>>> On one of the dog lists I belong to they're discussing retractable horse leads--anyone heard of those?
No, and I'm instantly skeptical. I have 2-3 retractable dog leads, some for under 25-pound dogs, and some for Simon and Connie- over 50 pounds. The ones for larger dogs are notably heavier. I have to wonder how heavy they'd have to be to be able to hold a 1000-pound horse. I'd think that the mechanics required for such a critter would either be too heavy to be comfortable, or the lead would be very fragile. I don't really see any purpose in one anyway, since I want my horses to lead calmly beside me, with some float in the line - not with me clutching the line. A horse that's being held tightly, with no float in the line, is MUCH more likely to go into a panic if something startles them. Horses don't like to feel trapped. A normal, 10-12 foot line isn't particularly heavy or cumbersome to me. And, they are reliable and cheap! They might not be as heavy as I imagine, but I still don't see why they are needed. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.16/1250 - Release Date: 1/29/2008 10:20 PM
