Tying your horse straight to post without string.

[moneypit1]

There was an interesting post a while ago about teaching your horse to tie up. There was a very strong view by some that a horse should be tied to someting that will not budge as tying to string first just reinforced to the horse that it could break away. I have always been taught to use string for safety reasons but to be honest did not really understand what the main danger was. I have now been told of a rather unfortunate incident involving a horse tied straight to a ring on a brick building without string. Something startled the horse (who was wearing a nylon headcoller which did not break). The horse panicked and went into a frenzy throwing itself all over the place. The result, severe poll damage, compression of the spinal cord and wobblers syndrome. I was so shocked, didn't really think of poll damage as a consequence. Really made me think as I have to admit to tying direct to the ring on occasions.

 

[Kate260881]

Interesting post as there seem to be some differences between the way the Brits do things and the way the Dutch do things. I've noticed that there is very little string lying about on our yard and nearly everybody (me being the exception) ties straight onto something solid. Penny is very poll shy (not sure why) so I just don't want to risk her getting worse by giving herself a fright. But I am the weird one where we are because I DO use string. It baffles me a bit as our yard is 100% horse proof so if a horse did get loose it couldn't go anywhere (certainly not the road as there is a 15 foot security code gate in front of it).

That's a really scary story of yours though, would be awful to cause that amount of damage over something that is so so simple.

 

[Binkybex]

How awful, poor horse. Do you know what is going to happen to him?

I said something about this a while a go and the Americans crucified me

It is so dangerous to tie up straight to the post, as you have explained. Youngsters do have to be taught that they cannot just pull back and wander off but you should teach this with and lunge line through the ring not tying them to something solid and watching them flip out!

If you worry about the rope getting caught in the string why don't you use string between the headcollar and the rope. We do this with the TB babies who eat through normal ropes so have to be tied to rubber coated chains.

 

[Rocky01]

In the US although horses are sometimes tied up without string the headcollars are different even the webbing ones. Over the poll instead of it being webbing it is leather and does up both sides, the leather isn't particularly thick and breaks if a horse panicks. hope this explains some things. Personally I always tie to string (there's always enough of it around after all) but I don't always in France (none to tie to on yard) and not always in the US (again, none to tie to).

 

[Hedgewitch13]

Unfortunately I learnt that lesson the hard way when I was 12 and on a weeks riding holiday in Cornwall. I tied 'my' horse to a ring and went off to get his brushes and tack but when I came back he was very dazed looking and had blood trickling out of his nostrils. That's when they told me he didn't tie up and I should have put some twine on the ring first. I was mortified as I didn't know and I spent the rest of the holiday being ostrasized (sp?!) and bitched about by the rather nasty yard staff (this was in 1974 when yard staff = local bitchy teenagers....). It wasn't the fun time I had thiought it was going to be.

Needless to say when I need to tie my mare up it's through twine first!

Oh and holiday horse recovered after a few days. Looking back it wasn't a particularly good place anyway - holiday horse was a green 16 hh 5 year old and I was an 8 stone 12 year old!

 

[chriscrogul]

How many of you who tie to string use baler twine, which doesn't always break? I tie to the ring, if you've got one pratting about and pulling back the string can cut into the rope and make it very hard to undo the quick release knot. At my old yard, the roofers came in while I was at work. An experienced horsy person tied my horse outside her box, to a piece of string on a ring, so the roofer could look in her stable. As he came out he clipped her with his ladder, she pulled back, string didn't break but she pulled the door frame out and careered round the yard damaging herself and several cars in the process. Yes, this would still have happened if tied to the ring but it proves what a high breaking point baler twine has!

 

[Parkranger]

If you tie to bailer twine you should always thin it out first as a full piece of twine may not snap!!

 

[Binkybex]

For some reason my bailing twine always breaks, but maybe its old and frail

also:

"If you worry about the rope getting caught in the string why don't you use string between the headcollar and the rope. We do this with the TB babies who eat through normal ropes so have to be tied to rubber coated chains."

sensible no?

 

[Eceni]

I tie to the ring with a highwayman's hitch that comes away cleanly with a single tug on the rope (no rope passed through the ring). SO if there's a panic, I can release her immediately. And yes, they need to be taught first with a long line through the ring. A Blocker Tie Ring can be useful for this, but only if used intelligently

using string can quite easily teach them that if they pull, it'll break, which isn't what you want them to learn, because they can self-harm while trying. And so if you want to use string, you end up using three bits, progressively longer, which is fine to stop the horse breaking it and a nightmare if something bad happens and the horse tugs one various strings, digging them into the rope...

at the end of the day, it depends on how you've taught your horse

E

 

[soph21]

I used to use baler twine but then I bought a bungee tie thing, its ideal cos if they really pull back or panic it pings off, thats what I used to tie my colt up for the 1st time and he's been fine with it.

 

[Weezy]

EVERYONE on my yard, except me, ties up to bailer twine that is fresh off the bales - why bother using it, it is one of the toughest things known to man! I am also the only one that uses a true quick release knot (i.e. the rope does NOT go through the loop/ring). I tie up to anything that is solid - I also never leave tied up horses unattended for any period of time. In my trailer I use the bungee quick release loops and they are great.

 

[Keltic]

Years ago my friend tied her horse to the water trough it was an old bath he spooked and legged and took the bath with him!! My tb mare is terrible to tie up to bath etc as soon as she sees hosepipe she legs it i always tie to string and i bought one of those quick release leadropes hmmm she pulled back and string never snapped leadrope never released but the metal end came away from rope?? hmm not quite the way it was supposed to work!!

