How to motivate a lazy hand horse when ponying

Riding with a well-trained hand horse is like a dream, just as riding with a horse that pulls forward or drags behind is a nightmare. The key here is to teach the horse in hand to find and follow the slack.

But what do you do when the hand horse ignores the rein, leans on the head collar and drags behind? The video below gives tips on how you can help your hand horse to find motivation and a better position.

But first a little pre-ponying check list!

• Make sure your horse understands and responds to the cues you are going to use when ponying and that your horse is not afraid of the whip
• Practice ponying in a paddock or other area suited for riding turns, before going on a trail
• Outward turns will position a rushy hand horse further behind
• Inward turns will position a lazy hand horse further ahead
• Work on one thing at the time: If a rushy horse, drags a bit behind, don`t mind. If a lazy hand horse becomes a bit rushy, don`t mind. They are only doing what they are told, be grateful for the progress!

Watch video below and get tips on what to do when ponying a horse that drags behind:

Thank you so much for watching! If you want more tips on how to motivate horses make sure to get our FREE training here:www.ridelikeaviking.com/motivate