You lead your horse by the lead rope and sometimes he's ahead of you and sometimes he's behind. Sometimes his head is way up high and sometimes he's turning his head to look elsewhere. Today we will give you a simple lesson to teach your horse to walk beside you with his head placed at your right elbow. Not too high and not too low. Best of all, you can teach this lesson by simply walking with your horse.

The assumption here is that your horse already leads and generally gives to pressure of the halter. He needs finishing to put his head where it belongs and to stay in the correct position as you walk. Try this simple routine and your horse will soon lead like a champ.

Start with your horse in a well fitted halter with a lead rope attached. Stand to the left of your horse with the horse at your right shoulder. Grasp the lead rope in your right hand, about three feet from the snap. Now, hook the thumb of your right hand in the pocket of your jeans and start walking. As you walk, your horse will have three feet of slack. Keep walking and try to keep your thumb hooked in you pocket. (Don't hold so tight that your pocket rips if the horse pulls.)
While you are leading the horse, if he pulls hard enough to pull your thumb from your pocket, put it back and keep walking. Keep your grip consistent at three feet from the snap. In a very short while, your horse will learn the limits of the slack and will stay within those limits as you walk. Keep at it until your horse consistently walks with you without pulling your thumb from your pocket.

Once your horse is consistent at three feet of slack, move your grip up the lead six inches so that you now have just two and one half feet of slack. Grip well, hook your thumb in you pocket and repeat leading as above. When your horse is consistent at two and one half feet of slack, move up the lead another six inches and repeat.

Keep repeating the lesson until you are gripping the lead with just six to eight inches of slack and your horse consistently walks with you without pulling your thumb from your pocket. As you do this lesson, move forward and back, turn left and right, stop and start often. You want the horse to stay in the correct position at all times. He must be consistent. Consistent is a word to remember, it is a major word in all horse training lessons. You be consistent and your horse will respond consistently.

This lesson should take place over several days to a couple weeks of regular work. This is a very easy lesson to do, but takes some time and patience to get your horse consistent. You will find it is well worth it as your horse walks beside you in exactly the right place and position.