[FilliesJoinUp]

Currently I am helping to train a three year old gelding. At the moment he doesn't lead the best. He understands to walk with people but he likes to fall behind, which when we're walking through a field with a lot of other horses that just crowd around. The worst bit he doesn't understand if you tap him with the lead rope. The only way I have found that he moves (when there is no other horse leading the way) is to use leg when sitting on him. We've been trying to encourage him to trot but unless another horse is in front of him (or he's being lunged) he doesn't seem to move.
Do any of you have any tips?

 

[cowgirlnay]

Might not be much help, but I've found if you're leading them, and they stop and refuse to go forward, take a sudden change of direction and veer left or right and keep walking. This usually throws them off their game, and they'll start walking again. Release the tension in the rope as soon as they give in and start leading again. This may take many attempts, but eventually they will figure out that when you walk, they walk

 

[EquineObsessed]

Tap him on the rump with a crop. You don't have to hit him, but a quick tap every time he falls behind will teach him to stay with you. Keep practicing until he learns to move forward off the pressure.

 

[JumpingwithBrirony]

Make him feel like being by your side is good! When he falls behind, show him a bit of a carrot to make him move forward to your side and stay there for 3seconds while still walking if he gets naggy and starts to nip or beg for a treat too much lightly tap his nose and make a SHHHHHHHHSS sound (breathe out hard with your teeth clenched) but dont stop walking and dont look at him