# Never wrap the lead rope around a body part



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Yep, and that's why I don't try to lead more than 1 at a time, even when I "know" they won't spook or do something silly. There's always the ONE time and it will end badly for you if you have the lead wrapped around a body part. I cringe when I see people with leads or reins wrapped around hands, arms, NECKS.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

No loops! Just folds! It is something I catch myself doing wrong all the time.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

That includes lunging too. When I was younger, even though I definitely knew not to loop lead ropes, that never transferred to lunge lines. Nothing happened but I got a good scolding from my trainer.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

OMG! I see people who not just drape but KNOT the leadrope around their waists just so they can text and walk.... My next best "favourite" is people who loop the reins over their torso (on the ground) or wrap it around their wrist when trying to do something in the saddle....


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

It thins the human herd


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Kalraii said:


> OMG! I see people who not just drape but KNOT the leadrope around their waists just so they can text and walk....


Ok, I have no sympathy for someone like that. People are getting hit by cars in the parking lot of the campus where I work because they're texting and walking. It's gotten so bad, security had to put out a warning. To people. Who text and walk in traffic. :shrug:


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

Agreed. I frequently lead 2 at a time up to the barn, but my barn is in the middle of the pasture. I leave the lead ropes draped over the horses' backs. If one decides to spook or be stupid, I just let go. My horses are conveniently herd bound, and I always catch all 4. As long as I get 2 of them to the barn, the others will follow.


My daughter was helping me catch the horses several months ago. She had her lead rope loosely looped around her shoulder. Naturally, her horse spooked, and the rope wrapped around her arm and pulled it as it uncoiled. There was no damage, but the experience scared her and taught her a lesson she won't forget.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I see people doing this all of the time. When my niece did this the first time I just told her that if she wants her fingers, hand, or arm ripped off at any given moment or dragged across the ground for a mile or so then just keep holding the lead exactly as you are. She chose to change the way she was holding it. I still had to keep reminding her for a while. 

I never got into the habit of having to be on my phone 24/7. My line of work dictates that. I still have friends to this day who get upset with me when I don't respond right away to their call or texts. They just don't get how someone can even live without the phone hooked up to them at all times. They think that I am ignoring them.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> I never got into the habit of having to be on my phone 24/7. My line of work dictates that. I still have friends to this day who get upset with me when I don't respond right away to their call or texts. They just don't get how someone can even live without the phone hooked up to them at all times. They think that I am ignoring them.


That's why I finally just got rid of my phone, people who just could not get that I was not going to be a slave to the phone/them and their whims/demands 24/7. I answer the phone at MY convenience and if someone calls when it isn't they can leave a message. My husband has a cell phone and they can send a text to it for me, but they won't get an answer until he relays it to me and I can call them back. I cannot stand people who make demands on my attention 24/7 and pout if they don't get it.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

mmshiro said:


> Yesterday, I took two horses from one pasture to another. They are both good boys, they came bouncing to the gate when I showed up and stuck their noses into the halter. I led them together - one on the left, one on the right. As soon as we passed the gate leaving the pasture, both of them spooked at I-have-no-idea-what, in opposite directions. But for my ability to drop the lead ropes instantaneously (I had them on about 2ft of slack rope, the rest folded up in my hands), I'd be practicing to use chop sticks with my toes right now...


Soon as I saw who the originator of this thread was, I knew it was safe to open & read. There was either a semi-comic moral to the story, or [email protected];was about to relay the story of some nitwit who "doesn't have the sense God gave a goose", as my 79 yr old horse savvy neighbor would say:cowboy:

If my granddad would have EVER caught any of us kids wrapping a lead rope attached to a horse around ourselves, it would have gotten us a few weeks of "porch time" ---- that was no fun during the day when there was a pasture full of horses to play with:|:|

******

S*pooking in opposite directions, makes me think bees. 'Tis the bee stinging season. O*ne of the dogs got stung on a back leg when DH was running them in the pasture, a few nights back.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That's why I finally just got rid of my phone, people who just could not get that I was not going to be a slave to the phone/them and their whims/demands 24/7. I answer the phone at MY convenience and if someone calls when it isn't they can leave a message. My husband has a cell phone and they can send a text to it for me, but they won't get an answer until he relays it to me and I can call them back. I cannot stand people who make demands on my attention 24/7 and pout if they don't get it.


