Growing up in the UK all lead ropes were 6’ but now I much prefer the longer US ones, generally 9’ long. In fact my favorite is a 10-12’ long rope yacht with leather popper for the same reasons as others: can use it to move hindquarters around. Also find it a good length for trail riding, when I can leave a halter under the bridle and tie the rope in a parade knot around the horse’s neck.
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You never know when a training moment might present itself. A 12’ or 16’ yacht rope lead is my chosen lead, but I do have other lengths laying around. The longer leads work best in blocker tie rings too, otherwise you may have a loose horse much sooner.
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Imagine how awful things would get, in a big hurry, if one of those horses swung his head, made the drape of rope wrap around the person’s arm or neck, and bolted 
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A long lead line is simply MORE SAFE:
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Got a young/fresh/giddy/exuberant/spooky horse or stallion you can safely be out of their way while they bounce and flit at the end of the line like a trout. And then proceed to train them.
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Teach and perform trailer loading - from the safety of outside your trailer
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Teach ground work and school cross country in hand
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Eliminate the need for cross ties (as the line is long enough to always have a loop in your elbow) while moving around your horse
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Long enough to pony another horse or lead a pack string
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Long lead rope is a handy, all purpose item better and stronger than twine: tie the trailer door open on a windy day, long enough to tie around a tree, long enough to loop around your horses neck (cavalry style) during trail riding, make a clothes line in a stall or the back of your trailer
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Long enough to lead 4 horses anywhere at one time - braided line is lighter and coils easier in your hands. Use different colors if you can’t keep track
Mine are all 12 ft with a few that are 14 ft that I make myself
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on a long lead the horse had enough travel distance to walk away, turn then kick, trainer still had lead in his hand as he was kicked
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that’s an application problem, not a length problem. I’m not sure what kind of trainer allows a horse to walk away, putting his butt to him, to the point he ends up kicked. If the horse could walk away to that extend, the length of rope between halter and hand was too long to start with and could have been stepped on. PROPER hand placement on the rope wouldn’t have allowed a horse to walk his front end away to that extent, regardless of length of rope. He could have been holding the end of a 5’ rope and had the same thing happen.
Don’t blame equipment for its misuse
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I know of a lady that was kicked in the throat in a similar situation, took horses to water on a camping trip and horses got tangled in the leads and in the scuffle she was kicked. Killed her, bad deal, they were way up in the mountains and he had to stash her in the tent and ride out alone to get help.
That said our leads are all long but we are conscious not to hold on to the bitter end of the leadrope while a horse is leaving, that does put you in the kick zone if you did such a thing. Of course the lead isn’t what puts and keeps you in the kick zone but in the wrong hands on the wrong day…
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we always had long leads to wrap them around the babies’ rear ends to teach them to lead.
i also think they are safer if your horse acts up while being led. gives you time to regroup and less likely to be pulled off your feet.
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I’m not sure I’d blame the lead for that. Sounds like inattention / careless of the handler. The horse could also have gotten the long lead tangled up in his legs that way. Not dissing long leads, I like them and have one that is very, very long. But one does have to pay attention.
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I do not like short lead lines. A long cotton lead (12 foot minimum) is my preference because if “something” happens (and horses are horses, it is inevitable) I feel like the extra feet give me more options in controlling misbehaviour or other reactions. It’s not do-or-die because you only have x feet before you lose the lead, you can let the horse have a little time to respond before you bring them back in (if they spook at something), etc.
Horse spooks on a short line, you have no other option other than hold or let go. Horse spooks on a long line and you can play them out a little bit before bringing them in which for me, is a happy medium. That said - irrespective of length, making sure you are being mindful of how you handle horses (lead included) and mitigating risk is aways necessary, which includes not looping it around body parts for example.
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Put me firmly in the camp of long lead ropes- to me short ones seem like an excellent way to end up with a horse running around unattached to a person.
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I typically use 2 leads snapped together to do the same thing.
We don’t have any snaps or hardware on our halters/leads
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I like mine 15’ long. I have blocker tie rings everywhere and if a horse panics, the lead will slide through a bit, but they’re still tied. They’re also great for ponying which I do a lot of. Horse pulls back, I don’t have to let go to avoid getting a rope burn.
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I like 12’ leads with a leather popper. Yes, you need to manage the lead (and your own body) properly - especially if you’re grazing. What’s the saying, “A long rope is a strong rope” when sh!t happens.
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