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[RC] [RC] re: Teaching "Tailing" - Flora Hillman

Since your horse drives, he's already 3/4 of the way trained to tail.  All you need to do get out your long-lines, get your driving whip, and take him long-lining down the road.  Once he's marching forward just grab the end of his tail.  Don't pull it... just hold it, and cluck to him to keep him going forward while your reins make sure he's staying straight.  (You can hold the lines and whip in one hand, to leave the other free to hold the tail) He'll be wondering what you're doing at first, but just cluck to him smartly and keep him marching forward.  If he's doing fine, and marching along confidently, commence to swing his tail slightly from side to side as you walk.  After a minute to so, he'll start ignoring your silliness, and disregard what's happening to his tail.
 
You will be best to keep him on dual long-lines until your hanging onto his tail become so routine he doesn't twist an ear when you pick it up or swing it.  Once he's achieved this level of confidence, start applying backward pressure to his tail as you cluck to keep him marching.  Don't switch to a single long line until he stops and starts at your verbal command while facing forward down the road, his tail in your grasp. Use the same cues as when you drive him -- it's not much different for him to pull via his tail, or via his chest, as long as the commands are the same. You want him listening to your voice when you tail, not relying upon a tug on a line which can accidentally turn him around. 
 
It's great fun to have a horse that will tail, and you'll save more of your horse's reserves by getting off and tailing on steep slope than you'll ever realize --sometimes enough to make the critical difference between a middle-of-the-road completion... or a top ten placing.  :-)