A warning

Cuffey

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26 February 2003
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People we know lost their horse today
They had mended the neck rug with baler twine
My son cut it out of a fence--too late, it had caught up and hung itself
I know he will be upset but the owners will be devastated (they may be members of this Forum)

Please can we all learn from this
As a child my friend lost his pony by hanging the pony must have rubbed on a fence post and his headcollar caught over the post, neither broke as it struggled.
I never turn out in a head collar and warn others not to but would never think baler twine could have such awful consequences
 
Oh my goodness.
How sad.
I see you are in the SW... do you mind me asking whereabouts this was?
*Just incase I know the horse. *worries**
 
Oh my god
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I though bailer twine would have snapped
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How awful.
 
COMMON misconception Bean - bailer twine is VERY VERY strong and should not be used for things like this
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I use it to fix stirrups out hunting, that should give you an idea of its strength! When people use bailer twine to tie up with I do get rather anxious - it should be roughed right down.
 
So sorry to hear about this.... I stopped tieing up to baler twine when my mare was tied up outside her stable, there was a roofer on the yard who managed to clip her with his ladder, she was startled and pulled back, the baler twine didn't break; instead the whole doorframe came out (which the tie ring was screwed to) and she proceeded to career round the carpark damaging several cars! She didn't have a mark on her luckily.
 
My horse hung himself last august on a fence with his nylon headcollar.

By the time i got to him the headcollar had cut off his breathing and he had collapsed. Luckily we got him free but i think 15 mins longer and he would of been dead.

I really feel for these people, a silly mistake has cost them their horse. RIP Horse xxxxxxx
 
How very sad
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. RIP Horsey.

Nope bailer twine has it's uses but the modern stuff does not break. My sisters Horse whilst tied up caught her tongue in it and then reared. The damage to her mouth was awful
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. Thankfully she is fully recovered but can now only be ridden in a Hackamore.
 
My mare was recently tied up using baler twine from the wall to her leadrope (as you'd normally do) at the time she was on box rest and was on one of her manic days, she somehow managed to get her leg caught up in the leadrope (through pawing I think) she paniced and I was shocked to find that the LEADROPE acrually snapped BEFORE the BALER TWINE! In her panic she managed to take one of her chestnuts off and chip her back hooves as she fell over onto her side. Some of the baler twine I think will snap but I never double it up (the more stringy type stuff) but the plastic stuff definateley does not break! Any ideas anyone for what else we can use?
 
I always half mine for this very reason, recently my mare freaked and the leadrope also gave before halved baler twine!
 
For tying up you can buy safety devices from catalogues. I know it is an extra cost but people always spend so much money on things they don't need, maybe this is something they do need? I almost saw a horse break his neck / hang once in a nylon headcollar caught on a gate post. Thankfully my friend and I were there to free him. His owners were so ignorant they didn't realise he was blind in one eye and had cushings... until it was time for him to be put down. Poor soul had no company, either.
 
OMG how awful.

I know what you all mean though, Axel got spooked at a show when he was tied to the lorry, pulled back so much his leather headcollar broke and he ran off, the rope was still tied on to the unbroken bale string
 
So sorry to hear this tragic news. Your poor son must be feeling really shocked too.

We always tie our horses up using the Equitie's. They cost about £3.50 each - much rather that than lose one of our horses. We use them on the yard, in the trailer, outside the trailer and actually always keep one in our pockets too so you can tie up pretty much anywhere.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use them, or something like them, instead of bailer twine.
 
At a local yard there was a case of a horse hang itself on the bar of the stable door. Got its headcollar caught, panicked and slipped. Owners didnt find him until the next morning, but was too late.
 
This is quite an eye opener for me. I never leave headcollars on in field because I knew of a horse that got caught and hung itself. However I have always used baler twine to tie up . Do Equitie's break under pressure or are they elasticated? Can see some shopping coming up.
 
my friends horse panicked and pulled back for about 10seconds having a complete fit well finally the headcollar gave way and not the twine! this has been an eye opener to me and i will now always half mine.
 
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Do Equitie's break under pressure or are they elasticated? Can see some shopping coming up.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are like bungey with a clip and they come undone when pressure is exerted - I use them in the trailer and wouldn't use anything else.
 
Oh Gosh, poor, poor horse.

I have used equities and baler string for tying up, but after reading through this, will never use baler twine again!
I never turn out in a headcollar, or leave one on in the stable and I never leave him tied up unattended.
 
Oh poor horse and poor owners and your son who found him!

As everyone else says a sad sad accident and a timely reminder about baler twine. I loathe the stuff - I go round putting stress points in it if I see it on tie up rings, but there are several "neat freaks" at my yard who then go round and put new stuff back on as it looks tidier!!!!!!
 
My Gosh how awful
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I use washing line (the plastic coated stuff), but its tied in a way that if he pulls back hard the knot slips off itself - plus I would say it is actually nto as strong as baler twine. We recently had all the baler twine taken off the rings at our yard - not sure if this was why but they just left the rings and folk were using them
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.
 
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