Ha ha, I don't like the way they behave either. But, i do need my phone because I travel. I just ignore their pouting and they usually get over it.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

Yep! I make sure that anything I hold that's attached to a horse is held in a way that I can quickly and completely drop it.

A friend of mine broke her finger while holding a horse by the halter. In fairness to her he was cross-tied and she was in the midst of unsnapping them so she could get him bridled. Didn't have anything else to grab him WITH in the moment, but it only takes a moment. :/


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I remember a man leading a pony and it took off. He had the rope wrapped around his hand. He broke all four fingers and they swelled up like sausages. The rope burns must have been painful too. I learned a valuable lesson just seeing the results of that incident. 

There was a case some years ago when a small child put her reins around her neck and was killed as a results. 

If they are impossible to hang onto let them go!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

My husband's father had a cousin that was killed because he wrapped a lead rope around his arm. The horse spooked at something and drug him and smashed his head into a tree. He was killed instantly.

If anyone ever rides my horses, I tell them ahead of time, these are my horses and we follow my rules. Not attaching yourself to the horse is the first rule I tell them.

Good post @mmshiro .


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## Cedar & Salty (Jul 6, 2018)

This includes roping reins as well. It's very easy to let that loop drop over your wrist when you're fiddling with something else.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That's why I finally just got rid of my phone, people who just could not get that I was not going to be a slave to the phone/them and their whims/demands 24/7. I answer the phone at MY convenience and if someone calls when it isn't they can leave a message. My husband has a cell phone and they can send a text to it for me, but they won't get an answer until he relays it to me and I can call them back. I cannot stand people who make demands on my attention 24/7 and pout if they don't get it.


Right?! I know this is OT, but it drives me nuts how people assume this. I've probably lost friends because they get annoyed that I don't respond for days. That's ok, I can live without those friends.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> Ok, I have no sympathy for someone like that. People are getting hit by cars in the parking lot of the campus where I work because they're texting and walking. It's gotten so bad, security had to put out a warning. To people. Who text and walk in traffic. :shrug:


I second Boo's comment - they should just receive a Darwin Award if they do it properly, not warnings! :twisted:


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

English riders often put their arm through the reins when they are going to do something such as check, tighten the girth or open a gate etc. I know I have done this many times and I scold myself for doing it. I think your arm, wrist would come free but I don't want to test it. Sometimes you need two hands to do something but I try to be smart about this and when I have to use two hands, for instance to open a big gate, I tuck the reins under my arm high up and then if the horse should pull away the reins come free. 
My horses have always been good to stand quietly while I am doing something BUT it only takes a second for things to go to he!! in a handbasket.

Be especially careful when handling chains (chains on gates) when holding a horse, never get your fingers trapped in a chain.

Sometimes when I am out with my horse and doing some trail clearing I use the western saddle and I put the English reins over the horn and tie a light string to the bridle or noseband and tuck the string in the back of my pants. If the horse pulls the string comes free or if it doesn't it will break easily so I'm not travelling home along the ground behind the horse. One time I am working away and going along the trail with the horse following behind, I looked back and the string has come away from me and the horse is still following along just keeping me company.


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

Years ago, probably 15 or more, there was a young lady who was born without arms. She became quite accomplished as a rider, using her feet as her hands. One day, she had tied her horses lead line around her waist. The horse spooked, and she was dragged to death. I'll never forget that, as it was very sad. 

One of the first things I learned about handling horses was to not loop the lead, or anything else attached to a horses head, and I always stress the same to newbies. Their eyes always got big when I described how easy it is to lose body parts. I've had a rope burn or 2 in my years, and I always use cotton leads, never nylon.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Once I assumed too much and it didn't occur to me that someone who owned their own horse and led her in and out from the pasture would not know basic safety rules. When I was away, I asked her to turn my horse out one morning. The next day she showed me a deep burn on her hand and swollen fingers - she'd walked my horse with the rope wrapped around her hand, and my horse had spooked at something. I believe she wanted sympathy, but I was unable to give very much, being flabbergasted she'd thought to lead a horse that way. My response was perhaps more along the lines of "Well, yeah, what were you thinking?" Then a belated, "Sorry your hand is hurt, and you're lucky to have not been dragged."

