Dragging can become dangerous when the rider begins to hold the horse in both reins and the horse has no outlet for the resulting confusion or fear. Dragging, when it turns into a holding match, can irritate or frighten a horse. When this happens, a horse feels trapped, and that feeling can cause rearing, running or bucking all dangerous behaviors. Again, prompt awareness of changes in the body and or reins and immediate, appropriate corrections are essential. Making the appropriate rein aid corrections with corresponding seat and leg adjustments, push the horse forward through the horse s reactive response to dragging.
Forward correction is the safest correction.
Holding, allowing the hands to be pulled, or pulling back with both hands only exacerbate the situation and can do nothing but harm. Besides the fact that it might hurt the horse s mouth, dragging can certainly irritate a horse. Some horses may simply zone out on the rider. The horse s response may vary, but invariably communication between horse and rider is either dulled or slowed down. Horses are very sensitive.