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Discussion on Leading Through Gates
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New Member:
Djws
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 5:39 pm:
When I lead my horse through a gate, do I stay next to him or go through the gate before (in front of) him?
Presently, I am speaking of a 6 foot wide round pen gate.
The barn owner barked at me to go out first, ahead of my horse.
I stay to his left side, back at his front shoulder. I use a lead with a chain (under his chin).
He is not afraid to go through the gate BUT, if he does bolt or spook, I don't think I should be in front of him.
What is the correct procedure?
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Member:
Ilona
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 7:44 pm:
What I do is train the horse to waite outside the gate as I walk in (always to the side of him) and then invite him in after me. When my horses have spooked at a gate they have always done so to the side, and never rushed through the gate so I have never been at risk. For me gate training and timing are essential...I have seen a number of preventable accidents.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 7:28 am:
How I do this might depend a lot on the horse but in general if there is room, I walk beside the horse. If there is not room, I go in first then invite the horse to come in while standing aside the doorway.
DrO
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 10:06 pm:
You should be walking next to your horse's right shoulder, imo. He should not barge out in front of you, but walk along next to you, stopping when you do.(imo) You're right, if the horse bolted, and you were directly in front of him, you could get run over.
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 6:31 pm:
In front, but not directly -- off to the side but proceeding ahead of him.
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Member:
Chance1
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 12:02 pm:
Hi, I do it a bit differently. I send my horse through the gate, ask him to disengage his back end and face me and then go through myself. This allows me to control the gate and is quite helpful if there are horses in the area you are leaving. This is also how I load my horse in the trailer so he gets lots of practice at it. Just one other way to do things.
Cheers, Ruth
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Member:
Djws
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 1:23 pm:
I thought everything was supposed to be done from the horse's left side. Mounting, leading, etc.? I did have someone tell me that it is wise to train them to lead from both sides (?).
I admit that it is ME that is afraid of being run over-he has never (to date) given me a reason to think he would.
I am just beginning to get out in the open with him (beyond the barn, stall, run-in and paddock areas) and I get a bit nervous.
All of these ways sound sensible though. Geez, there is SO much to learn-it's overwhelming at times. I just don't want to start bad habits or get either of us injured.
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Member:
Cpacer
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 1:44 pm:
DJ, hang in there--yes there's so much to learn, and your comfort level will rise. I was in your shoes just over a year ago when I got my first horse. Remember not to spend too much time worrying about what "could" happen, think positive, and remember if your horse does anything scary that he's just being a silly horse, he can't help it (yours sounds good natured).
I think I picked up in my year that the left vs. right is a human thing (I think left-over from military days when soldiers mounted in unison with all their gear on one side). I think you should be able to do anything from either side, especially if you plan on trail riding and you end up somewhere you can't get back on like you're used to.
To your question, I guess I've been doing this wrong too. I always queue my horse to go first. Got in the habit of doing it this way to push all the other horses back as I take mine out.
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 5:17 pm:
I saddle from both sides, lead from both sides and mount from both sides. Ya just never know when or where things might change. Leilani
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Member:
Choney
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 8:42 pm:
Hmmm...I was advised when going through a gate, leading a horse out of the stall etc... to go out first.
This goes along with the horse being taught to wait while I go ahead, and, as so many others said, invite her to follow me once I am safely through.
It goes without saying that this would be adjusted if there was a lot of commotion around. Also, at times there may not be enough room to go through together safely. I think to be ahead for a moment versus risking a squeeze play may be safer.
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Member:
Alden
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 10:19 pm:
Hmm,
I was taught the opposite in regards to gates, I was taught to send the horse through first. The horse is to wait for me to send them through, then they turn and face me before I go through. This does two things, one the horse can't run you over. I've seen this, all they have to do is bump into a wall or the gait and the handler is flattened. Two, the horse is practicing giving they hindquarters when the turn and face you.
I'm in the lead beside me camp, I'll accept them with their head just ahead of my shoulder to their shoulder just behind mine. I also expect them to move in sync with me. The advantage of this position over them being behind me is I can turn hard left and they have to either stop or move away from me to the right.
Good day,
Alden (HTG) 
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Member:
Kthorse
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Posted on Friday, Apr 7, 2006 - 6:22 am:
I do both depending on the situation. If no horses are around I go thru turn and invite him to come after when I am ready. If I am taking him out of a paddock with other horses to prevent them crouding him or trying to sneak through I invite him through while I ask the other horses to stand back then I follow after hes turned around and is standing waiting for me. Most of the gates I know swing shut so there is not a possibility of going through side byside as they would swing shut and bump us as we were going through.
Katrina
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Apr 7, 2006 - 8:37 am:
I like my horses to go where I point with my arm. 2 of my horses have to go across the aisle to go through another stall to exit the barn. I stand in the aisle and "direct" them with my arm. If it's windy and I need to hold the outside stall door open, I make the horse stand and then when I point they can go out. Some need a crop waved at them, some do just fine without.
With a fence gate and the horse on a lead rope, I again make them go through first and then turn and face me. I am facing their side going through the opening, then I turn when I turn them to face me.
I have found that leading along side sometimes gets you stepped on especially when the horse is wanting to join others in the pasture. Calm and respectful, and safe are the goals here.
Pretty much the same method Alden is describing, except I may have used a little dog training...."Stay, wait....o.k."
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 8, 2006 - 4:38 am:
The reason you stand beside the horse's shoulder about one pace to the side of the horse's front leg whenever possible is because it is the safest position where the horse has difficulty kicking or biting you. According to the woman teaching the course on handling young horses run by our govt agricultural advice service Teagasc that I am doing at the moment...
You must have different gates in the US... we have to hold on to our gates because they are either old and don't swing easily or there is a gale blowing and they shut themselves! So there is no alternative really to going through the gate pretty much with the horse as you have to hold/lean on the gate at the same time.
All the best
Imogen
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Member:
Christel
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 8, 2006 - 9:33 am:
When I am leading a horse out of a paddock or pasture w/ other horses around, I have found it much easier to accomplish if I open the gate towards me and the horse going out. I then go thru gate first, while standing on hinged side w/ hand on gate ask horse to follow. I use the gate behind the horse Im leading to stay between the other horses that may be wanting out too.
Chris
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