After a while, you will get a sense of this, and 'know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em', as the gambler would say.
There's a big difference between various kinds of riding.....and sport horses, in how each view tying out.
In general, people who attend club shows, 4h shows and in general those who ride Western, expect their horses to stand died up for hours at a time, either to the side of the trailer at a show, or on the trail or at their own stable. In general, they're dealing with horses that have been left tied for long periods of time since they were very young. The horse usually fought it out at a young age, when it was light and hopefully, less able to permanently harm or kill itself.
Just like with anti-shoeing and anti-stalling people, there are also 'pro-tying out' people and they can be -extremely- adamant.
Keep in mind that most horse people are NOT 'tying out nazis'. They'll tie a horse up, but if an adult is struggling and fighting, they'll usually try to resolve it, but if it's obvious it just isn't working with this horse, they'll make other arrangements.
But there ARE 'tying out nazis'. Just like in all horse issues, there is what my SO calls, "a spectrum of belief". In other words, some are more insistent than others!
In fact, in those 'tying out' circles, standing tied for long periods of time is viewed as absolutely not optional. It's viewed as a matter of 'dominance'(as are most training problems), and they will tell you that EVERY horse MUST learn to stand tied for long periods of time, no matter what its breed or style of riding or it is SPOILED and dominating its handler. They will ridicule anyone whose horse doesn't stand tied for long periods of time and berate the owner for 'ruining' the horse.
In fact, when a horse is sent to a trainer in these styles of riding, they will often stand tied for many hours, along the side of the trainer's arena, saddled and bridled. If they fight, if they struggle, they will be left tied up to 'figure it out', and they are tied up with equipment that is very unlikely to break. If they are injured, well, those are the breaks. I've watched horses throw themselves over backwards and sit down and fight trying to pull back. Horses have broken their necks and backs doing these tings.
In general, it is explained in far more 'politically correct' terms these days - the horse must learn 'patience' and to 'bond' with the owner, etc. In the old days, it was plain and simple - horses are tied up to show 'em who's boss and teach them to be obedient and to - well - to STAND TIED - because that is necessary for a trail horse, a show horse, etc.
On the other hand, with sport horses like show jumpers and dressage horses, you will probably find that in general, people aren't anywhere near as adamant about this. Some of this may be due to the much more active nature of the breeds and types used for these sports. It simply is more unusual to find a Thoroughbred or Warmblood that will 'give up' and stand tied for hours. They are far more active than the stock horse breeds, and simply do not have the same sort of temperament. Additionally, they're built different - longer legs, much taller, often very massive, longer neck - all risk factors for getting hurt tied up.
Even more importantly, they generally were NOT 'stood tied' for long periods of time as youngsters, when their bodies are light and most able to withstand the strain of fighting back.
In general, you will find that sport horse people will FIRE you if you insist on tying out a horse and leaving it there to fight it out. The approach is different there. The average sport horse folk would rather die than see a youngster injured by being left tied to 'figure it out'.
What you'll learn with time is that you need to 'feel out' what is going on with the individual horse, rather than beat your chest and make pronouncements that all horses SHOULD be the same and all horses SHOULD do this or SHOULD do that. This is just plain old commonsense.
Otherwise you run into things like the recent incident in which a trainer killed a horse by tying it to a tree 'to give it a bath' (there was no indication there was any bath). The horse was left tied to this tree (incorrectly, I might add) for what appears to be many hours, and more likely than a bath, 'to teach it a lesson'. It was an Arabian horse, and they can sometimes be more restless when tied up.
Evidently the horse did something that irritated the trainer, so it was tied to a tree well away from the stable (where the horse was pretty much guaranteed to get anxious and struggle) and left without water.
The pictures that circulated around the internet showed a large thick tree with a broken off rope around it. The trunk on one side was completely covered with blood. The ground around the tree was also covered with blood.
The horse died.
My general feeling on it is that if a youngster is not taught to stand tied when it's a lightweight, small youngster, it is just not worth the risk of letting a much heavier, larger adult 'fight it out' if it has a problem tying up. If a buyer insists on having a horse that will stand tied for hours without lifting an eyebrow, then DON'T BUY A HORSE THAT WON'T.
Sure, you MAY be able to cure an adult of pulling back or fighting a tie. Sure you might. But more likely, you won't be able to. In general, though, instead of trying to fit a round peg in a square hole, buy an adult horse that will stand tied.
If you are responsible for the horse(all you can do otherwise is notify the owner/trainer/person responsible - though if the horse looks like it's about to suffer a severe injury I will untie it and take the consequences) and it looks like it's going to get hurt tied up - untie it and put it in its stall, lead it around and hang onto it, stop it from being injured. It's pretty simple.
Don't try to apply absolutes to horses. Horses are trained in VERY different ways and they vary by temperament, build and ability to withstand stress.
Your first priority as a horseman is to keep horses and the people around them, from being injured.
