart if the colt takes off for the next county, and your ridden horse will take a jerk, lean into his breastcollar and pull if need be, and won't lose his kibbles if that ponied horse rears and bucks next to him, or jumps forward and rams into his rump. _Leading a well-mannered pony with a broke horse requires none of this and you will be just fine without a horn_. Neck-reining is ideal but not completely required. I would, however, work with your saddle horse so that when the rope goes under her tail (and at some point it will) she gives you a dirty look rather than turning into a rodeo bronc. 



I generally use a good-quality rope halter and at least an 8' yacht line lead for ponying. It has good feel, gives you a little leeway if you need to get that led horse behind you on a narrow trail, and your led horse won't bull through it as easily as a flat web or leather halter. Use the length rope you feel comfortable with-- you don't want it so long you're dealing with tangles and loops, nor so short that you're way out at the end of it all the time. Practice ponying around in an arena and at home first before you venture down the road or trail. It's not that hard and can be fun. 



That being said, I also think your pony needs to learn to be ok with being left behind. If you add another animal, a horse is more likely to ease her stress. Also consider that the more you leave and come home, the more she'll realize she's not being left. She's new to you and both horses have had a big change. Even if you do nothing, I bet the issue is a lot better in a few weeks or months.


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Slight update: Pippa the pony is getting more used to being left (I've gone out for more than an hour and come back and found her unsweaty and calm). I have begun desensitizing work with my ridden horse (dragging a rope, rope under the tail). Incremental steps. Hopefully I'll be ponying soon.


----------



## Hondo (Sep 29, 2014)

When I first started ponying and packing I wanted to avoid just holding the lead rope all the time. Tuck it under my leg, one loop around a horn or ring where it could be released quickly.

But after a time, that lead rope in my hand became the same communication device that my reins are, to some extent at least. It kept my mind on the led horse and what he was doing, when he needed some more slack, or a pause. And for certain if he went on a different side of a tree.

So it gradually over time became preferred by me to have the lead rope only in my hand. I do double the rope and hold the doubled part in my hand close to the loop. I just find I don't have to hold it as tight. The loop right against my hand keeps it from sliding on through as easily as a single strand would.

I did a lot of ponying in the 60 acre field before going out.


The rope under the tail training is an absolute must as it absolutely will happen on the trail at some point.

Afterward training, you can throw a light little pack on the led horse.

Edit: Didn't see where anyone mentioned practicing picking up a dropped lead rope. That'll happen on the trail also so might as well get that skill practiced also.


----------



## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Plenty of good info in the comments. If your lead horse is solid, you should be able to handle anything the ponied horse throws out. I do recommend working toward neck reining. As mentioned, it's not completely necessary, but gives you another tool in the box. This, in case dealing with the pony causes you to move around in the saddle and send confusing signals with your seat and legs. The horse will pick it up quickly if you simply add that cue to the ones you're using now.


I hold my reins ice cream cone style, with 3 fingers between them. If needed, I can cheat by giving a bump to the inside rein with those fingers. 


I usually take a one wrap dally on the horn. but, if I have to hold the lead in my hand, I have the end the horse is attached to running out of the bottom of my fist. Rest is folded, and the knotted end sticks out the top of my fist. That way, if needed, I can feed out folds one at a time to the pony and still have control of the end of the rope. 


All of these variations of technique work. You'll just play around until you hit on the combo that works best for you.


----------



## Hondo (Sep 29, 2014)

I do pony one horse that is green and will stop suddenly if alarmed or whatever. With him I use a 15 foot lead and use the trick mentioned by @Cordillera Cowboy . I'll hold the rope at 10 feet leaving 5 feet in a loop that I can drop quickly to give me a second more time to bring Hondo up to a stop.

When that isn't enough, I have to turn back to pick him back up which really irritates Hondo. Hondo does not like that horse in the first place and would rather we go on without him.


----------



## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

I ride with a crupper so the horse is used to things under the tail. Usually I don't use a lead rope at all. Out in the woods, the horse just follows. My lead mare is kind of a bit$h. The horse being ponied has to stay directly behind to the right. Any deviation is dealt with kind of harsh and sometimes I let her if the horse being ponied is acting up.
When I do use a lead rope I like a short (5 foot) cotton rope. I'll tuck it under my right leg (not around), or tie it to the crupper ring with a break away. A short piece of twine that will break in an emergency. This keeps both hands free.


----------



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

If pippa has never ponied you need to teach her to do so in an arena.

I pony off of two horses. My old mare and my foxtrotter. You need to pay careful attention to the personality of the horse you are riding. I prefer to pony off of the dominant horse. 

Paris, my foxtrotter, is bottom of the herd and super laid back. My Paso is boss over her but it works because he is timid around me. It took him a few -very difficult - sessions to get him going. He was terrified of me and would either hide behind her rump, or rush past her. You could not get him next to you at all. He would rush forward and wrap the rope around Paris 's head, or drop back and you had to back up to attempt to get next to him.

He has it all figured out now, but gets very annoyed because he has to walk slowly next to Paris. But tough. He has to learn to walk calmly!

Paris is very tolerant and does not care if he bumps her side or nips at her. You need a safe tolerant horse to pony off of. 

Some horses pony really well on trails because they prefer company. But it depends on the personality of the horse because they may get annoyed having another horse constantly in their space.

I have not and do not plan to pony off of Harmony because she likes her space. I think she would tolerate the old mare only. They are buddies - much like mother and daughter. At bath time, she lets the old mare rub all over her. She wouldn't let anyone else do that! 

I do not pony the paso off of the old mare because they hate each other.


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Pippa the pony is the subordinate and Brooke the horse is dominant, but she's extraordinarily tolerant of Pippa, they are BFFs and eat out of the same grain bucket (I space them widely but they prefer to eat alternate bites and then go to the next bucket and do the same -- Brooke typically won't tolerate another horse within a horselength of her hay even, so it is remarkable). I think they are ideal ponying partners. But I have to desensitize Brooke more to the rope and practice in the pasture more before I take the plunge.

Yesterday I tried an experiment and just put a breakaway halter with id on Pippa and let her tag along on a trail ride with two strange horses plus me and Brooke. She was a total champ. Just like having a large faithful dog with us. She went over every obstacle, picked her way across creeks, went ahead or behind or in the middle as she felt inclined. When she went ahead she sometimes took a wrong turn or got too far ahead and I would just call her name and she'd turn and wait for us. I didn't even know she knew her name! Quite the pony. Since I often ride out from my house, which is next to a trailhead, and there are no roads nearby and very few trail users of any kind, I think I may do this more often.


----------

