tying up for the first time

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beanie_boo

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i picked my new filly up at the weekend, shes a 2 year old welsh x arab but shes never been tied up. i wasnt planning on doing this just yet as she will take some time to settle but i just wondered how youd go about it? ive only ever had horses who are used to it?
 
Tie her up to the thinnest cord of baling twine (so that it will break if she panics).

Stand by her head and give her a scratch, and then undo her. And just repeat daily.
 
I used a lunge rein looped through a ring in the wall. I hold the loose end in my hand whilst I groom or fuss the horse whilst it's 'tied'. If it pulls back violently, let the lunge rein loosen to keep up the slack. Then reassure and bring the horse back up to the tie ring, take up the slack and carry on. Keep doing this and the horse will soon get used to standing still for tieing and will safely get used to the feeling of being tied.

I also find these are excellent for any horse prone to the odd pull back when tied (http://www.fieldguard.com/rubber_ties_rubber_leads.html). They're excellent as they give but don't snap. I'd not use one until a horse was properly introduced to being tied and had learnt to do so, but for the odd one which persists in pulling back occasionally, these are great. :)
 
Depends on the temperament. Some, when you tie them up, tug a bit then give up. Others panic.

I had a quiet sensible baby horse. First couple weeks he was loosely tied (held onto rope as Spyda suggested) so he got the idea without panicing. Then he was firmly tied to a strong ring and left to tug a bit (good footing and quick release in case he got into trouble). He yanked a couple times then gave up and has never tried to pull again. I did the same with a stressy older horse (the type who'd have killed himself trying to pull away) who'd never been taught properly, but spent longer with the initial stage.

Roo (2yr old ISH) was tied to cattle court feeding pen bars and left to get on with it (in Ireland, not by me!) Wasn't told he coped but I suspect he paniced a bit, pulled then gave up when it didn't work. He's that personality. He now ties amazingly. Some would have almost killed themselves trying to get away.

I prefer the nice approach BUT I do think they need to learn that pulling acheives nothing, which is why I'e tie firmly once they've got the idea.
 
Kallibear said:
I prefer the nice approach BUT I do think they need to learn that pulling acheives nothing, which is why I'e tie firmly once they've got the idea.
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This is at the stage I like to use the Fieldguard rubber tie. They can pull back violently without it breaking but in a safe manner.
 
Me too, and it makes it worse! They then learn that they pull hard enough, it eventually releases. All they need to do is pull harder. That's really not something I want then to learn! Once they're tied firmly I don't want it to give under any circumstance, unless I choose to release it (which hopeful I shouldn't need to do, if the initial tying is done properly).

Rubber ties are useful for those horses (usually flighty, sensitive horses) who have an initial split second panic when feeling restrained, before remember what they're meant to do and giving to the pressure.
 
I do the SPYDA method.

Long rope through the bars of the stall, a horse can pull back as much and as fast as it likes but it is only going to hit the wall, after that I bring them back and get on with whatever we were doing.

If a tied youngster wants to dig then it can, I don't care, he'll get bored with it before I do, and I won't undo them until they stop faffing about and stand quietly.

It is the biggest pita when a horse can't be left to stand :mad:
 
I ran into a bit of trouble teaching my filly to lead nicely, she would sit back and plant herself. I was using a lovely leather headcollar with broad leather.

I fixed the problem by using a rope halter and the pressure/release method. Took a couple of lessons and the planting stopped and the filly was very polite and light in the hand.

Taught her to tie, obviously in the leather headcollar, and if she feels any pressure from the headcollar she immediately steps forward out of the pressure and has not tried the rope once.

I certainly don't leave her unattended, she is only just a yearling, but it certainly seems the training on the rope halter has taught her to tie up as well.
 
Start in a stable or enclosed area where she feels safe. That way if she does pull back and free herself, she can't go anywhere!!

I had a 7yo who just used to snap the leadropes- for fun, not fear. Went through 10 in a month once! In the end I had to loop the lungeline over his head and through the metal ring. when he pulled back and tried to get away I held on askinghim calmly to 'walk on'. The second he leant forwards the pressure was released. It took 2 attempts and now he ties nicely on a yard- but that was correcting bad behaviour- not teaching basic skills.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I ran into a bit of trouble teaching my filly to lead nicely, she would sit back and plant herself. I was using a lovely leather headcollar with broad leather.

