dealing with a horse that wont tie

[texansunrise]

Please can i have some advice on what to do with my horse, he is the master of tricks and has just mastered the game of ' jolting back quick and sitting down ' when ever i tie him.. He is not frightened , nor has he had any bad experiences as i have had him since a baby..he is just a smart horse who knows how to be a real pain in the arse at times !!

He makes me so cross when he does it as if its not the twine that breaks its the headcollers and then he is total pain to catch as he knows he is naked and totaly free, this unfortunately has happened at shows as well as at the yard which is both highly embaressing, frustrating and potentialy dangerous.

I have brought top of the range leather headcollars to nylon web and the lot have broken.. only a couple of times when he been unsuccesful and he will stand there looking disgruntled only to then make another bid for freedom as the headcollar (which has been weakend) hence then fails..

please help before i throttle him !!!

Any advice tips greatfuly recieved x x

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

One of ours at the school has a habit of this, we tried the tactic of clip him to a 9ft lunge line, pass this through the ring and keep hold of the other end at a distance so he thinks he's tied. Then when he pulls back either let the line out til he stops so the restriction isn't there so it's a boring game, or half halt it sharply so it's unpleasant then stop when he stops. Sounds like the second may work for you.

Although I have seen this work with other horses, the only thing that stops this particular one is tying him with at least 3ft of rope space on his end, which isn't particularly safe but then again neither is a loose horse!

 

[jhoward]

I had a mare that went through this stage, her other trick was to stick her head down and bring it under the rope!

one of the main things a taugh her was the word stand, but I also started to use a chain, if you have a look at the piccie I clipped it on to a single bit of string (for safety) then as normal the the head collar, the look on her face when she shot back to break the rope and noting happened was priceless!

she did soon learn to get the rubber part on her nose and flick it over her head,. LOL i gave up in the end she learnt the word stand and stood where i put her even at shows! they tying up did get better but her trick of self strangulation couldnt be trusted!

 

[HollyWoozle]

My horse did this for the first year or so of me having her, though for her it mostly stemmed from panic (then I do think she eventually started doing it out of boredom). I bought a velcro break-tie from Robinsons so that she couldn't hurt herself or break headcollars etc. (though she was always tied through twine anyway) and each time she did it, I just quietly retied her. Now she has completely stopped it, presumably as she realises it doesn't achieve anything.

I guess this method doesn't work for everyone and it did take a while but it has done the trick in our case.

 

[devilwoman]

What about using a spare stretchy leg strap off of a rug, that way as he pulls back it will just stretch (to a certain degree) with him, so it doesn't break and neither does his headcollar, this tactic worked on my old TB who hated being tied and broke numerous headcollars and leadropes.

 

[Wolfie]

We use a stretchy rope, bit like bungee cord or something (don't know what it is, Pop procured it!). They can pull all day long but can't get the sharp snap to break the rope.

 

[Elsbells]

Stunning!!

 

[Elsbells]

We use a stretchy rope, bit like bungee cord or something (don't know what it is, Pop procured it!). They can pull all day long but can't get the sharp snap to break the rope.

Ditto this^^
Works a treat.

 

[jhoward]

Stunning!!

thanks, not mine any longer.

 

[bwpre]

Pulling back can be such a deadly thing, The only think i would agree with here is Hollywoozle.
just persevere and never ever make a big thing out of it, if you react in any way she is encouraged, if she pulls back by all means call her out (to deflect her attention) but if you aren't there to stop her or you find her already free just quietly tie her back up not talking to her, disappointed with her.
I know of horses killed like this, if it starts out as a game to her and you think ohh its not a big problem, one day she may pull back but then frighten herself (because horses aren't rational like we are) and could do herself or someone else serious harm.
I've seen people doing peculiar things with ropes or shouting at there horses when this happens and more often than not this is what will trigger the panic and you don't want to be the one responsible for a broken leg or your horse crushing someone or something similar.
Hope that helps.

 

[martlin]

A flexi trug full of very cold water directly behind the horse - taught several a lesson or two. Be careful though, because when they sit in it, they shoot off forwards pretty sharpish.

 

[Kallibear]

Friend used a bicycle inner tube to great effect (just stretches).

You could try tying him through 5 or 6 pieces of different length twine:if he snaps one he's still got the next one to keep him anchored, and so on.

 

[Maesfen]

My biggest bugbear, a horse that won't tie if it is out to play games. If it's used to being tied then a rack chain for me and I never use twine, it teaches them they can break it. I'll also stand behind them with a broom or something telling them what I think of them in very colourful old English language until they give up being a prat and stand still. If it's new to tying up, long rope through the ring to hold as I'm doing whatever so you can teach it to stand without causing panic and use voice commands, putting it back where it was if it moves. I'll also have a haynet there to keep it busy to start with, half the time it doesn't realise it's tied up and when it does, it's got the 'stand still' firmly wedged between its ears so does.

 

[Tickles]

The lunge line through the twine thing can work very well.
As can food.

But as OP says the horse is intelligent. And standing still doing nothing is boring and unnatural (NB grazing is not 'doing nothing').

I found that if a made slight adjustments to my routine (e.g. get tack from tack room before getting horse from stable/field) I could pretty much eliminate the (difficult to tie) horse being tied up with nothing to do. Obviously if you're grooming of something that is another matter.

Personally I'd rather have an intelligent, engaged horse to ride than one that is shut down and will stand staring at a wall for hours on end while I faff.

So, as well as teaching your horse to tie teach yourself to have more efficient and horse-friendly routines (it is surprisingly easy really!).

 

[CBFan]

I agree with others... threading a long rope through the ring is a good one as there is no 'snap' and instant freedom... the bungee is also a good idea although I'm guessing even they can snap but also as others have sugested, adjusting your routine so that your horse is tied for the minimum length of time would be an idea and also giving him something to do whilst tied - i.e. eating a small portion of hay from a net?

 

[Vetwrap]

My young horse pulled back very suddenly the other day, when I lanced an abscess in his foot.

I found these at a local saddlery shop and they are brilliant. http://www.randrcountry.co.uk/product-details/bhb-hoof-it-quick-clip/0,208/

I now always have one in my pocket and can safely tie up anywhere now. I think they're brilliant!

 

[Toffee44]

Maesfen. I am heading this way with Samba. I have spent hours with a lunge line. I have gone through four headcollars. She does it as habit. She's almost bombproof hacking but sends her self backwards at things on the yard. I go back with her then ask her to go back a bit more, she's chewing and responding and I actually feel she's just getting the better of me now, so broom up her ass next.

 

[jhoward]

Maesfen. I am heading this way with Samba. I have spent hours with a lunge line. I have gone through four headcollars. She does it as habit. She's almost bombproof hacking but sends her self backwards at things on the yard. I go back with her then ask her to go back a bit more, she's chewing and responding and I actually feel she's just getting the better of me now, so broom up her ass next.

or a water pistol up the jacksie.. never fails to get them forward!

personally I hate horses that fidget, wont stand still etc, I do think it is well worth teaching the word stand before anything and back up any action with the word also.

 

[Loulou2002]

We stopped my old mare doing this by tying her up using a tail bandage....very stretchy! Also my friend was very quick behind her with the bristle end of the broom one day, stopped almost instantly!

 

[Toffee44]

* goes to poundland to find water pistol *