The trouble with lunge lines and long lines is that sometimes they have a mind of their own, and turn into living beings that try to drop down, snake around your legs and form nooses for you to step in when you aren't looking. Sometimes I convince myself that my lines want me dead, and are sneakily planning my demise when I'm distracted.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I had some neighbour's call in as I was getting the horses in. Their daughter, about 12, and had her own pony, wanted to lead one so I gave her the rope of one. The parents were watching. As she took the rope so she wrapped it around her hand. Immediately I jerked the rope away hard enough that it pinched her hand at the same time saying, "Don't you ever EVER wrap a rope around your hand." 

The girl immediately covered her face with both hands. Her parents, stood at the gate were in fits of laughter. I apologised for scolding her off the mother, still laughing told me that it was fine and explained that reason she was laughing was because the night before they had watched the film K-9 and there was a scene where the dog was being told off and he had covered his face in the same way.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

gottatrot said:


> Once I assumed too much and it didn't occur to me that someone who owned their own horse...


Mate, there's no accounting for common sense!! The times when I've turned up to someone's property to find the horse tied to loose rails or such. Once I (luckily successfully) had to jump a rail as it came at me - I hadn't realised it was attached only by BALERS TWINE so the horse hardly had to pull back & it came away - horse thankfully uninjured too, after backing up with speed, with the rail 'chasing' her. Woman had heard it was safer to tie a horse to balers twine, so attached the tie rails like that on purpose!

Once I turned up to an agistment property & every horse was tied to the WIRE fence & not one person saw a problem(there were about 5 different owners present)!


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

^^^^


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That's why I finally just got rid of my phone, people who just could not get that I was not going to be a slave to the phone/them and their whims/demands 24/7. I answer the phone at MY convenience and if someone calls when it isn't they can leave a message. My husband has a cell phone and they can send a text to it for me, but they won't get an answer until he relays it to me and I can call them back. I cannot stand people who make demands on my attention 24/7 and pout if they don't get it.


You could always just tell them that you wrapped a lead rope around your hand and no longer have fingers to text with.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> That's why I finally just got rid of my phone, people who just could not get that I was not going to be a slave to the phone/them and their whims/demands 24/7. I answer the phone at MY convenience and if someone calls when it isn't they can leave a message.


My husband got me my first mobile when I was pregnant with the first, seeing it as a medical emergency in the waiting... & got so stroppy with me because I never remembered to take it with me or turn it on most of the time. 2009 bushfires when we & many of our friends were evacuated(the lucky ones...) got me in the habit of using it. I do have my phone with me & switched on most of the time these days - clucky mother hen, having kids... but I won't drop what I'm doing to answer it.... my husband gets SO mad when he's around & I don't jump to it's immediate attention! Wasn't so long ago we all survived without them, but people seem to have forgotten it's even possible to!

We moved to this place last year. He's still hassling me to get an aerial for TV... which the rest of us hardly missing. He was stressed & stroppy for the first month we lived here because we also had no land line, mobile reception or internet at home. I REALLY enjoyed the peace myself!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I am no slave to my phone either. I do carry it with me but will not answer unless I am not doing anything. 

Had a good one yesterday as a matter of fact. Phone rang, I answered a youngish woman accused me of sleeping with her boyfriend. (I cannot use the words she used!) 

I replied, "My dear girl, I am an 84 (I'm not) year old woman. My days of sleeping with anyone are long over and I can assure you that if he is sleeping around he isn't worth it!" 

She hung up.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

As a child, I was always cautioned against looping the lead around any part of the body, or of even holding the lead coiled like a lariat in the hand. We were instructed to hold it in folds. 


This was drilled into us to the point, that when, in school, I read of the harpoon lines whipping out of the whaleboat in the final pursuit of Moby ****, I knew what would happen to Captain Ahab.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I always fold, even with longe lines. Having a length of line twisting on the ground around my feet terrifies me!

And … even though I always safely fold, there has been more than one occasion where my hand instinctively tightened on the line (misguidedly) believing I could stop 1100 lbs of fleeing animal. For this reason, I almost NEVER use flat nylon. Cotton rope burns are bad enough. Flat nylon could cut your hand in half! 

