# Teaching A Horse To Stand Tied?



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Have you tried a tie blocker ring? 










When she pulls back, it will feed some of the rope through. Some horses stop pulling, if they don't have anything to pull against.

If she were my horse, she'd be tied all day until she learned to accept it. Might take a super long time since she's been able to get away with it for 15 years.


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

If she were my horse, she'd be tied all day until she learned to accept it. Might take a super long time since she's been able to get away with it for 15 years.[/QUOTE]


I only have a few ideas, one like Beau said, I would tie her to something that will not break and I would tie it "short" and let her stand all day everyday. I had a horse someone asked me to help them with very much like your horse. I told them what I would do and that doing it this way you either break the horse and it stops pulling or you break the horse. 

I have tryed teaching them to move forward to release but either I have not worked on it enough or it doesn't work I haven't had much luck with this methid. But it make since to me that is should.:?

The only other thing *I* would try is hobble breaking. It might help, if not if she is brook to hobble she can be hobble rather then tied. I would not recommend just anyone try hobble breaking, I have my way of doing it but I would say you need to talk to a trainer about hobbles and have them work with you and your horse if that is the way you go. 

What kind of halters are you using? 

The ones with the cheek snap are crap.
I like rope halters with no hardware. don't go cheap with a halter spend the money and get a good one. 
I also sometimes run a rope through the halter and tie it around the horses neck right behind the ears (*you need to know how to tie a bowline knot*) you know the more I talk about this the more I would say you really might need to talk to someone that can be there with you as you work through this. 
You can really easily mess up your horse you can get hart or you horse could. Talk to a trainer. Good luck. To everyone else that read this, this is why it is SO importent to teach your horse to stand tied. Its a need for every horse.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

The good old bum rope! The knot at the withers is a bowline.


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

is the horse tied with two ropes one to the halter and the butt rope? I can't tell.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I would tie the horse to an inner tube above its head. We do this in a tree, but you could do it in a stall, if there is something high enough. Use an old car or tractor inner tube. A bike one is not heavy enough.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

CowboyBob said:


> is the horse tied with two ropes one to the halter and the butt rope? I can't tell.



Yes he is the lead rope is just slightly longer than the bum rope as the idea is not to let the horse start pulling at the headcollar which puts a lot of pressure on the poll and can cause poll injuries.

Should the horse pull back the bum rope presses on the bum and sends the majority of horses straight forward again so stopping the cycle.

I teach all mine to tie up with a bum rope.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

My first horse was a bear about being tied - she was queen of the freak out and would pull so hard she could shake the trailer and she would not give up until something broke (many the time I was afraid it might be her). My solution, after some experimentation, that worked for her was: 1) I spent quite a bit of time standing in one place with her; the purpose was to get her used to idea of remaining relatively still and to feel pressure on the halter (when I drew her back into position) that released as soon as she was in position. 2) I tied her high - similar to the picture that Tnavas posted; the purpose was to remove any leverage advantage of being able to brace and set her body weight against the knot which she would do if she could. 2) I tied long - the length was such that she could lower her head to chest level but not touch the ground (I know this can and does cause a freak out amongst the humans who like to tie short); the purpose was to eliminate or reduce the claustrophobic feelings which she seemed to possess in abundance. I can remember well going to a show with her that first time where she stood like a pro (and that was worth much more than the ribbon she got).

P.S. A quick release knot and a ton of patience are your friends here. Good luck.


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## Thrill Ride (Feb 18, 2013)

Beau- Someone did recommend I try that. They are just rare to find around here, and if you do find one they are terribly expensive. But I will deffo try and look into one.

Cowboybob- Thanks  We tried tying her and making her stand there, but she would just sit down and break the halter or lead. We went through a few halters one day trying to do that. Out of all our horses she is the best with pressure. She is one of the best horses to lead, train, ride because the lightest pressure and she steps forward, except with tying. We have used many different kinds of halters from rope, nylong with and without a side snap. A trainer I know also had a Thoroughbred mare who didn't like to stand tied but then one day the horse pulled in a certain way where it was choking it and after that the horse was ok to tie. 

