# Purpose of tying a horses head down?



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

There have been a lot of threads about this. Many members don't see the value of tie downs (including me). But I hear that they are commonly used in barrel racing. I know nothing about it, so won't comment there.

Tie down can create a lot of problems for horses, which then require tie downs. it's a very bad shortcut in training, if you ask me. Let's see what the others say . . . .


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Tiny, I think you are thinking of an actual tie-down. I suspect what the OP is talking about is tying them like this.










And I can't find a picture of one tied straight down like she was describing, but here is a video that shows basically what she's talking about. The reins are run down between the front legs and normally either tied to the cinch d-rings on either side or tied together over the seat of the saddle.




 
To the OP, I will often use the first method of tying to each side for the first day on an un-broken horse just to teach them to give to the bit laterally. That is actually my picture of the brown mare above. However, I very seldom use this more than one time each way and normally not more than 15 minutes or so. If the horse is already at least green broke, I fail to see the point of repeating this lesson on the ground. I think it's much better to do it from the saddle if they are ready to be ridden.

As for the second method of tying their head down between their legs, it is pretty common around here but I don't personally like it because I have great results doing that myself from the saddle. I can see how it would be a better method for someone who had very poor hands that didn't know when to release pressure but, IMHO, that person would have no business training anyway.

In regards to the mare you were riding, if it didn't fix the head-tossing the first couple of times they did it, then it isn't going to. I'd be more willing to bet that her head-tossing issue was either because her teeth are bad, she doesn't like that particular bit, or has been ridden too often by inexperienced riders that pop her in the mouth and hang on the reins.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Yeah, I didn't understand her description. I think I should reserve my comments , because I don't know that much about what you guys are talking about. the tie downs I have seen are things like training forks, standing or running martingales.


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Sorry for not being very clear. Its is what smrobs described. Yes these horses are well broke lesson horses that have been ridden and shown for years, if they weren't I could see the point of tying to the side like the picture smrobs posted. As for the mare I rode I assume they've done this a lot to her as she didn't fuss about it and they talked like they had done it to her before. She is a lesson horse, and has been ridden often by inexperienced riders, I've been told they may be moving her to a stronger bit, I'm not sure what bit she's in right now. But the fact these horses can be ridden, I didn't see the point of tying their heads down. Am I missing something?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

*Hello*

Double post, sorry


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

Horses benefit greating from remedial back to basics training exercises no matter how old or experienced they might be. My own horse and others I've had in my care are case in point. More specifically my own "once in a lifetime horse". 

However, the horse in the video has a biting chambon that is a more moderate to a bit severe it looks to be for that horse.

Tying a horse's head to first one side of the saddle then to the opposite side is a "tried and true" method of teaching a horse to give to the bridle and thus more flexible and less stiff on one side or the other. Generally speaking all horses are usually more right handed than left handed.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Tying a horses head down between their legs, especially with that terrifying looking chambon to me has no purpose except to attempt to get the horse in a headset. I owned a horse in my younger years that was put in a chambon (ie face tied to chest) repeatedly and she ended up with severe neck trauma and was rendered unrideable by the age of about 8.
To me, anyone that needs to tie the head to the chest has no understanding of the mechanics of the horse or basic training and is a poor rider and shouldnt be calling themselves a trainer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

The horse that freaked out was also wearing a chambon. She is always ridden in one. When I asked the purpose of it I was told it was to make her as safe as possible. What is the chambon for?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Tying the horses face to its chest so if it trips its going to fall or flip over. Yep, really safe. The reason it freaks out is probably pain from inflammation or arthritis in the neck.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

The chambon is intended as a last resort attempt to get a horse to accept collecting on the bit by a"'get'er done now" trainer. Plain and simple, for true.


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## rc82 (Jun 16, 2011)

This is a topic that many people will never agree with, but you also have to realize that the John Lyons methods are not for everyone. It's not a "get-er-done" method. In some cases, it's a safe method. Picture the horse that is a major head tosser. Putting a martingale on that horse, isn't going to stop the tossing (even after weeks and weeks of attempting). You'd be amazed though what tying a horses head down will do to fix something like that. 

Some of you are picturing something far more cruel than it actually is. If this is done by someone inexperienced, yes, this could be catastrophic for the horse. But when you're tying a horse's head down, it's typically being done by putting the reins between the horses front legs and over the saddle. This is to be done with a snaffle, definitely no shanks!! It typically isn't tight. I've mostly seen this done with western pleasure horses. It's a way to get the horse's mouth softened up (yes, it really works wonderfully), and to get a young horse to give their face. 

It is not cruel, and is NOT harming the animal. I realize some of you are thinking I'm a cruel idiot, but I've seen this done (and I have done) countless times, and it truely is not an evil method. It's only cruel when you get people doing this with it being too tight and lunged too hard. That's when you see horses flip over. I used this method with my horse when he was a 2 year old. I probably only had to do it a handful of times, but it saved both of us a lot of battles we would have had otherwise. Imagine having 20 struggling rides to make progress, or 5 minutes of a slightly irritated horse. 

I'm hoping the next 10 messages won't be directed towards me being mean to my horse. My horse is my life. I got him as a yearling that had never been touched (not even halter broke) and turned him into a reserve world champion as a 4 year old. I'm not about to do anything that would harm him. Trust me on that.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

When done properly, it's absolutely no different than side reins. You don't do it tightly or for long periods of time. It gets a horse to soften up and release to pressure, and is an easy and humane way to introduce the basics of giving to the bit and breaking at the poll.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I do it a bit different than some people do. I pull my stirrups forward a little and tie the reins to the stirrups. That way the horse can put his head wherever he wants to and doesn't feel trapped but the pressure doesn't release until he puts his head where it belongs. I think it works quite well and I have never had a wreck while doing it.


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

I also have used Kevin's method and it's great. It teaches them to give to just a little pressure - the weight of the stirrups - and they don't feel trapped because they're not tied fast to something immovable.


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