The Best Way of Leading Horses into Stalls

We've all seen it at stables and riding barns - someone leads a horse to a stall by a halter or even by the jaw and then lets the horse enter the stall by itself. This is the wrong way to lead a horse into a stall and potentially dangerous to both horse and handler. Always use a halter and lead rope when leading a horse anywhere, no matter how tired you are.

The Correct Way

The best way to leas a horse into a standard box stall is to first push the stall door back as far as it will go. Unhook the horse from its hitching post or crossties. Place a lead rope on the halter. Walk next to the horse's left shoulder, facing straight ahead in exactly the same way the horse is lead about anywhere.

Walk the horse - not dash, but walk- to the back of the stall, then turn the horse around so the horse's head now faces the stall door and possibly the water bucket. Unclip the lead rope and, depending on your barn's rules, remove the halter. Step out of the stall and slide the door shut. Try not to slam the door as this may frighten the horse.

Half-stalls or tie stalls are rarely used anymore, but can still be found, especially in Europe. In these stalls, the horses cannot turn around, so the handler needs to lead them straight into the back of the stall and attach the lead rope to a hitching ring, making sure there is at least a two foot slack so the horse can easily lower its head to sleep. The handler then turns around and walks out of the stall. In this case, it's good to keep one hand on the horse and speak to it so it knows you are there and will not kick.

Why Not Just Let the Horse Go In By Itself?

Some people may think leading a horse into a large box stall this way is unnecessarily strict. Horses love stall after all, don't they? Why wouldn't they go in when the stall door is open? There are many reasons why.

Horses can spook easily at any strange, sudden sound such as a car backfiring or by someone swearing because they got kicked by a horse. If there isn't a lead rope on the horse, it may bolt, escape the barn and run off.

If a handler lets the horse walk into a stall and waits at the door for the horse to get inside, the horse's hindquarters are near the handler's face and front. If the horse spooks or slips, the horse may kick the handler.

Also, if the horse bangs its hips against the stall threshold, this painful memory sticks in the horse's mind and it will be difficult to lead in and out of a stall in the future. By leading the horse in straight, the handler can prevent the horse from banging one or both of its hips.

Charging Horses

Horses with bad experiences of getting hurt or frightened by entering a stall may develop the vice of charging or leaping into the stall, dragging the handler behind. If using stall mats, be sure they are firmly anchored or the horse may slip. The horse then needs positive reward-based training based on being able to quietly lead anywhere.

Take ten or fifteen minute sessions of just leading the horse a few steps in the barn aisle or in an arena, stopping and praising for good behavior. If the horse is not hot, a small food treat like a chunk of carrot will help act as a positive reinforcer. Then lead to the stall with the door closed and stop. Praise when the horse stops. By asking the horse to stop at a closed door, this helps set the horse up to win.

Eventually, ask the horse to stop when the stall door is open. Lead in one step and halt. Be sure to praise and give a food treat. Although clicker training has worked for horses that are problems to lead, it can be tricky to coordinate treat, lead rope and clicker, so just use your voice for praise.

During retraining, the horse may need the chain part of a lead shank threaded through one metal piece nearest the mouth, over the nose and through the other metal piece. This will cause pressure on the nose and hopefully slow a stall-charger down.

Sources

Hariston, Rachel. The Essentials of Horsekeeping. Sterling Publishing Company; 2004.

National Ag Safety Database. "Leading Horses Safely." Karyn Malinowski & Dawn M. Richard; 2002. http://nasdonline.org/document/1044/d000838/leading-horses-safely.html

Author's personal experience