Tnavas- That looks really cool. Butt ropes are really nice to use. 

I'm open to any ideas, the main one people are probably going to say is just make her stand tied. Well thats kind of impossible because she will either just randomly jerk back and break it, or she will sit down until it breaks. But honestly, open to any ideas.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Bob, that's one long rope that goes thro the halter ring and the trailer. Thrill, why do you need to tie her to the trailer. Can you not rent a stall or put her back in the trailer? I didn't like to leave my horse tied, I stayed with it as I was all it knew at the showgrounds and I did my best to keep it comfortable.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I was just thinking if she is indeed that impossible to leave tied then maybe your only option is to get some lightweight, portable fencing and leave her in that. I have seen pictures of trailers that have had metal fence welded to the side of the trailer that folds up for travel - quite handy looking actually. Size I would guess at 8x8 which is not big but works for containment.

Edit: Saddlebag makes a very good point - I never stray far from the trailer if I can help it.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Would you be willing to try clicker training? I've trained my horse entirely with it, and one of the first things we worked on was standing while tied. It took us one or two sessions, and he's never had an issue since.


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## Thrill Ride (Feb 18, 2013)

Saddlebag- I go to small, local shows. So they are only a day long and they don't have any stalls. She isn't the best standing in the trailer either. 
She will sway side to side, spin, etc... Plus, the only times I would tie her are between classes if I have to change because I do english, western, and games. 
At a lot of our shows they give us lunch, and I usually haul to those with friends. So there is nobody to hold my horse. 

Jillybean- I've heard of clicker trainer, but not anything about it.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

I'll refer you to the thread I started to serve as both an explanation as well as a place for people to post what they've done with it.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Thrill Ride said:


> Beau- Someone did recommend I try that. They are just rare to find around here, and if you do find one they are terribly expensive. But I will deffo try and look into one.


You can get them online.

And I bet buying one of those will be cheaper than the several halters and lead ropes you've gone through already....

Looks like they are about $30. Not bad, really, when you think about the other stuff she could break.


Blocker Ranch, Inc

Blocker Tie Ring - Hardware/Fasteners from SmartPak Equine

Blocker Tie Ring II - Jeffers


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Having worked with TB's, I would not recommend just leaving her tied, nor would I do any of the "tricks" usually done to cure a horse of this habit. And that includes hobbling too.

This breed will panic and even kill themselves in that panic.

They react differently to many things and this is one of them.

Broken legs, neck, spine are only 3 things that can happen in situation like this. These horses are only tied in stall for the most part, and outside that stall are held by groom while being worked with.

This is a PDF document that will help with transitioning a OTTB to a new life, and also even a TB new to being a pleasure horse.

This portion is from that document link.

Does my horse know how to tie?
 The answer is yes, but it is 
important to understand that the 
method and place for tying a young Thoroughbred horse is different than a pleasure horse. The 
first, and usually the only place, thes
e colts and fillies are tied is in 
the back of their stall, usually 
with a flexible rubber tie bar, 
where they will learn to stand wh
ile being groomed and tacked up. 
They are always held by a groom when standing out
side of their stall for shoeing, bathing, etc. 

Why are Thoroughbred racehorses 
only tied in their stall? 
The primary reason is safety. 
Young Thoroughbreds are valuable and their owners
 have paid many thousands of dollars for 
them as racing prospects. Keeping them confined in
side their stall while tied
 is the surest way of 
preventing them from breaking loose and having 
an accident. The second reason is that they 
must learn the routine of the 
racetrack. Keeping the young horse qui
et and unexcited when tied is 
essential for both his and his handler’s safety. 

