# Is tethering ok?



## AndreaG67 (Oct 31, 2011)

Hello! I'm new here. I don't own a horse, but I do care about them.
I often see horses tethered by the side of the road or against hedges, etc. How cruel is it for a horse to be tethered for days, even weeks, on its own in all kinds of weather? Am I worrying too much? Do horses get bored and lonely? And at which point does tethering become neglect or abuse?:-(


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I really doubt the horses are tied for days or weeks. If they are and you can document it, call animal control. Otherwise, stay out of it.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I agree, how can you be certain they are tethered for days or even weeks?


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

In my book ...NO, unsupervised tethering is never ok for a horse...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Where are you located? In some foreign countries this is pretty common. I would never, ever see that around here (NW USA). I agree with others, not good to leave horse tethered a long time alone. Anything can happen.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I used to tether my mare out usually to eat grass the mower couldn't get at. She was rope wise. When she'd had enough she'd call and someone would put her back in the pasture. I had to tether her or she'd wander off. Not my gelding, I could turn him loose and he wouldn't go far and always came when called.


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## AndreaG67 (Oct 31, 2011)

Thank you for replying to me.
Sadly, where I live in the north east of England, and also in other parts of the UK, horses are tethered for very long periods of time. I totally understand that if done properly by caring owners, that it is probably very appropriate at times, even necessary.
However, there are public areas of land around here where owners will "park" their horses, and yes they are there for days and sadly weeks. I have been keeping my eye on one horse and he has been there for at least 3 weeks now. He has a bucket and he moves around the grassy area occasionally, so the owner must come and tie him up somewhere else so that he can have fresh grass.
But he has been tied up and stands alone. We recently had gale force winds. He has no shelter.
I see a lot wrong with this. It can't be right. But these people sadly get away with it.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

I think it is fine if the horse is only there for a short period of time. I do not think it is ok if it is alone and there are no other herd animals nearby. Horses are prey animals and do not usually like to be on their own. I think it can also be useful if you are trying to get a horse used to busy traffic etc. But I also think that someone would be stupid to tie up a horse like this without making preparations beforehand by teaching the horse to tie well and to step on a rope and have him used to rope between his legs etc. The tie point must be extremely secure and not in a place where the horse could get tied up. I live in a developing country and most horses here are kept tethered and alone for 24/7 365 days of the year. I think this is a very sad, lonely situation for a horse to be kept like that all of its life.


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## jimmy (Aug 26, 2009)

tethering can be part of the horses training,etc etc,and to be fair ,you won,t be watching the horses 24/7,this will be the 1st winter in years i have,nt had one tethered by a road somewhere,


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## netty83 (Sep 21, 2010)

some communities have to tether their horses. it's very common and indeed necessary for say travellers touring the country by horse and bowtop to have to tie their horse at the side of a road. This may be the only means of securing the horse overnight and also a way of ensuring they are eating plenty before a hard days work pulling a bowtop. I personally don't see anything wrong with tethering aslong as it is done securely and safely and the horse has access to water and grass. Most horses that are tethered are used for driving so this is an essential part of their training.


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## LetAGrlShowU (Mar 25, 2009)

Oddly, on my way to the mountains for thanksgiving i saw the same thing. A horse, tethered to a lean to, with absolutely no fencing around him. no people, no nothing. By himself standing there. I literally gasped! But like my family said, its not your problem. Sad but true.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Let me ask you all -- If a horse is broke to stand tied on a rope and it has plenty of food and water, why is it any different than being in a pen?

I used to take hunters out on long pack trips and used to take photographers out in the wilderness areas of the Colorado high country. All of my horses and mules were trained to stake out by a front foot or by their heads. They never got tangled or rope burned and they were perfectly content as long as they got moved often enough to have plenty of grass to eat. 

So, why is that any different than standing in a pen or worse yet, a stall?

While all of you think anything different than what you do is cruel, I think making a horse live in a 10 x 10 stall is a hundred times worse. Why is a tethers horse sad and a stalled horse ok?

What say you?


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I personally, don't "tether" my horse. I will tie them while being groomed and tacked up but not for long periods of time. The can easily stand still for 10 minutes with nobody around (probably longer I just haven't done it any longer) When I first got my mare we tied her so she could eat grass and not run away... She got so tangled she fell down and couldn't get up... That us why I don't tether, also because I have no need to. My horses live in a pasture or stall.

I think why people thinking tethering is bad is because they aren't being protected by the elements or wild animals like a stall would (Also no worry for your horse to get accidentally tangled)


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