Now, I will admit to being guilty of slipping my arm through closed reins on occasion, when doing something that requires both hands, but usually I'll unsnap one end or use a lead rope. Most often though, the lead rope stays on until I'm ready to mount, and if I think I'm going to have to dismount on a ride, I take a lead with me. Getting hands caught is one thing, but hanging on to (or stepping on) a bit is detrimental to the horse's mouth.

Phones. Ugh. People always seem to call when I don't want to be bothered. I carry it with me when I ride for safety's sake, since I ride alone, but I have been known to ignore calls while watching a show or just sitting on the porch watching the horses munch dinner. My time is MY time. I'll call you back when I get to it.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

gottatrot said:


> Once I assumed too much and it didn't occur to me that someone who owned their own horse and led her in and out from the pasture would not know basic safety rules. When I was away, I asked her to turn my horse out one morning. The next day she showed me a deep burn on her hand and swollen fingers - she'd walked my horse with the rope wrapped around her hand, and my horse had spooked at something. I believe she wanted sympathy, but I was unable to give very much, being flabbergasted she'd thought to lead a horse that way. My response was perhaps more along the lines of "Well, yeah, what were you thinking?" Then a belated, "Sorry your hand is hurt, and you're lucky to have not been dragged."
> 
> The trouble with lunge lines and long lines is that sometimes they have a mind of their own, and turn into living beings that try to drop down, snake around your legs and form nooses for you to step in when you aren't looking. Sometimes I convince myself that my lines want me dead, and are sneakily planning my demise when I'm distracted.


I once saw a video by a well known popular trainer where they were demonstrating lunging. First the line was way too long and the extra was one the ground in a coil during the demo. Now this horse was perfectly trained and did everything perfect but someone watching this and just learning could do the same, and accidentally step in the coil, have the horse spook:|:runpony: could be a bad accident and a poor demo by a professional.


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## lynabago (Dec 22, 2016)

I allowed one of my interns at my clinic hold Scout, a very calm, been there done that kind of horse, while I went in to get something. I trusted that she knew what she was doing since she owned horses and had more experience than me. I come back out and shes got her pointer finger in the hole of the clip on the lead rope! I asked her if she felt like that was the finger she could do without. She had no idea what I meant. I said, "If this horse spooked, that finger of yours would pop right off your hand!" She said, "I do it all the time, its no biggie." I said, "Well then, youre a dumb ***." I took the lead from her and sent her inside. She never talked to me again. I kinda hope she DOES lose a finger.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

I had a dog leash wrapped around my hand when my large dog took off after a squirrel one day. It totally mangled my finger! The bone was in pieces. I can’t imagine what would have happened if it had been a horse.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

lynabago said:


> I kinda hope she DOES lose a finger.


Don't even go there. Karma has a way of having the last laugh.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I think my lead lines have boa constrictor DNA embedded in them. They're alive! 3 swipes of a grooming bush and suddenly the darn thing is trying to coil around me. I keep them locked up when not in use. Don't want to think about what will happen if they get loose in the night...


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

:lol: What a classic Fox!! Wish I got calls like that, that I could answer in that manner!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I don’t know why draping the English style reins over your arm , held in the crook of your elbow would be an issue. It’s nit AROUND the arm. If the horse pulls, the reins will just slide off the lower arm. As long as there is NO looping ATOUND anything.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Another question. If you need to lead up two horses from the pasture at one time, do you prefer to have one on each side if you, each at equal distance from your hands
Or
Both on the same side , one on a shorter rope, the other with a longer rope, tucked in kind of BEHIND the closer horse. Your opinion, please.


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

I've tried two on the same side before, but I found it hard to control the outside horse when he decided to just stop. Inside horse got really confused. One on each side works better for me. Also, just for the record, these are BTDT old broke horses being led inside their fenced pasture. If one gets loose, I don't really care.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> Another question. If you need to lead up two horses from the pasture at one time, do you prefer to have one on each side if you, each at equal distance from your hands
> Or
> Both on the same side , one on a shorter rope, the other with a longer rope, tucked in kind of BEHIND the closer horse. Your opinion, please.


I've always led them with one on each side, without ever giving it much thought. just seems natural to me.


