# Letting the horse make a decision about where you go?



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_If I manage to beg/borrow a horse for hunting, I will often let them choose their own way up or down a hill, unless its a steep hill and they think they should go straight up or down. That way they are taking a route they feel is safe. Other then that I dont really let them choose where to go._


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

I had a pony just like that. She was not barn sour at all! She loved going out on adventures. Always had fun with her cuz I didn't have to fight her to get off the property. Its great to have a horse confident in itself and rider to be able to just go!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SparksFly (Nov 20, 2010)

I do it. Surprisingly, my horses know our land better than I do, so I figure they won't take me off too far.


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

I used to ride a horse that would want to go the opposite way all the other horses/riders were going. It was a bit annoying, because once she realized she was all alone, she would walk _soooo slow _to get back to the group. 
But she was my favorite horse. I miss her .


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

That was a good story. Lacey sounds like a real character.
I do let my horse choose the way sometimes. I think it is good for the partnership. Whenever we can join with our horses we create harmony. Yesterday I took Mac out for two rides. After the first one, we came home and went back out again with another friend. Mac was really ****ed off, 'cause we never go out again and he felt it wasn't fair. He argued with me at several forks in the trail, so when we came to one that kind of leaned toward home and Mac felt like cantering along it, I just wen with him. It was the nicest forward canter he had in ages. (usually he is mentally holding back , getting ready to spin and run from the bogey man)


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

If I let my horse choose, we'd be standing in the middle of the highway greeting semis. So nope, no way, not going to happen!


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

If I am on a horse that I trust very much then I don't mind making a consensus once in a while. I could never do that with Deja. She's a very "give them an inch and they'll take a mile" type. 
Thelma, I'll let her get away with things and let her pick the way around the pasture sometimes. She seems to understand that just because I let her choose once, doesn't mean that I've relinquished all power to her and she can do what she wants.She also doesn't seem fond of over exerting herself for nothing so I can drop the reins and let her wander without worrying that she'll take off. I can't wait to take her on trails!


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## SailorGriz (Nov 28, 2010)

I tell Mr. Big where we're going but I often let him pick how to get there. On yesterday's cross country ride (no trails) we were just out exploring--in quite a bit of snow, in some pretty hilly country. I let him know what hill, valley, saddle, etc., I wanted to get to but let him pick the way that he seemed to think gave the best footing in the snow. Well, within reason--he had to stay more or less on course!

The exceptions were times when I wanted to look at something in particular. Like, looking for rabbit sign for example (didn't find any, darn it all). Then he had to go where I wanted, how I wanted to get there. 

And, for a bit in the middle of the ride, I was making him walk around bushes on the side he obviously didn't pick--just to make sure he knows I'm the boss and, if I say so, he WILL go where I want him to go!

He got all bent about something at one point and I ended up pulling him into a tight spin one way, then the other, then back again. Then I said "We ARE going where I say!" and after that he was a lot better. Guess he just needed a strong reminder of who was boss!


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## WalkerLady (Jul 22, 2010)

Molly is a little funny on trail rides as she always wants to pick a slightly different way to go than the other horses. For instance, where the others will just splash through a puddle, she may decide to walk on the side of it. Or she won't follow them between two trees, but instead decide she wants to walk through those two trees about a yard to the right. Or she's not going down that bank right there, she's moving about 6 feet to the left to navigate it. She won't walk over a fallen log or cross a stream without putting her nose down to check it out. 

Mostly I just let her do these things, because I figure she usually has a better idea about the best footing for her than I do, but I have to pay careful attention because sometimes (in her infinite wisdom  ) she'll run my leg into a tree, or try to cross the creek where it's deepest and soaks my feet. 

Not sure why she's like this, but she's definitely not a nose-to-tail type of horse.


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## PerchiesKisses (Dec 6, 2010)

Haha! I used to ride this mare named Daisy and my friend would ride her sister Dixie. Both horses were trail horses primarily, so the opportunity to "do what they wanted" was often unavailable on the trail. But I do remember one day when we took the two mares out bareback and let them choose what they wanted to do. We spent about an hour and a half grazing in a meadow before Dixie suddenly lifted her head and decided it was time to go home... straight through the thicket of pine trees! There was NO way to steer through those trees, so I just kinda ducked and held tight to Daisy's mane as we went through.

