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Fayetteville, NC

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Have two horses that need ridden? Wouldn't it be nice to exercise them both at the same time? It's possible by teaching one horse to be led while you ride the other. It's called ponying. You can teach your horses how to pony by following these steps.

To start, we need to gather the right equipment. Make sure the horse you are riding has a saddle and bridle in good condition and that the bridle you are using gives you adequate control while riding. For the horse you are leading, a good halter is a must. The lead rope you use should be about eight feet long and have a panic-snap to attach to the halter.

Now it's time to decide which horse to ride and which one to lead. To decide this, let's look at some of the problems that can arise while ponying a horse. Some horses have a tendency to lag behind and can cause the lead rope to accidentally get caught under your riding horse's tail. This can result in an unplanned rodeo. To avoid this, try to keep the lead rope shortened to two feet while ponying. On the other hand, the horse that races ahead can cut the rider off, shove the ridden horse off it's path, and even turn around and face the rider which causes confusion. Again keeping the lead line between the two horses to around two feet will help to prevent this.

So now that you have an idea what problems can arise, you can choose which horse to ride and which to lead. If you are not comfortable doing either, then ponying is not for you. Your attention will be torn between the horse you ride and the horse you are leading. If the horse you are leading tries to bite or kick at the horse you are riding, it's your job to protect the ridden horse and vice versa. Both horses need to have good ground manners before you attempt to pony either of them. If you need to, pass a chain over the led horse's nose for more control, attaching the panic-snap lead to the chain.

Here's how to start our training. Find a large enclosed area like a riding pen or pasture and get a helper on the ground with a lunge whip. Mount your horse and have the helper lead the second horse up to the horse you are riding. Since most horses are led from their left, have your helper bring the horse to your right side and hand you the lead rope. You can hold the rope in your right hand or loop the rope a turn or two around the saddle horn for more control while keeping the slack in your right hand. Never tie the lead rope to the saddle horn. If the horse you are leading should pull back you want to be able to feed it more line until you are back in control and can reel him back in. This will prevent you from being pulled out of the saddle or from your riding horse being pulled off his feet. Wearing gloves can help protect you from rope burns if the horse should lunge away unexpectedly.

Start your mount forward at a walk and have your helper position themselves a ways behind the horses, waving the whip if the led horse should bulk. Once you are walking forward keep an eye out for sudden moves on either horse's part. If either horse should panic, drop the lead rope and have your helper retrieve the loose horse and bring him back to you to try again. This may be the time you decide to switch horses and see which one likes being led the best.

Take your time and don't expect to be riding down the road the first day. You need to practice starting and stopping both horses, then move on to turning them in both directions, keeping the two foot length between them at all times. Don't allow your led horse to eat grass. Your ridden horse can accidentally step over and get tangled in the lead rope and you can lose control of both horses very quickly. Use common sense and stay alert at all times.

Once you are comfortable walking your horse around the pen/pasture, which could take a few days of training, then you can progress to the trot. Don't try the canter unless both horses are of the calm and quiet type. You don't want a pair of runaways. If this should happen, release your led horse and gain control of your mount and have your helper retrieve the other horse for you. This is why it's so important to start our training in an enclosed area. Mistakes will happen, it's how we learn to become confident riders. Not having to worry about a loose horse makes the training more fun and less stressful for all involved.

Now that you're exercising both horses at the same time, think of all the extra time you'll have for doing other things. You'll also have two horses in great shape, along with a new skill learned. So get out there and pony that horse!