Question/young horse first tieing....

[lil'turkeymama]

I've owned horses for over 25 years and raised some from foals and also young ones I've bought.I know MY horses and what they can do.I haven't rode since my old mare,Trixie,passed away 3 years ago.She was the greatest.I had owned her since she was 5 and she died just short of 30 years old.It was harder than I thought it would be to lose her.Kinda took my heart out of working with my remaining 9 horses.I love them too much to just quit so I took a break and am now working with my CL's freebie,Buddy.He's a 2 year old smaller quarter horse cross stud colt.He has been a hand full.LOL.But I really like him and his size and want to be able to use him to pull a cart and maybe ride.
I have always just handled the babies,haltered while young and tied them beside their moms to teach them to tie.This is on the side of the barn.A 30 foot oak board wall.Tie right in the middle where they can't really get hurt but learn for their self what being tied is.I have used that method for older colts,too,using panels or people or the other horses to get them close enough to tie to the 24 inch tie-out I have fixed to the barn.After that its get back and let them pull back or jump forward and bang their head and repeat until they stop.It has worked for lots of mine with none getting nothing more than a busted lip or maybe scraping off alittle hair.
But...I wonder.I've seen other methods too.My ex-bil had a line tied up about 12 feet high that was 200 foot long.He would tie a colt to it and just let it throw its self for flips,till it stopped.My neighbor hooks his behind a 4-wheeler and just pulls/drags till they learn to follow.I've also seen the single post type,in the middle of a lot.I wanted to know what works for everyone else.This colt,Buddy,has been very hard learning the trust thing.I hate to mess him up doing something wrong for him.He'll always live here and I need for him to be nice.Please don't just say cut him.That is not a problem on this farm.Boy,girl,nuts or not,everybody gets along or else.My farm,my rules.
Any and all advice welcome.

 

[lockedhearts]

I have used different methods over the years, and honestly it depends on the horses personality. If they are flightier, I use a chain that is looped back to it self and anchored to a pine tree with nothing else around it. I run the lead through the loop and hold the other end. This gives me enough room to get out of the way if they freak, but to be close enough too. Once they are ok with this, I double loop the lead, it still gives but not as easily, it is a progression. Some babies I know I can tie loosely next to Mom and they will be fine.

I think first is to know your horse and what they will or will not accept readily. Then be cautious with both the horse and yourself. Then progression, one step at a time.

I have used an inner tube tied up high on a pole with a lead tied to the bottom, it works and the horse is working against themselves, but as I have aged, I prefer to use my current method.

 

[welsummerchicks]

The methods the OP described as 'other options' all are extremely dangerous and have killed and maimed plenty of horses as well as the people around them. I would not recommend any of those methods. I am surprised to hear that people still do those things.

If I have a youngster that has never been tied I tie them with a rubber tire inner tube on the tie end, so they don't hit the end of a tie so hard and rick their backs or necks. If they do damage their neck or back you probably will never be able to ride or drive them, they will be done.

If they are still small and light I will still try to teach them to tie.

Once they get to a certain size though the relatively risk free period of time to teach them to tie is over.

I also from time to time get a ruined horse that won't tie because something happened to them when they were tied.

Halter breaking is never 100% free of risk and even a little light weanling can break its neck fighting a tie, but the heavier they get and the bigger they get the more likely they are to get hurt.

The rubber inner tube lessens the chance that they will get hurt. It generally is better if the tie is secured to something very solid like a post. I would not tie to a board as the board can pull out. I have seen horses do some pretty amazing things, so no, I don't tie to a board. I don't tie to a tree, either. A horse that is panicked and running around dragging a 16 foot oak board with nails sticking out all over it is not too good a thing to have around. If he don't kill himself he'll probably kill someone else.

It is generally better if the rope is secured at a point about as high as the horse's head when it is carrying its head normally, and there is not a long of rope between the tie and the horse. The horse is less likely to get tangled up if the rope is tied 'short' - not super short or high, but definitely not so a horse could get a foreleg over it. I like the big solid tie rings.

There should be some way to release the tie if the horse gets in a wreck and you have to get him loose. A quick release mechanism can be used - it has to be released, so it's important to practice with it.

At the King Ranch I don't know if they still do this, but they used to tie each weanling to a donkey. The first day the weanlings were hauling the donkeys all over, by day three the weanlings were halter broke and following the donkey around very nicely and that carried over to being handled by people. Not these little miniature donkeys, full size ones.

Myself, I rather teach them to give to pressure, and that carries over to being tied. It is a moment to moment thing and happens pretty quick - all it takes is the lead shank, halter, and me - usually with some darn good gloves on, LOL. I just sort of watch the weanling and how he's moving and reacting, and judge when I can take on him and when I have to give so he doesn't totally panic and hurt himself. I just take and he learns to walk forward and when he does, wonders of wonders the pressure is off. So he learns to give to pressure. And when he is tied up he just understands to not pull back.

