# Question about neck ropes



## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

Does using one put pressure on the horse's trachea? Seems to me it would...


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> Does using one put pressure on the horse's trachea? Seems to me it would...


I think a horse's windpipe is about the width of a baseball or bigger, so I'd say there's little chance a human 1/10th it's weight could hurt it.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

What kind of neck rope are you talking about? Are you meaning the rope that a person loops under the neck to ride with or are you talking about the neck rope that calf ropers use to keep their horse faced up to the calf?


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

Since you are asking about it cutting off air I am going to guess and say when you say neck rope you are talking about the type you tie a horse with. If so then no if used properly it will not cut off their air. The idea and proper use is to tie a ring into the rope and loop it around the horses neck hook the latch to the ring and run the lead through the bottom of the halters noise band to keep the neck rope in place then tie the horse. They work great for horses who pull. They do not tighten around the horses neck put pressure behind the pole and do not brake or hurt the horse.


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

No, I'm talking about the type you do bridless riding with. With the rope at chest level it looks ok, but I've seen a lot of riders move the rope further up the horse's neck where the trachea is much closer to the surface. I don't think you could actually choke a horse, but I bet it provides good motivation for the horse to listen. So the question is, is a neck rope used this way really milder than a bridle?


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

No not really. If anything it is used more like reins. However the people who ride with a neck rope to ride bridleless have very good control of their horses with their seat and legs. The rope is just there more for something for the rider to have then to control the horse.

Keep in mind that BR is not something you train it is something that comes from training.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Reiner is right. Though I would find it hard to believe that a person would have the strength and endurance to choke a horse unconsious from his back with just a neck rope, any person who rides with one has a good foundation of training and even people like me who don't ride solely from seat and legs shouldn't have to do more than put just a slight pressure to get the response that we want. Riding bridless isn't something that you just try on a whim with your green broke horse or even your old horse if you don't have excellent control over him.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I have a neck rope for bridless, i use it all the time, and like evryone else said, i dont put nearly enough pressure to choke or even cause discomfort to a horse. I have once used the rope higher up on the neck and pulled, hard. but i was stealing a ride on a little QH that i had never ridden before, and he took off on me, haha and wouldnt stop, even then it wasnt enough to choke or hurt the horse, only enough to wake him up and remind him im trying to stop him.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

nrhareiner said:


> However the people who ride with a neck rope to ride bridleless*SHOULD* have very good control of their horses with their seat and legs.


 
I have seen videos posted here that lead me to believe that many of the people that are riding bridleless don't really know what very good control means.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> I have seen videos posted here that lead me to believe that many of the people that are riding bridleless don't really know what very good control means.


I will have to agree with that. 

I have found over the years that what I think if a well broke horse who is very athletic and responsive horse is not what others think it means.


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