Swinging

danielle23

danielle23

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I was reading another thread and saw a comment on swinging, do any of you out there swing still or no anyone that does?
Do you use any old fashioned techniques you swear by?
Danielle
 
Swinging is one old practice that I for one would never ever use and am glad to see the back of!

Basically you tie a young unbroken horse up (short) to something immovable (wall/telegraph pole etc) and leave him to it, horses have badly injured themselves and some have died.
 
one of my mares was swung as a young foal :( I wasnt happy that they did it to her and had no say in it not happening. They ignored the fact that I owned her and did what they liked with her when my back was turned. It was awful to watch and I certainly wouldnt have another one suffer this awful practice.
 
The point in swinging is that by tying the horse to an immovable object (such as a concrete set post or tree trunk) it learns not to pull back - as it will not be able to break free (assuming the headcollar and rope are strong enough).
Some might argue that by 'swinging' a horse, you save it from future injury/danger when it breaks the (BHS :D) string or (non BHS) baler twine and runs into various farm machinery/cars/people etc.
S :D
 
I also want to say that the second definition of swinging seems, if the TV programme I once saw was accurate, to be prevalent amongs accountants in Gloucestershire.
I have no direct evidence to support this theory, though, nor do I feel inclined to collect any. :p
S :D
 
:D I read the title of this and wondered what I was going to find. I always thought swinging was something people indulge in when they have a decline in the bedroom department!
Anyway moving on, the swinging refered to in this post, I personally think is barbaric, but hey ho.
 
I'm certainly not for it but I'm curious as to how people do teach youngsters to tie up?

Whoever taught my mare did a shocking job of it. She's pretty good now but still shows a complete lack of respect for baler twine if something more exciting is going on.
 
absolute diva said:
I'm certainly not for it but I'm curious as to how people do teach youngsters to tie up?

Whoever taught my mare did a shocking job of it. She's pretty good now but still shows a complete lack of respect for baler twine if something more exciting is going on.
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Also curious as to how youngsters are respectful of being tied without swinging?
My father inlaw is an old fashioned man an swings all his, and he helped me swing a couple of new forests i bought off the forest, i didnt know much about dealing with young horses so just got all his help and advice, asuming he knew best
But have learnt over the past 5 years or so that it is highly fround upon, and so are a lot of the things he does

My ponys i did are super quiet and respectful, but every tbred ive had are t**ts! and have snapped too many leadropes to count on my fingers!!! so whoever taught them to tie did a rubbish job too lol

I was attempting to teach my foal to lead the otherday and he said not to bother just swing it later on, but it rather not tbh, so how do people go about teaching horses to tie?
 
Interesting title.... but to answer the question - I wouldn't swing a horse. I don't think risking injuring and panicing them is acceptable. I'd tie up for very short times initially, alongside a nice sensible older horse. Do something nice whilst tied up. When horse is happy with this, go away for a short time and leave it tied up, still with a pal. Progress to longer spells until horse will stand confidently. Then try on own, short times at first again and gradually build up. If the horse objects or tries to break free, keep calm, reassure, untie and go back a stage.
If you anticipate difficulty, then use a long line and don't tie, just run the line through the string and hold onto the other end so you can allow the horse to step back if it panics, then bring it in again.
Takes longer than swinging, but keeps the horse's trust and builds its confidence.
 
Never heard it called swinging never heard it called anything actually. But doesn't work in the case I've seen broke the headcollar though. horse then carried on pulling back to break baler twine so he knew he could get free then just stand there.
Have to say I don't tie any horse up unless I really have too esp. at shows ect. as balertwine vs horse I know who will win and a loose horse on a show ground makes me cringe. Rather chuck them back on the box where its shady/dry/out of harms way. And would rather have a horse choose to stand in his box than make him do it. Am I alone in this or do other people not really tie up.
 
As a Gloucestershire-ite, I would just like to make it clear that it's not just swinging going on here - I took the dogs for a walk aged 11, and came across a large group of people milling about amongst a load of parked cars...

one of the dogs jumped into an open boot and shrieking ensued... I think they took the term "dogging" to a whole new level!
 
Llewellyn said:
Am I alone in this or do other people not really tie up.
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I don't tie Mick up as he just brakes free then stands where he was anyway. He is a fidget is safer standing in his stable or in the trailer if at a show.

He once panicked when tied up, he slipped over at the back and was sort of sitting on the floor then the twine snapped and he crashed to the floor hitting his head. It was awful to watch. I never tie him up and leave him now, its just not worth it.
 
Llewellyn said:
Never heard it called swinging never heard it called anything actually. But doesn't work in the case I've seen broke the headcollar though. horse then carried on pulling back to break baler twine so he knew he could get free then just stand there.
.
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You dont do it with baler twine as it just breaks and they get loose, you tie them strait to a tree/telegraph pole or something strong so they cant get free, and use a good strong headcollar that wont break!
With mine it took only half and hour for them to realise they couldnt break free so gave up they had the odd pull when i was going near to tame them but thats all really?
 
There hs been a lot of clap trap on this thread about how terrible swinging horses is.

If done correctly it is NOT CRUEL or BARBARIC, however if done irresponsibly it can harm the horse. It is the best way to teach a horse to lead properly and not fly back when tied up which can cause terrible accidents harming horse and human - I have witnessed this in experienced broken in horses which have not been properly 'swung'.
 
I had never heard it called that before the thread on Horsemart ad but was aware that the breeder of my sons first pony (Sec A with Coed Coch lines) tied all her ponies to a wall made of old railway sleepers and left them to work it out.
If they were stupid enough to hurt themselves they were going to be useless as childrens ponies and she was quite prepared to pts.
His pony was excellent to lead, tie up, and nice to handle.
 
I didn't even know it still went on. I've read about it in old books, and even some of those said it was a barbaric horrible practice and a nasty thing to watch.

Would never, ever let anyone do it to a horse i owned. I would prefer a horse not to associate being tied or led with so much stress, i would rather them associate it with being calm and sensible. And, i would not want any horse to do something purely because it was resigned and given up. Sad practice.
 
I have a feeling it is known by another name in old fashioned american way - tieing to a post in the middle of a corral. But can't remember what the name is.

Our of interest, what is the 'correct' and therefore harmless way to do it?

Nothing more annoying than a horse that won't tie up IMO.

I did accidentally do this with a semi feral pony that I ended up with. He had a headcollar on at all times with a short length of plaited baler twine attached to the ring under chin. (as was difficult to catch without) Noticed one day that he had been standing by the fence for quite a while, when I went over, the twine had caught between the post and the rail. He was 'tied' up and didn't mind at all.
 
It is not something I have ever done to a young horse nor would I. I have, however, had to tie older horses to an immovable object when they realised baler twine snaps very easily. I always stayed there, and use a proper release knot to minimize any danger, but these weren't panicing horses, they were just bolshy. It is dangerous to have a horse that breaks free on a whim, less so to tie them to something solid with a person there to teach them not to do it.
 
I've not found a headcollar or leadrope strong enough to withstand a horse pulling on it, so don't really understand how swinging works - surely they just break the headcollar and rope when they pull back?
 
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