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

Here's my procedure:

- Halter on first horse. Throw lead rope over neck, say, "Hold this for a second".
- Halter on second horse. Step between horses, facing in the same direction.
- Fold up left lead rope in left hand, right lead rope in right hand, leaving about 2-3 feet
- Open pasture gate WIDE, step out first, let horses follow.
- Keep them from diving for grass, dawdling, racing ahead. That part is kind of fun, actually, because it makes me feel like a puppeteer. 
- At destination, reverse procedure to take off halters. Tell both they were good boys/girls.

I wouldn't do this with horses I haven't led individually before and was pleased with their cooperation overall.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Woodhaven said:


> English riders often put their arm through the reins when they are going to do something such as check, tighten the girth or open a gate etc. I know I have done this many times and I scold myself for doing it. I think your arm, wrist would come free but I don't want to test it. Sometimes you need two hands to do something but I try to be smart about this and when I have to use two hands, for instance to open a big gate, I tuck the reins under my arm high up and then if the horse should pull away the reins come free.


Good English reins used to be designed with a deliberate weak point in the buckle that holds the two reins together, that would not withstand the force of dragging a human (at least an adult). Better be sure though!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

tinyliny said:


> Another question. If you need to lead up two horses from the pasture at one time, do you prefer to have one on each side if you, each at equal distance from your hands
> Or
> Both on the same side , one on a shorter rope, the other with a longer rope, tucked in kind of BEHIND the closer horse. Your opinion, please.


Generally one either side of me, tho I've never been particular about 'equal distance' or such. And depends where we're going - if it's in the open, one either side. If there's something scary one side, I'll be that side with them on the other. If we're going on a narrow trail, we might be single file, one in front & one behind, or both behind, one on a longer lead...


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> Another question. If you need to lead up two horses from the pasture at one time, do you prefer to have one on each side if you, each at equal distance from your hands
> Or
> Both on the same side , one on a shorter rope, the other with a longer rope, tucked in kind of BEHIND the closer horse. Your opinion, please.



If we're walking in an open space, one on each side. If I'm leading 3, 2 on one side 1 on the other. If I'm leading 2 but need a hand free to open a gate or some such then they are both on the same side.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I do either. But, when one is a leader no one a follower, it works well to position the leader in front the follower behind. On the same side. 

But it got Mr to thinking it might be best to ask.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Foxhunter said:


> I am no slave to my phone either. I do carry it with me but will not answer unless I am not doing anything.
> 
> Had a good one yesterday as a matter of fact. Phone rang, I answered a youngish woman accused me of sleeping with her boyfriend. (I cannot use the words she used!)
> 
> ...


:rofl::dance-smiley05::rofl::clap::rofl:

I thank you kindly for this most wonderful laugh! 

Another really annoying thing is all these telemarketers and other spammers calling. In Australia, you can get a "do not call" listing for landlines to stop people doing this to you (or face prosecution), but this is not available for mobile phones, and we have our mobile phone going off at least half a dozen times a day with calls like that, so that we now ignore any number that's not in our own contacts list, and give any genuine unknown callers the option of leaving a voice mail.

When he does accidentally pick up a telemarketer or other time waster, my husband has a favourite strategy: Pops them down by the radio speaker.

Fun times we live in - little respect for the privacy of your home or telephone or email account; and con artists contacting you on a daily basis. And if this has ever annoyed anyone reading, you're going to love this.






Off topic but highly therapeutic.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Woodhaven said:


> English riders often put their arm through the reins when they are going to do something such as check, tighten the girth or open a gate etc. I know I have done this many times and I scold myself for doing it. I think your arm, wrist would come free but I don't want to test it. Sometimes you need two hands to do something but I try to be smart about this and when I have to use two hands, for instance to open a big gate, I tuck the reins under my arm high up and then if the horse should pull away the reins come free.
> My horses have always been good to stand quietly while I am doing something BUT it only takes a second for things to go to he!! in a handbasket.


With English riding a rider should hold the reins in one hand and alter stirrups or tighten girth with one hand. Foot should also remain in the stirrup. 

I will admit to looping my reins over my arm when needing to open a gate dismounted. If a horse pulled away the rein would just slip off. It also gives a chance of hanging onto the horse thus saving a walk home!