 

[lil'turkeymama]

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Thats what I'm thinking...this colt gives but is still jumpy.He has a halter and a short rope on now.He followed me everywhere today with and without a bucket.Brushed down both sides to his feet.The herd doesn't like him at all so I'm trying to use that,too.
I agree about the other types of tieing,too.I have had to leave because I didn't like the methods used.
Thanks for the tips.I need to replace some ropes with intertubes.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I don't know if I said it right. I tie TO an inner tube, the inner tube is doubled around a post. I still use the lead rope. The tube just acts as kind of a buffer to soften the impact when they pull. It doesn't give a whole lot, just enough.

In Western riding they generally put a very, very high value on a horse standing tied and if a horse won't it is viewed as a very badly trained horse. It isn't like that in all kinds of riding. Other groups do things differently - they just don't put such a big emphasis on tieing.

When I was young I worked in a barn and we often went on picnics. One day the manager got plastered and insisted a girl tied her horse up a bit away from the picnic area, a little down into the woods, by itself. He said it was a 'good lesson to teach the horse'. We could hear the horse thrashing around down there. The manager forbade the girl from going down there and getting the horse.

We all sat there scared to death while that horse thrashed around and about killed itself.

When she went down and got him finally the horse looked like someone had whipped it with barbed wire. I never saw anything so bad in my life. We never saw the girl again - she left and took her horse out.

The way I look at it, is tradition and all that is important but we always have to use our heads and react to each situation as it warrants. If a horse just isn't 'getting it' there's no sense in killing him over it.

 

[babyblue]

I honestly think the tie them and leave them method is insane and I am a western person. They either learn or die trying and I am not about to lose an expense baby when I could have prevented it.


I start halter breaking while they are still with momma and work on it daily. Its a slow and progressive thing. Walking with me, standing while Im holding the lead, standing while I hold the lead and mess with their front end, maybe brush them a little. Have them stand with someone else holding them while I brush them all over. Standing while held while some one else makes noise behind and all around, then a lot of noise and shennanagins. Standing while held with super loud noise and things getting thrown around them and even bumping them. (nerf balls and some kids toys like the pool noodles are great for that) Once they've got all that down then using a really short lead I just drape it over the door, while I brush and mess with them, never getting far enough away that I couldn't get to the lead in a second. then I lope it threw the tie ring while I mess with them. Then eventually I tie them while they are eating supper and I am there to watch. I only cross tie or trailer tie when I am pretty darn sure they under stand whats expected of them. Even then I never tie for more then a few min and never tie and leave a horse.


if I am at a show they either go into a rented stall, back in the trailer if theres no stall and the weathers good or if its super hot I hold them myself most of the day. Ive seen way to may accidents where the horse was standing and behaving and somebody else did something and the horse or person got hurt. I am not willing to risk even my well behaved horse to some one else's stupidity.

 

[babyblue]

dp

 

[arabianequine]

aussie tie rings work well

 

[RabbitMage]

Something that I was told that seemed helpful is that the horse has to understand the concept of pressure and release first. An untrained horse who is tied and moves or pulls back is probably just going to scare itself and possibly hurt itself trying to get free.

If the horse understands the concept of giving to pressure (I pull, you follow) tying will be easier.

 

[birdygirl123]

Ive been watching this thread and trying to keep my mouth shut...

Thank you for posting the concept of pressure and release..

There is no glory in Force.. Horses are to be partners.... Took my step-dad who was raised on a dairy farm.. oh, about a year to learn this. At that time, He was not about to listen to a teenager.. and needed to "show that horse who was boss".. After his nice hostipal stay, and me leaving work to go find the horse.. he listens.. That was 15 years ago.. lol... He still has issues with his back.

I am unsure what you ment by short rope, (a foot or so just hanging?.. wanting to make sure I understand) but if It were I, I would put the horse some place secure where he couldnt get a halter caught, and turn him out with a rope halter and lead. Make sure the halter is tied correctly. Let the lead drag.. so he is stepping on it.. this will naturally teach him to give to the pressure as he will not know it is he that is stepping on the lead. You will have no issues with tieing after that, unless there is operator error.. and half the time when I go to help a horse, its the owners I'm helping more. Sounds like he is doing good with brushing ect.. There is alot more that can be done to teach him the pressure and release without harming him or you. The whole 4 wheeler thing your neighbors do is insane IMO. I once had a kid in 4h call me in tears because their grandpa hooked up the kids 4h steer and "was going to teach it how to lead" with the tractor.. Broke the calfs neck!.. Thankfully, the mom said enough was enough, and I helped them do it the right way..

Good luck, and Happy Easter!.

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