I fixed the problem by using a rope halter and the pressure/release method. Took a couple of lessons and the planting stopped and the filly was very polite and light in the hand.

Taught her to tie, obviously in the leather headcollar, and if she feels any pressure from the headcollar she immediately steps forward out of the pressure and has not tried the rope once.

I certainly don't leave her unattended, she is only just a yearling, but it certainly seems the training on the rope halter has taught her to tie up as well.
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Ditto this too
 
Well first of all, I would want to know that the Horse can lead well and understand pressure and release. Otherwise you may just have a Horse who panics if the rope gets tense and it's putting pressure on her.

If she does understand pressure and release (and buy this I mean a Horse that will move forward to relieve the pressure) then I would tie to Bailer twine. But as AmyMay said make sure it's a thin bit, so if she does pull back it will snap.

If she enjoys a groom, I would tie her and groom for no longer then 10 minutes. Your presence should give her some confidence and hopefully the groom will relax her and make it enjoyable for her.

Gradually increase the time she is tied for.
 
Cobiau Cymraeg Wyllt said:
Same method as Spyda and Enfys over here :)
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Ditto...but I use two turns of "yachting rope" (strong but smooth so it slides) around a strainer post sunk four feet into the ground in the centre of the round pen. By holding the rope end, I can regulate how much tension or give is applied to the horse end, so basically "pressure and release".
 
thanks for all your advice :) will start working on it in a few weeks when shes more used to me :) shes been with the same owner since she was 4 weeks old so its taking her a while to settle and get used to her new stable :) will let you no it goes :D
 
All of the above is good, sensible advice. I too teach tying up with a long rope passed through a ring, I teach all my foals to do this from about 1 month old. We then use strong rubber ties, purpose-made for tying horses, with a breaking strain (only ever had one actually break one - wasn't mine and was certifiable: he ties now). If your horse pulls and sets back in a panic, if you are quick enough you can tap on the bum and send him forwards, this "shows" him how to get away from the restriction by releasing the pressure of the headcollar. I once "cured" a horse of setting back by throwing a dandy brush at her bum - she went forwards, released the pressure, stopped panicking and has never done it since.
 
Get an equi-ping, they break under a lot of pulling but will take a certain amount. It will allow you to teach her tying up but give you the safe feeling that if she does pannick the situation doesnt get out of hand and freak her out.

I have a 2 year old that accidentally caught her head collar and pulling back broke it in one of these freak unattended moments before gong out to the paddock when my back was turned, it freaked her so much after that at just having the headcollar on. It has taken ages to bring her confidence back and having the equi-ping helped a great deal when she was concerned at being tied, I went from a few seconds up to 15 mins now tied and being fussed over, but it have taken a couple of months to get to this stage. i make a point of never having a headcollar on her now til i am aiming to move her. The equi-ping I use for all tying now, I never use baler twine to tye anymore as it is so strong I put the equi-pings on them and work like that.
 
I did a bit of pressure release groundwork so she got the idea of standing still when asked.
Then I slipped the rope though the ring, held it firmly so when she stepped back, / threw her head up, it was not too scary for her. I asked her to come forward by pulling on the rope. Then held her again when she tugged back. It worked fine, I also tied her up next to her dam when the farrier came, standing by her side, ready to re-assure if any excitement. There was no problem. After a while I was able to walk away, leaving her tied [thin twine] and with a helper just round the corner in case of emergency.
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
I had a 7yo who just used to snap the leadropes- for fun, not fear. Went through 10 in a month once! In the end I had to loop the lungeline over his head and through the metal ring. when he pulled back and tried to get away I held on askinghim calmly to 'walk on'. The second he leant forwards the pressure was released. It took 2 attempts and now he ties nicely on a yard- but that was correcting bad behaviour- not teaching basic skills.
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My boy knows how to untie himself, but usually only if I am round the corner, he can open the stable door [stands for ages jiggling the door] if I forget the kick over fastening.
Too little grass in one field and he will open most farmers style gates [baling string fastenings], or clamber through the plain wire fencing, standing with one hoof on the lower strand of wire, and dipping his head under the top two strands of wire.
Most lead rope clips are white metal coloured brass, so they last about a week before I have to replace them with a proper brass one.
 
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