I ponied my young horses on trails a lot as a youngster. I used a Be Nice halter for extra control, and a soft cotton rope so my hand didn’t slip or get ropeburn. Held the rope with a loop I could drop and still be holding the rope end. I held the riding horse’s reins with my left hand and the pony rope with my right hand. Everybody had to behave well. If the colt got mouthy, he got bopped with the rope. If he surged, he got a sharp jerk of the rope. The system worked pretty well. There’s no way I’d tie a ponied horse to the saddle- too many opportunities for disaster!
