# Slightly concerned about picketing my gelding while camping, any advice?



## Jacksmama (Jan 27, 2010)

Ok, my gelding is one of those horses that opens gates, stalls, takes off his halter, won't keep on a fly mask, etc.... My boyfriend is getting a new trailer and we are planning on going on a weekend trail ride/camping trip but I don't think this facility has stalls for the horses and I am concerned about keeping him on a picket line. Does anyone have any advice as to how I can secure him and not be worried he'll take a walk-a-bout in the middle of the night? Maybe I'll just invest in one of those mobile electrobraid corrals......lol


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I've never picketed myself. Has your horse ever been on a picket line? I think what I would do, personally...is find a safe place to try the horse on a picket line such as a pasture or turnout. Picket them for a few hours while you are nearby to supervise. Your horse might just be fine. If that goes well, maybe try overnight...again, in a safe place in case they get out. If all still goes well, you may be perfectly fine, but at least you will know.

Or, you can just try a portable or temporary setup. There are a lot of different kinds to choose from. My friend just uses that orange mesh fencing they use at construction sites...but only because her horse respects it. You may want to do a few trials to see what your horse will and will not respect before going camping.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I used to guide pack trips into the Colorado West Elk Wilderness. I have used both pickets and hobbles.

The pickets I used were single foot hobble attacked to 30 feet of THICK cotton rope. This rope was attached to a log or some other movable object that was heavy, but not stationary. If the hose wanted to move around, they could exert effort to drag the "drag". This rope is big and hard to carry on pack trips, so I wasn't really a fan. A horse has to learn how to picket so they won't tangle themselves in the rope.

I much prefer to hobble. It is much safer and easier to use/carry. The horse still has to be trained in hobbles. Two way, or simple hobbles, are not what I use. Horse's can learn to gallop in those things. I use three way hobbles-both fronts to one rear leg. They can move around, but not fast.

Here is some info one it.

http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/three_way_hobbling.htm


Some random photos








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I used my show horses for this. They thought events/shows were a day off!!


Three-Way Hobbling


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## Susan Crumrine (Oct 5, 2009)

You need to invest in a neck rope tie. We have an escape artist who is also black. Lots of fun in the middle of the night, when he gets off the line. LOL
I use a neck rope as a back up, never failed me yet.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I love the halter bridle that I use on pack trips. You can see it in the last photo. I use a rope kept on the halter and tied to the saddle while riding, as seen in this photo.










While I hobble the horses for grazing during the day, I high picket at night. Escape artists get a rope with a quick release snap permanently attached at both ends and the high picket is out of fussing reach.


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## heartprints62 (Feb 27, 2010)

Amazon.com: Picket Line Loop Knot Eliminator: Sports & Outdoors

I recommend this ^ for picket lining. I have seen it save a horse's life. Plus, for me, it just makes picket lining sooooo much easier! 

If you horse is used to being tied for extended periods of time, then he should be fine. If not, what I do is loop a tire innertube over a large tree limb then tie a lead rope to the loops in the innertube. I tie the horse where I can keep an eye on him/her. The innertube gives a little if the horse pulls. This is a good way to teach a horse that just because his/her body can move around doesn't mean he can leave! For some reason, horses that have never been "mobile-tied" as I call it, find it much different than being tied to the side of a stable object like a trailer, arena fence, etc... and need to learn the boundaries of thier movement. 

If you horse lays down to sleep, make sure you tie long enough for him/her to get up and down, but never long enough to get a leg over thier rope! I tie my horses long enough to drink out of their water bucket on the ground but short enough that they have to pull the rope just slightly to get that drink, and I tie a hay bag onto the picket line (on another Knot Eliminator of course! Keep the bag from sliding down the picket line into the horses face!)


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I tie my horses up on high lines all the time. Check the halter, lead and highline before bed and everything will be fine.

If you worry, tie a chem light to his halter. Anytime you look at the high line at night you should see the glow of the chem light, or if he gets loose, you can spot the chem light moving thru the medow.


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

I avoid high lines as much as possible. Not because I worry about them getting loose, but rather getting hurt. If a horse gets a rear foot over the lead, you have a nasty rope burn. If I have to high tie, I use a 1/4 inch cotton rope inside a piece of garden hose. If a foot gets over this, they will break the cotton rope before doing any damage. I'd rather have a loose horse as a bad rope burn. Very few horses will wonder very far. They will stay close to the other horses.


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

You should be fine with a highline setup, IMO the physically containing the horse is much preferable to the mental containment you get with a portable electric set up when camping (I do use a portable electric corral, or hobbles, but only for grazing, at night they go on the highline) 

As bbmfg mentioned you do run the chance for problems if your lead is too long, make sure that the lead line is short enough that the horse can't get a leg over. 

This year I've been using locking carabiners to attach the lead to the highline so the horse can move up and down the length of the line at night (put stoppers on the line [simply at stick secured with a clove hitch] to keep the horse from wrapping the lead around the end trees).

You can see more about setting up a highline here along with more pics and a video.


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

quote: "if your lead is too long, make sure that the lead line is short enough that the horse can't get a leg over. "

How, pray, do you do that? Many horses will scratch their ear with a hind foot. Unless the lead is so short they can not get their head down at all, there is the real possibility of a hind foot over the lead rope and nasty rope burns. Been there done that too many times. That's why I went to the 1/4" cotton lead, would much rather have a loose horses as a nasty rope burn.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

You know, in all the years I guided in the backcountry, I never had a horse get a leg over a high line lead rope. Maybe just lucky.....

I have had one horse get loose, though. She sure didn't stick with the other horses. I had a LOOOONG walk at 0300 am.


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## heartprints62 (Feb 27, 2010)

15 years of camping with horses, I haven't ever had a horse get a leg over a lead line either. I HAVE seen it happen, and horses rope burned and hurt, however, those horse were tied long enough to get their head down to the ground. 
**This pic was taken at lunch break, while I was in camp to watch horses. Overnight, I tie a few inches shorter.


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## Susan Crumrine (Oct 5, 2009)

I have to say, we camp every single weekend and I have never had a horse get its leg over the picket line either, maybe its because I dont tie too long. Or I am lucky too. I use a cotton rope just in case.

Allison: imagine looking for two, black horses at three AM... happened to me last year. LOL


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

If you are not paying attention to the horse. make sure to tie them up short. They can and will lift a leg to scratch their chin and it is easy to get it over their lead.

I do tie mine a little long when they are eating or when they are tired and wanting to lay down, But if I do, I stay close by and keep an eye on them. At the first sign and them getting a hind foot up near their chin, I'm there to rearraing the leads.










Camping in the back country, Using a high line is just something I have to do. And my horses have become used to the drill









In fact I had to laugh. Last fall I rode into where my hunting camp is usually set up. It was our first trip in, so nothing was set up. The horses just walked to the exact spot that the highline gets set up and stopped. They knew that is where they needed to stop and stand.


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