 

[lucemoose]

I tie up to thinned down baler twine or use a trailer tie with panic snaps. Ive seen barns break before baler twine does!

 

[Zoobie]

When I first got my horse had him tied up didn't realise that there a huge HGV in the barn behind us. It was only when I heard it start up I realised that it going to pass about 5 feet away in about 20 secs The lead rope knot jammed, the bailing twine didn't break and luckily enough he was wearing a leather headcollar which totally fell apart.

I also use the bungee thingy and always use a leather headcollar.

What is a ture quick release knot? and how do you it.

 

[soph21]

The true quick release doesn't actually tie through whatever you are using. its quite tricky to learn! Can you tell im crap at explaining things!!!

 

[jenbleep]

I * think* I use a quick release not...........well it's not the know you find in BHS books anyway!!

edited to say the knot i use is quick release, i just pull the end of the rope and it comes free, its not BHS!!

 

[Flame_]

My pet hate is people tying horses to stable door hinges, with or without string. All it takes is the horse to pull back and the doors lift off. I've seen three horses running around the yard frightened to death with a stable door bashing into their legs, but I see people still doing it all the time. I have to stand there worrying, waiting in case the the horse needs rescuing.

 

[PapaFrita]

I used to tie to string in the UK, but NOBODY does it here. EVER. Actually, I used to find, when tying to string that if a horse pulled back, the string would get caught into the knot and it would be a b:tch to untie later. On the other hand, if you use a quick release knot to a metal ring, if a horse has a hissy fit, it's much easier to grab loose end of leadrope and release them...

 

[soph21]

Last summer I had Bear tacked up ready to go out for a hack, and my friends daughter was going to ride my little welsh pony, I just went in the shed to get my hat and while I was doing that my friends daughter decided to take the pony off his headcollar and canter him round the field, Bear panicked and pulled back, I had stupidly clipped the rope to his bit! his bridle snapped in 3 places! I was horrified that I had done that, luckily he was ok and it was a good job it was a flimsy cheapy bridle. NEVER AGAIN!!!
I did scream at the girl as Buddie hadn't been ridden for a while and she just started bombing him around!

Edited to say that the lead rope was tied to baler twine.

 

[ironhorse]

Another thing about the American system is that they tend to use much heavier, stiffer rope that can be easily pulled undone if the horse panics.
We're moving our horse to a western yard this week and I'll probably try to sneak some split balers twine in at least for her haynet. She doesn't pull back very often, but has been known to paw at her net!

Always, always split the string if you use it- my first horse pulled back from a post and rail fence, and the rail gave way, hitting me on the head and then him round the front legs!

 

[soph21]

Ouch bet that hurt.

 

[H-J]

I tie up to thinned baler twine not thick stuff.

I know of a horse tied straight to railings, it freaked and the huge metal rod was dragged around with it subsequently breaking its leg

For this reason and always having spooky horses b4 I always tie to thin bits of twine

 

[vicm2509]

I always tie to twine. I also weaken it with a knife first so its really easy to break.

 

[Solstar]

i dont tie up- both Solo and Red will stand if i pass the rope through the ring (dont tie it) and i say 'stand'.
I've seen too many accidents with bailer band, its made me a bit too scared of tying a horse up.

 

[Theresa_F]

I tie to but not through the the ring with a quick release knot. I only use leather headcollars. The boys are very good and don't pull back or panic easily. Tied through string, it can be impossible to undo the rope if they pull back and get it too tight.

At a show I use a piece of string that will easily break if they are tied to the trailer whilst I am grooming - rather they broke loose than take the trailer with them.

 

[Law]

[ QUOTE ]
I am also the only one that uses a true quick release knot (i.e. the rope does NOT go through the loop/ring).

[/ QUOTE ]
I tie up like that- not passing the rope through.

But I do tie to twine. I tied to something solid once and the horse spooked and dragged it half way across the yard which scared him even more

 

[Gorgeous George]

I always tie to thinned out baler twine now, when I first got George I had him tied to new not thinned baler twine and something frightened him and he pulled back - the first thing that broke was the brass clip on the leadrop, not the twine or the leather headcollar - scary.

 

[Maesfen]

An awful lot of accidents waiting to happen could be avoided by throwing all nylon headcollars into the fire, they are so dangerous for tying up with.
Years ago you never - and I mean never - had this problem of horses snatching back; they were taught correctly right from the start how to stand tied up, always with leather headcollars, nylon wasn't ever used. While this is a generalisation and not true in all cases I do admit, many horses now only see the inside of a school, they don't get out into the general world so don't learn to accept unexpected things anywhere. Most horses then would automatically be trained from the start, almost up to police horse standards to respect you, not just in their riding work but stable manners too - which includes being tied up anywhere , also standing on command whether it be in a stable or in the middle of a field, Once people could get back to those high standards of preparation, I think learning to pull back and break string could be largely eliminated.

 

[GTs]

I never really tie my horse up, I just wrap the lead ope loosely around a pole - I do not like letting the horse know they can break away, but I equally don't like my horse running around with a bit of fence or fie rail between their legs (and yes I have had it happen). This means they can pull back enough to where they will give up before it gets loose, but will certainly get loose before the tie rail breaks.

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]
Ive seen barns break before baler twine does!

[/ QUOTE ]

Quoted for truth! The amount of horses I've seen galloping around the yard in panic with half a wooden stable wall hanging from their rope beggars belief.

I use plain white string, or in a pinch twine that has already been cut halfway through.