Training tips for tying your Thoroughbred
: 
Since your horse has probably NEVER been asked to
 stand tied outside of his stall in the midst 
of other activity, begin by doing wh
at your horse is comfortable w
ith. Tie him first in his stall 
where you can become familiar with each other in a safe environment
. Never tie him outside and 
leave him when you have not tr
ained him to stand quietly. 


When your horse knows and trusts you it is time to
 make him familiar with standing tied outside 
of his stall for grooming, tacking, and bathing. 
Work with him to stand quietly with you for 
increasing amounts of time. Loop the lead rope l
ooped through the tie ring or rail, and hold the 
rope in your hand to give and release. Gradually 
increase his comfort level so that he has less 
fear of confinement, and becomes accustomed to standing quietly outside. 



http://www.tranquilityfarmtbs.org/pdf/retraining.pdf


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Do research clicker training. It works especially well if the horse hasn't eaten for 1/2 hr as it will be more food motivated. Run the lead rope around a stout post two times. This creates a lot of drag if she pulls but will let her go if she panics. Stay with her until she's standing quietly then walk away about 20'. If her feet don't move during the first 10 seconds, click then take her a reward. This won't mean a thing just yet but with repitition she will. Never click if she's moving She will learn that a reward follows the click and it doesn't have to be immediate and that's almost always impossible. She will begin to anticipate and will want to keep her feet quiet. You will gradually be able to lengthen the time. Try placing your left hand on her and circling without her moving and c/t. Spend about 15 min each day for a week to reinforce. During this time you will move well away from her, even out of sight for a few seconds and extending that time.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

Palomine said:


> Having worked with TB's, I would not recommend just leaving her tied, nor would I do any of the "tricks" usually done to cure a horse of this habit. And that includes hobbling too.
> 
> This breed will panic and even kill themselves in that panic.
> 
> ...



This is not always so - it just depends where the horse was raised or trained. At the places I've worked all were taught to stand tied up both inside and outside of their box. In the hosing bay and on the walker. 

At the trainers they are often cross tied but are expected to be tied up both inside and outside their box.

Once off the track the majority of TB's in NZ become riding and competition horses and you see them all over the showgrounds tied to their horse floats and trucks. Its a myth that TB's can't be tied up. They are just horses with a different job.

The majority if my school horses were TB's and taught beginners to ride, they all stood tied up while waiting and this was expected of them from day one. I'd get lots of them too as the owner of the school had brothers who trained and the rejects would come straight to me for schooling and rehoming.

Only the odd few are nut jobs and that can be the same for any breed - I've known nutter ponies that can't be left tied up. 

They pull back because at one time they did it, got away with it, maybe panicked a few times and then their owners declared they could not be tied up.

Some pull back with very careful thought and its not because they are panicked they do it because they can - ever had the horse that will stand quietly, then give the baler twine a quick snap back? Then stands quite happily untied or wanders off to quietly graze.

I've used the bum rope on any of the naughty ones I've had with great success - you do have to make sure that you chose a safe place for this initially where the horse can't slip over - but most once they feel the pressure behind them will stop pulling back and once the pressure has gone from the top of the head they stop trying to pull back.

One thing that needs to be done for any horse that pulls back is a visit by the chiro because at the time they pull back they put a lot of pressure on the Atlas and Axis at the poll and often twist their heads from side to side risking twisting the whole joint out of alignment.


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## Farmchic (Mar 2, 2013)

We use the tie blocker rings here and have had success with them. JMO


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## Thrill Ride (Feb 18, 2013)

Thanks! 
We had chiro done on her about 2 months ago, but I haven't tried tying her since then. 

