# teaching a horse to drag logs/small trees to the barn



## WesternLifestyle (Jan 6, 2010)

Don't tie anything to the saddle! If he spooks, you need to be able to drop it. It will be a disaster if it is tied to him and he bolts.

I teach all of our horses to drag. I start with just desensitizing him to the rope. Start on the ground. Toss the rope over his withers, back, rump, and last, legs. Once he is comfortable with the rope touching him all over, then carry the rope and let him get used to it being all over him. Throw it on the ground and drag it back up, walk him around with it dragging on the ground, from both sides. Let it touch his legs and drag underneath him.

If you have an experienced horse that will drag something, ride your horse behind it and let him get used to following it. Then you can ride next to it and let him get used to that - be careful not to let him get tangled in the rope.

When you do start dragging something with him, start with something light. When he's OK with that, then you can add some weight. He needs to get used to the weight gradually.

Another thing that sometimes scares them - after they are used to dragging items forward, is if you back them up with the object being drug. They see it chasing them, and it's a whole new thing to get used to!

Don't take anymore wraps on the horn than you have to to drag the item. In fact, you can just hold the rope at first and drag it with your hand. Then take one wrap. If you need to, take two wraps - never more. Be sure you can get the dallies off quickly if your horse spooks.

Hope this helps!


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Dragging logs is one of the things I like to teach my horses. Just tie a rope to a small tree and HOLD the rope with your hand and drag it until the horse is okay with it. Then you can wrap the rope around the saddle horse once or twice. Like the above poster said, *Never tie anything to your saddle horn.* I use my horses to pull my live traps into the woods during the winter months. They make a hell of alot of noise but the horses usually get over the noise of the object fast.

Or you could pull around a tire just to let your horse feel the weight and get used to a rope on their side. 

Happy Trails


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

Thank you both very much! Now I'm so glad I asked before I tried it. I'm going to start tomorrow with the rope work. I don't have an experienced horse that can drag a log in front of my horse, but I do have an experienced person :lol: I'm especially grateful for the no tying things on the saddle horn tip! Although, now that it is pointed out I can see how dangerous it is, while I was coming up with my plan on how to teach my horse I just didn't think of it . I will for sure take your advice and just use one wrap, that way it's just a matter of letting go if Major freaks out or anything. Thanks again!


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I like to start with something kind of heavy. That way if they want to run off a little bit it's more work for them. When your first starting off dragging something let your rope slip a little while the horse is building a little momentum then take another dally. Kind of like how you let out a clutch on a standard transmission. Another thing to remember is if you need to let go of your rope pull straight up and pop the dallies off your horn don't just let go of the rope. This will get you free much quicker and you are less likely to get a finger between the rope and your horn. If you do get a finger caught try to find it before the dogs do and they might sew it back on at the hospital.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

> If you do get a finger caught try to find it before the dogs do and they might sew it back on at the hospital.


 
I bet ya after reading that I will be very aware of where my fingers are :lol: Maybe I should start out with something lighter to make sure I'm popping the dallies off right. This will be my first experience with dragging anything with my horse.
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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> If you do get a finger caught try to find it before the dogs do and they might sew it back on at the hospital.


Totally unrelated, but I just have to say that I simply LOVE the things this man says sometimes!! Hahahaha!!


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Keep your thumb up and dally with your right hand with the rope on the right side of your horse and yo will be fine.


Riccilove- Thanks I aim to entertain!!


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

yeah I laughed when I read it! It was funny but I bet there have been many people to really lose a finger trying to learn this. It's definitely something good to point out to beginners such as myself. And if the dog eats my finger, I can't blame kevin


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

oh lord, I was thinking rope on left side. With people like me you gotta be specific lol ok....hand right, rope right, thumbs up!


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Well I suppose if you are left handed... I would use my strongest hand/arm.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

I am left handed...I guess that's why I was thinking left side. I do want to do it how its supposed to be done, though. If it doesn't matter, well I am left handed. If it is important, then I can learn with my right...it wouldn't be the first situation us lefties have had to adjust to :lol:


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Okay then it doesn't matter.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

sandy2u1 said:


> I am left handed...I guess that's why I was thinking left side. I do want to do it how its supposed to be done, though. If it doesn't matter, well I am left handed. If it is important, then I can learn with my right...it wouldn't be the first situation us lefties have had to adjust to :lol:


It does matter but the reasoning is probably not applicable to you if your not going to be roping anything so you could use your left hand if you needed to.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

lacyloo I wasn't trying to be disrespectful. Just the opposite. I appreciate your help. It was really more of a question than a statement. I want to teach my horse the right way to do things if I can. If it is acceptable to drag stuff on either side of the saddle, then you are right, I'm better off from the left. I was just saying if there is some reason that it is better for the horse to do it on the right then that's what I will do. Sorry if my response didn't come out right. I appreciate any advice and suggestions!


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

I didn't mean for my post to come off as being a snot. :lol:


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

I don't think I NEED to use my left hand. My right may be slightly weaker, but not by much. I want to teach my horse as it should be taught. Taking that into consideration, I'm going to teach my horse to do it on both sides. After all, aren't you supposed to train both sides of your horse. Besides, I'm still doing a lot of learning with my horse, I don't know what I will be trying with him or teaching him in the future.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

lol lacyloo, I thought you were thinking I was being snotty....Just a misunderstanding between us....hugsssss


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

hehe hugs.

Desensitize them to branches touching their bodies, the sound and standing still while you are tyeing up the branch behind them. 

I do alot of groundwork with my greenies before breaking so I don't expect them to act up to something like dragging things.


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

eh that's a good suggestion too. I probably need to get him used to the sound of people dragging logs out of the woods too. My horse is actually kind of spooky. The first year I had him I couldn't really do anything at all with him without risking a blowup. Even taking him out in the yard to graze he would get crazy and bolt on me. I ended up hiring a trainer for a month and she taught me how to gain his confidence and really do something with him. I know it seems strange to get a horse like that to learn to accept those noises and all, but since the trainer taught me, he has walked up to and smelled a lot of those horse eating rocks and tractors :lol:. I think he will be fine....I just have to train him right....and thanks to all of you, I think I can.


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