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

SueC said:


> :rofl::dance-smiley05::rofl::clap::rofl:
> 
> I thank you kindly for this most wonderful laugh!
> 
> ...


another way to jerk a telemarketer's chain.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

Change said:


> I always fold, even with longe lines. Having a length of line twisting on the ground around my feet terrifies me!
> 
> And … even though I always safely fold, there has been more than one occasion where my hand instinctively tightened on the line (misguidedly) believing I could stop 1100 lbs of fleeing animal. For this reason, I almost NEVER use flat nylon. Cotton rope burns are bad enough. Flat nylon could cut your hand in half!


One of the reasons I am wearing gloves all the time. Makes for interesting tan lines :rofl:



Change said:


> Phones. Ugh. People always seem to call when I don't want to be bothered. I carry it with me when I ride for safety's sake, since I ride alone, but I have been known to ignore calls while watching a show or just sitting on the porch watching the horses munch dinner. My time is MY time. I'll call you back when I get to it.


 Lol. I prefer texts for exactly that reason (besides not liking to talk on the phone ). One "ping" is less disruptive than the ringtone and me (or the person I am trying to reach) can reply whenever it is convenient. 
Phone calls are reserved for emergencies...


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

Well sometimes I wrap a lead rope around my waist when I go out to the pasture in hopes my mare will think it's a belt and not my attempt to catch her. Never works.... She's too smart.....


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## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

When I was young, I had an instructor who taught us to loop an arm through the loose rein when we were on the ground so that we had two hands free to check the girth and stirrups. When the instructors changed over, the class was lectured on safety and how easy it is to become entangled. I’m not sure I’d trust the buckle at the end to break and it would still be easy to get caught in a split rein.


It's not always reins though. I’ve seen a girl get her arm trapped when she held her horse by the underside of the noseband on its headcollar. She had her hand and arm braced well under its chin in an attempt to hold it back and when it jumped, her thick winter jacket caught and she was hauled backwards off her feet. 
Trying to cut corners and save time caused a pretty severe shoulder injury. I think it taught everyone present a lesson.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

My horse is used to being expected to stand still when she is mounted or dismounted or saddled and unsaddled. I don't tie her or wrap the reins around my arm at all or worry about it. She stands still until I snap on the lead rope and ask her to come along. If I get off for a second to grab something, she just waits. I guess the worse risk is that she will walk off with my saddle, but she wants it off.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I've never been caught up when I've had 'English reins' hooked over my arm and a horse has pulled away, when you straighten your arm the reins drop off.


What's more risky (and already mentioned by another member) is the habit of sticking your hand underneath a horses noseband area or any part of a halter/headcollar or bridle for that matter because its going to be trapped there if the horse suddenly bolts away or rears etc. I've seen vet techs do it and it makes me cringe.
Years ago a friend slipped her hand under her geldings headcollar as she went to unbuckle it and he decided to bolt off at that very moment - totally out of character for him. She was dragged along and got knocked about pretty badly by his front legs as well as the damage to her hand and arm.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Foxhunter said:


> With English riding a rider should hold the reins in one hand and alter stirrups or tighten girth with one hand. Foot should also remain in the stirrup.
> 
> I will admit to looping my reins over my arm when needing to open a gate dismounted. If a horse pulled away the rein would just slip off. It also gives a chance of hanging onto the horse thus saving a walk home!


Foxhunter, I adjust stirrups and girth when mounted the same way you describe but often on the ground I try to remember not to put my hand or arm through the reins, I have been guilty of doing this often tho'. 
One time years ago I was holding a friend's horse and holding the reins with my hand through the loop and I do know there is a buckle at the end of the reins and the reason is it will break there before doing damage to a person holding the reins or a loose horse stepping on them but this horse spooked badly and my hand was in the reins and the buckle cut the end of one finger about 3/4 off, had to go to Emerg to have it stitched back on. If I am holding reins I now have them looped so my hand is free if the horse should pull back. Experience is the teacher that gives the test before the lesson.

One time out riding with friends, all western riders, I checked my girth and thought it should come up a notch and the rider in front had a bad habit of suddenly going off at a canter so I asked her not to take off for a minute as I wanted to tighten my girth, she stopped and turned her horse and was looking at me and I said,"it's done" and she was amazed that I could do it while walking along the trail. Not that easy for western riders.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Ha! That was a good one Regal Charm! Thanks for the giggles from you & Sue.