I also heard that myth also, that TBs can't be tied.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I know nothing about OTTBs, but we do own one horse that can be difficult to tie. In my past I had solved the issue one way or another. However this horse was a little different, he too has broken rope halters by sitting on his ***. 
What I found that triggered him was the length he was tied. If I tie him long, to the point most would deem dangerous so he can eat his grain out of a pan on the ground he is fine. I tie him shorter like most would if tying a horse to the trailer it would end in a pulling fit(hence the broken halters and shoe marks on the fenders of my trailer). I have no issue with leaving him tied long, since he is hobble broke he will not do much if he got a foot over a lead. Also, he is the best out of the bunch to lead! I do not buy into the BS about a horse that doesn't tie doesn't lead!

I am by no means suggesting hanging her out to dry on a long lead, but she may have a trigger/hole you haven't caught yet.


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## EquineBovine (Sep 6, 2012)

My horse was a right pig to tie up. She would throw her head back, rear, sit down and generally muck about until something broke. Once she was free she would stand there and laugh at me :shock:
The only thing that helped was tying another rope through the halter and around her neck, behind her ears, with a none tightening knot of course and we always had a knife handy just in case it went to custard. She got the shock of her life pulling back on that and nothing breaking. Never pulled back again...until I didn't put the rope on :-x so it took a while but she's good now  
Make sure the rope is tied to a solid post or something that won't budge :wink: quick release knot too! Good luck!


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## Smokum (May 4, 2012)

I had a draft horse, belgian who came to me like this. Couldn't tie her to anything or cross tie, she would rip the place down. I went through 4 different nylon halters & 2 leather halters for this mare & I had enough. My friend let me borrow a old blue halter he had used for breaking mustangs. It had an attached lead rope through the center of the halter, that wrapped around the back of the ears & connected back to the lead. It was prickly and woven fiber, very tough.
That draft mare got tied to the pine tree out back for 6 hours. She fought, thrashed and tore the side of that tree up. Dug holes, stomped, kicked out & made the back of her ears brushed burned. 
After 6 hours & her finally just accepting pressure she calmly stood for an extra hour before I walked her back to the barn. dressed her scapes & let her loose without her halter to the pasture for the next few days.
I waited a week & put a cowboy style pressure rope halter on & walked her out to the tree, clipped her up & proceeded to brush her body, pick her feet & she would wiggle around, then back up to her pressure point & release off. So I left her stand there while I mowed the grass and yard work & she danced, wiggled & pulled to just a little pressure. About two hours went by & she stood still for the last half hour, so I returned to finish brushing her, back to wiggling & i left again.
I played this game for 7 hours & when she completely stood tied without pulling, wiggling or dancing I got her all brushed, up clipped her & lead her back out to the pasture. We did this from then on every morning for two weeks untill she got the idea!


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## Missy May (Feb 18, 2012)

I agree w saddlebag ^^, clicker or not - a _sturdy_ hitching post and a long rope for leverage is the safest for you _and_ the horse. I no longer have a super sturdy hitching post, and I won't be satified that my filly will stand tied for most things until I can put her through the paces on a post. To me, unless you are at one end of the rope, anything else presents a danger to them, or the possibilty they will break it.


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## thenrie (Sep 10, 2012)

I've read the whole thread and thought I'd toss in a few lines, since I've had some experience with several horses like this.

First, a word of caution. We all know about a horse's instinct for survival, and that it includes flight. I won't bore you with all that. However, if a horse cannot escape, such as when you use gear the horse cannot break, once it figures out it cannot escape by pulling back, very often the horse will lunge forward, crashing into the hitch post, trailer, tree, wall, or whatever is in front of it. Make sure you NEVER GET IN FRONT OF A HORSE THAT IS PULLING BACK!!! Use a horse-tie knot the horse cannot pull loose, but will not bind and can be pulled loose with a simple tug. People get hurt by getting in front of a horse that is pulling back while trying to untie/unsnap a lead. Regardless, wait until the horse stops pulling back before releasing it.

