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Another perspective on trotting out..although since I don't compete, maybe
it's more an observation on lead rope manners....
First, IMHO, it's a safety issue--a horse should understand that the human
holding the lead rope is there for a reason, not as something to play tug-of-war
with. A horse that has to be dragged is dangerous--it puts the person on
the ground in an ideal spot to be run over should the horse get spooked by
something. Case in point--as a equine counselor at a summer camp while in
college, I was leading a massive QH on a trail ride for the young campers.
Another horse ran up on her and she reared, coming down on my foot. If I'd
been in front of her, no telling what that hoof might have connected with on the
way down. As a correlary, lead ropes shouldn't be wrapped around a hand--I
can't count the number of times over the years I've seen someone wrap a lead
rope or a longe line around their hand and get into a tug-of-war with a
horse. As a training method, it's a great way to lose a finger or
two.
Secondly, the horse needs to understand that if I ask it to move, I'm not
doing it for the heck of it, I have a reason, and since I'm boss, it needs to do
as it's told. If it insists on playing tug of war, then it can do it with
a post. Moving from point A to point B isn't playtime. A horse
that doesn't have lead rope manners when it's well isn't going to be cooperative
when you need to keep it moving during a bout of colic--thus, it's also a health
issue.
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