A while back my husband was getting repeated calls from (supposedly) our bank, to say our CC was overdue for payment. They wouldn't take no for an answer, so one day I hear him say "Hello? Oh, yes, sure. Could you hold the line a second please?" (mutter, mutter, beep, beep, beep, beep, as he pressed a few buttons on the phone) "Right. With you now. Sorry for the delay, the Federal Police have requested I dial this code when I get calls at present. Now, please go on?" ...Surprisingly, they hung up & he never heard from those scammers again! ;-)

Sue, BTW you CAN now register your mobiles on the DNC register... which reminds me, got to make a complaint to them, as I'm registered & getting repeated calls from one particular co.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

You can? Super!!!! We couldn't last time we checked. Right, I'll get us on it again! You wonder why they didn't make DNC available across the board in the first place. Too many government fingers in the pie, do you think?


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

RegalCharm said:


> another way to jerk a telemarketer's chain.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZYjA8iwbqE


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Thank you, that's so funny!

Another thing you can do is pretend you're a Jehovah's Witness missionary and try to convert them and get their address so your can send them _Watchtower_. And ask if they know about the 120,000 or whatever their magic number was. You can say things like, "I know, but your soul is so much more important than whatever your employer is trying to get you to flog!" and "Let's get this into perspective and think about your immortal soul for a minute!" etc etc

Doing that sort of thing can backfire sometimes... once I was checking with new neighbours whether they'd had the same people turn up to knock on their door at 10pm saying they were doing a community survey (I'd not let them in and pretended to call my imaginary Rottweiler, who was making hungry noises). They had, and they'd not let them in either or got a look at them because they too didn't open the door. So we were speculating about who they might really have been. 

Me: _Axe murderers?_ 
Them: _Travelling salespeople?_ 
Me: _Jehovah's Witnesses?_
... huge pregnant silence.
Me: _You're not Jehovah's Witnesses, are you???_ (They were!)


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## Wild Heart (Oct 4, 2010)

Quite a few years back I remember working at a stable with a few other girls who worked for free lessons. It was the norm at the time to lead two horses out the pasture at a time as we were young and with over 40 horses it took less time.

I'll always remember the one girl who would lead *three* horses at once. And no, it wasn't with two lead ropes in one hand. This girl would take a lead rope in each hand and then take the third lead rope and wrap it around her *neck like a scarf*.

I remember confronting her about it to mention that wasn't the best idea but she just shrugged it off and said if the horse was to bolt it would just unravel as it wasn't "tight".

A few months later I left that barn due to unrelated safety concerns.

While I was talking to a friend (many years later) it turns out that the girl who wrapped lead ropes around her neck is now the lesson instructor for that stable. :-?


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

It's time to remind everyone:










For accounts of people kindly removing themselves from the gene pool by doing stupid things, see:

Darwin Awards: Darwin Awards


For Darwin Award history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Wild Heart said:


> Quite a few years back I remember working at a stable with a few other girls who worked for free lessons. It was the norm at the time to lead two horses out the pasture at a time as we were young and with over 40 horses it took less time.
> 
> I'll always remember the one girl who would lead *three* horses at once. And no, it wasn't with two lead ropes in one hand. This girl would take a lead rope in each hand and then take the third lead rope and wrap it around her *neck like a scarf*.
> 
> ...


You make it seem that leading two horses in from a field is abnormal. From an early age we children would bring in five from the fields, ride one and lead four along a two mile stretch of road. Admittedly there want the amount of traffic or the speed there is today. 
When no one turned up to help one day I brought in nine on my own. Riding one and leading eight. 

At no point did I have a rope attached to me in any way.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think she ONLY said that wrapping the line around the neck was the bad/foolish thing. Only that.


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

Wild Heart said:


> I'll always remember the one girl who would lead *three* horses at once. And no, it wasn't with two lead ropes in one hand. This girl would take a lead rope in each hand and then take the third lead rope and wrap it around her *neck like a scarf*.
> 
> I remember confronting her about it to mention that wasn't the best idea but she just shrugged it off and said if the horse was to bolt it would just unravel as it wasn't "tight".