I have a mare who normally stands quietly while tied, but a couple times has surprised me. Under different circumstances, she has pulled a couple times. She panicked and went to pieces. I knew she could not break my gear. I use a flat-braid nylon halter with buckles, rather than snaps, and a heavy-duty cargo parachute cord about 3/4" diameter with a breaking strength somewhere around 50,000lbs. I stood back and watched her pull. Each time she pulled, lunged forward, crashed into the post and fence, tree, etc, then pulled back again, finally ending up on her back with her neck fully stretched out against the rope, to the extent she could not get up. Once she stopped struggling, I pulled the knot loose and let her up. Each time she suffered a few minor scrapes and bruises.

The last time she decided to pull back, she pulled, settled back against the rope for a couple seconds, then seemed to remember something. She then relaxed and moved back up to the post. It was like I was watching her change her mind about pulling.

I don't necessarily recommend this method. It is dangerous to the horse and the handler, however, if a horse can break the gear, you will never teach them to overcome panic while tied.

The method I recommend is this: Take a long, strong lead, maybe 25'. Bring the horse to a post or tie rail and wrap the rope around it a full wrap, then walk out to near the end of the lead, to one side of the horse and hold the lead. You may have to have someone provide a stimulus for the horse to start pulling back. Some will just pull back anytime they are tied. As the horse pulls back, you hold tight and allow the lead to slip, however, you pull against the rope, such that when the horse gives, you pull it back to the tie rail. Make the horse work hard for every inch it gets, then pull it back in as soon as it give even a little. It eventually learns it gains nothing by pulling except to get tired, and eventually stops doing it. The horse learns he cannot break the gear, yet doesn't feel trapped into lunging against the post. It never actually panics, because it can actually pull some rope and is not tied solidly, yet it quickly tires of the game and decides it is not worth the trouble to pull.

I believe this is a safe method for gaining the same thing I gained with my mare. The reason I didn't use it on my horse was simply that I didn't realize my horse had this problem until it was happening. Each time was under different circumstances that caused the panic. The good thing with my mare is that she learns quickly and never seems to panic twice at the same thing. She has now learned that regardless of what panics her, she is better off panicking in place, rather than pulling back.

Oh, and don't use your best saddle while training this. My poor old saddle is now in dire need of repair.


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

Just remembered some pictures I took when I first came to New Zealand and was working on a Standardbred stud.

The weanlings were haltered and a long rope attached which was then tied to the tractor - they were then pulled out into the yard and brought close to 'The Wall' a very strong filled in wall that could withstand a lot of pressure. As you can see from the photos - two strong men were then attached to the end of the rope while the boss tied a short rope around the weanlings neck securing it with a bowline, the rope was then threaded through the throat of the headcollar and the centre ring at the back and then tied close to the wall, again with a bowline. The long rope was then removed. The weanling was then left to sort out the problem of being tied up.

I found it quite horrific but I can tell you they never pulled back once they had mastered the wall. They would go on it for several days often for several hours until they no longer fought the rope.


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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

My horse is also an OTTB, who used to set back every time he was tied. I didn't use the tie ring, I didn't use a butt rope, or anything similar. Every time he would set back I would just tie him right back up, I acted like it never happened, I didn't freak out or get upset or excited. I would ignore it and back tied he went. Everyone else before me that rode him or worked with him made a big deal about it and he got what he wanted-to be untied. He also always seemed very anxious when he was tied. So I constantly reassured him it was ok and gave him a simple good boy and a scratch in his favorite spot and he quit. He learned it's what I wanted him to do and that it wasn't going to kill him if he didn't pull free. If he set back I didn't seem to care and he got tied right back up so there was no point of him doing it. And I praised him and rewarded him when he was quiet so for him it was a win-win to stand tied. Now he'll do it all day long no matter where I tie him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

One thing that has worked for me in the past is to really work them hard then use the tying experience as a pleasant place to rest. When she gets restless, begins pulling, etc. it's time to go back to work. It's a full-day ordeal and may have to be repeated. But it seems like she's smart and just needs a new way to look at being tied. Good luck!


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