Then, on the way back to the barn we got into the main yard stretch and Daisy started sniffing at the ground. I shoulda known what was coming, but it still was kinda surprising when she suddenly dropped to her belly and began to roll. I jumped off, laughing as I did only to look up and see Dixie lowering onto her belly as well, my friend kicking desperately to get the mare to stand back up. Dixie just to say touched her belly to the ground before getting back up, and I hopped on Daisy as she finished her roll and got back to her feet.

It was one of the best rides of my life  I loved those mares


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## inaclick (Jun 6, 2010)

WalkerLady said:


> Mostly I just let her do these things, because I figure she usually has a better idea about the best footing for her than I do, but I have to pay careful attention because sometimes (in her infinite wisdom  ) she'll run my leg into a tree, or try to cross the creek where it's deepest and soaks my feet.


I could swear a certain mare from the trail ride center I used to go to was deliberately choosing the lowest branched trees whenever given the opportunity just to bump my head in them :lol:


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I do. We have a few trails with lots of logs for jumping, and if the horses are in an energetic mood they sometimes wanna go that way just to go fast and jump the logs!


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

I do with Rose every so often. If we're with other horses, she'll just stay with the herd. If we're crossing some difficult terrain, I'll give her her head and let her choose the best way...because of the footing. In the ring, she mainly just stays on the rail at a slow walk. 

With Rook though, the only time that it's half-way safe is when we're riding alone. It is fun when I can do it with him, I've never had him stop to eat or wander off of the trail. When we're just in the ring getting some exercise, he normally just stops waiting for me to tell him what to do. He's funny when we're in there and I'm on the phone while riding him. If he feels that I'm getting upset by the person on the other end of the line, he'll stop and put his head around to my foot as if he's saying "are you ok?". When I hang the phone up, he goes on about his way.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

The last time I let Soda decide where we should walk through the little marshy spot in the trail he chose the edge after I said middle. I let it go, figuring like most of you that he probably knows the safest spot to walk..... Yeah right, I forgot this is the horse that thinks jumping in front of semis is a good way to get home faster. :roll: Right after that we came upon another little marshy spot, he dove into the tall grass to avoid the spot. In the process he went about 10 feet into an even marshier/wetter spot full of fallen logs and trees. He did it so fast that it completely took me by surprise. Fortunately we came a third marshy spot after that, that's where he learned (again) that where I point he goes. Unfortunately if you give him an inch he'll take a mile, considering that he has put us into dangerous footing/situations more than once I can't let him decide our route.


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## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

if i let my horse Dolly chose the way she wants, its always the way home lol. she will turn alll the way around lol


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## Kano32 (May 16, 2010)

I do, sometimes... If i'm on the trail with my midget pony, i give him his head most of the time and he picks his own way through the rocks and stuff. On our ride the other day, we were walking along a track lined with trees and every so often, he'd find an opening and do a complete circle  it was hilarious! If we're cantering calmly i give him his head so he can slow when he gets to tired (he's quite old) 

I could never let my other horse completly have his head because if something spooked him he'd spin and take off, but he wouldn't do it if i had contact....

I can give my new horse her head but i don't often because we're still getting used to each other.

This is a good thread


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Our mares are always ridden on a loose rein, and when I'm riding off the trail through the woods, I just choose the destination and let them pick the path...they've kept me out of a lot of old barbed wire fences that I couldn't see. I typically don't worry about low branches, but do steer them away from those 'horse width' gaps between two trees that will kill your knees.


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## Heatherloveslottie (Apr 12, 2010)

I couldn't let Lottie choose the way because it would always always be home, even to the extent that when we're just riding in the field and I have to stop and loosen my reins to adjust my stirrups, she'll attempt to turn round and go back to the stable! She's better than she was though :')


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## Mocha26 (Oct 27, 2010)

Aww that's so cute! I let Mocha choose where we go sometimes & one day she took me & my friend off our property ( which we have permission to trail back there) & my friend decided to let her horse choose where we went. I knew it wasnt a good idea since my friend had never rode back there before & only mocha & I knew the way.. I tried to tell her it wasn't a good idea. I was right. Her horse ran her through a bunch of low lying branches & my friend got cut up :/ so moral of the story, know your horse & know where your going too! Lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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