It actually will...once that head pops off, it'll unravel in a jiffy. 

https://www.theonion.com/ohio-replaces-lethal-injection-with-humane-new-head-rip-1819595654


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

...and require serious cleaning before re-use...

mg:


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Thanks for those descriptions and photos @Hondo and @SilverMaple. What little roping I've done has been from the ground. In the East where I was raised, cattle were worked by calling them up, and running them through chutes. Of course, we didn't have the square miles of territory to cover either. 


Pretty much the same for me on our place in the Philippines. Our terrain is steep and forested. Had a bull calf get away from us not long ago. he disappeared into the bamboo, and reappeared a short time later on the far side of the property. 


We built a little chute, and started feeding him in it every day. he was more manageable after that.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

SueC said:


> ...pretend you're a Jehovah's Witness missionary and try to convert them...


My wife used to answer them with "_Do you know Jesus? No, your eternal salvation is more important!_" Folks hung up pretty quick. Still...I'm starting to get 5 calls a day about politics. My answering machine has easy to delete messages and we NEVER pick up unless we recognize the voice. 

Now, I wouldn't WANT someone to get a lead rope wrapped around their hand and have a horse take off, but if it HAD to happen, happening to telemarketers would have a certain justice to it. Let's just say I could probably control my grief.

I'm paranoid about it, but NOT getting tangles is a constant battle. I'm far more likely to get hurt that way than from getting a foot caught. At least my stirrup never wraps around my body parts without my knowing!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> Thanks for those descriptions and photos @*Hondo* and @*SilverMaple*. What little roping I've done has been from the ground. In the East where I was raised, cattle were worked by calling them up, and running them through chutes. Of course, we didn't have the square miles of territory to cover either.
> 
> 
> Pretty much the same for me on our place in the Philippines. Our terrain is steep and forested. Had a bull calf get away from us not long ago. he disappeared into the bamboo, and reappeared a short time later on the far side of the property.
> ...



Oops. This was supposed to go in the riding dangerously thread!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I thought so too, @Cordillera Cowboy! But tons of people liked it anyway! :rofl:

Sometimes, the scarf just won't knit properly! ;-)


:dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05:


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I knew that’s where it went to @Cordillera Cowboy. For a second I wondered if I’d changed threads, but then I didn’t.  Dallies could factor in well in this discussion anyways. At a branding this guy accidentally stuck his arm through a coil when he went to pull his slack! It burned down that whole rope of course. He ended up okay. I guess he sprayed that purple wound stuff on it and finished the day. I heard it did take a doctor’s trip after the branding though and there was a lot of damage done. I was a kid and thought he was pretty tough for sticking it out, but I think some were a bit judgy that he let it happen to begin with.

I was always told not to wrap a leadrope and minded my lessons. I will say that sometimes I am doing something and like others said, those dang ropes take on their own notions and try to get me killed! Lol 

As for telemarketers, my kids are of the age they wish they could make prank calls. Now, it’d be dumb to do so in this age, so I let them play with the telemarketers. Around Christmas the same company called like three times a day! I wondered if they had a sign up in their office with my number. Something like, “if you need a break and a laugh, call...”


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## MaresEatOats (Feb 22, 2016)

I totally agree. You should never wrap lead ropes around any part of you. There are a couple of people here at the barn I board at and they throw the end of the lead rope around their shoulder and neck! I try and nice warn them how dangerous it is but they do it anyway. It only takes once!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

@tinyliny - I have to lead my horses from their regular drylot to two of their grass fields. For one, it's real easy - I just open up both gates and they walk across the driveway without any prompting. To go to the back yard, though, I'll toss a rope around one of their necks, make sure the little front pasture gate is closed, and walk the one to the back gate. Horse 2 will follow. 

When I take them out to hand-graze, sometimes they are on either side of me, sometimes they are single file. Once they're at a place where the noses drop into the grass, though, I'm always in the middle, keeping lines up and away from their feet and making sure their heads are always toward me. 

When I had more horses (10 at the most), I'd often lead 5 or 6 at a time from the barn to the turn-out. I'd have all their leads in one hand and let them some walk next to me and others follow behind. Of course, these were horses I owned, trained and worked with daily. I'd be a lot more cautious with horses I didn't know.


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