# tie down???



## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

chika1235 said:


> i have a tn walker quarter horse cross that im just now starting to get back on the trails.her problem is that i ALWAYS have to have a tie down on her because if not (she being part tn walker) she has to hold her head up so high that her nose is up in the sky and i cant control her as well and she has a short uncomfortable gait.she is fine when i have her at a walk its the trot that bothers me and her.the onlyway i can get her to hold her head down is when i run/lope her on the barrels which brings her head down so she can make the turns.she is going to be on very long trail rides this summer and jumping,also shes going to be running the barrels but she wont be going to any rodeos its just for practice for me more than for her until i get my quarter horse here.what do i do for her head being like that and what can get me more durablitily and strenght for her on the trails and the jumps?ill try to get a video of her trotting with and without the tie down.


My friend used to have a ex TWH show horse (he was a top stud that was shown) that had a VERY HIGH (and I mean HIGH) headset. She wanted to put the tie down on him because his head was so high. However, it didnt even make a difference at all. I refused to ride him with a tiedown. Once he learned how to calm down and was ridden more frequently with soft hands he learned how to bend more at the pole and become more flexible.

A video would be very helpful. How often do you ride her? How old is she? Was she just run on barrels and you are restarting her as a trail horse? was she just run in a tie down? You may have to start her from the ground out if she has been so depended on the tiedown to keep her head down.


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## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

Curly_Horse_CMT said:


> My friend used to have a ex TWH show horse (he was a top stud that was shown) that had a VERY HIGH (and I mean HIGH) headset. She wanted to put the tie down on him because his head was so high. However, it didnt even make a difference at all. I refused to ride him with a tiedown. Once he learned how to calm down and was ridden more frequently with soft hands he learned how to bend more at the pole and become more flexible.
> 
> A video would be very helpful. How often do you ride her? How old is she? Was she just run on barrels and you are restarting her as a trail horse? was she just run in a tie down? You may have to start her from the ground out if she has been so depended on the tiedown to keep her head down.


i ride her evrday,4 yrs old,no she was just started onm barrels 2-3 months ago,i used her for shows(when using the tie down)kid horse,and then mostly a trail horse last year.she is the quietest horse ive owned of that age,i can do anything on her and when she spooks she spooks just a little and thencalms down,she no trouble at all for the beg. riders but her head is making it very uncomfortable for them to beg. trotting on her.just so you know that she isnt gaited so that makes it even worse because shes so bouncy when she puts her head up.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Tie Downs, though commonly used for headset and to stop rearing, are supposed to give your horse something to brace against when doing speed events. 
I would take the tie down off and really just work on transitions, and keeping her soft through your body and hands. Obviously, her conformation and breed are going to work against her a bit, but a tie down isn't really going to solve your problem. 
Hopefully someone with experience speed eventing gaiteds will be able to help you as I have never ridden one let alone barrel raced on one.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

I don't care what breed a horse is...A tiedown is never the answer to a high headed horse...especially on a trail ride.

Put her in a snaffle and work on softening. She will never move like a quarter horse but you can get her to break and the pole and relax into the bridle...thus bringing her head down and keep her from evading bit pressure.


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## dewaynehousehorsemanship (May 24, 2009)

tie downs are about the most useless thing you can use on a horse. I have one just to show my students why not to use them haha. Put the horse in a snaffle, get her soft at the poll, teach her to get her head down the easy way. This wont happen overnight but it doesnt take long if you are consitant. You will see a huge difference in your horse. Just be patient with her and keep her calm.
Hope this helps


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I've never used a tie down, but I've heard several horror stories about someone riding a trail or working cattle with one in a pasture. Either the horse, rider or both getting hurt or killed. 
I'm sure they have their uses, I'd never use one outside of a controlled area.


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

Hope this article may help from natural horse supply on yielding from the poll. It may be a solution.

"This is one of the most important but most overlooked things that everyone should be doing with their horse. Yielding at the poll is how you teach your horse to "turn off" or get out of the high headed adrenaline zone area when you want them to. The basic idea is that when the horses head is up high they are in a flight or fight posture. When their head is down, at or below their wither -- they are in the submissive grass eating zone. You can teach your horse to go here when you want, and before you know it that's where they stay. You can teach your horse to be calm and when you get into a situation with too much stimulus all you do is "turn off" your horse. Sounds easy doesn't it! 
The poll is the last vertabrea that connects the spine/neck to the head. It's also called the Atlas joint. This is the place that a horse should bend when collected. Most horses are braced at the poll. The easiest way to get through this is to show the horse how to follow a feel. While on the ground, if you use the knot at the bottom of the rope halter to pull down and your hand on top of the horses neck at the poll (just behind the ears). Ask the horse to lower it's head. *Immediately* when the horse drops its head, release the pressure on the rope. Reward your horse a lot when they are in this position -- head at or below the wither. You will probably have to pull down very hard with the rope halter at first. Most horses brace against pressure and will not release easily. But remember, start with very little pressure and use whatever is necessary to get the job done. 
Eventually, all you will have to do is put light pressure with your hand on top of their neck. And even further down the road, you work down their neck to the wither. So that a light pressure on the wither causes the horse to lower it's head into this "turned off" zone. It gets better too. We teach every horse that when we put the rein down on their wither, that they need to release and drop their head. No one ever notices this except us and the horse, but it is wonderful. If we get into a situation that the horse doesn't do well with, we "turn her off".


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I agree with Spastic, a tie down is used for balance in events like barrels and team roping because it gives the horses something to brace against and tighten muscles that would otherwise be hard to use. Though it is often misused to create headsets, that is just masking the real problem. It could be a pain response or a training issue. Have her checked for her teeth and back to ensure that there is nothing hurting her and then work on training. I would suggest putting her back into a milder bit like a regular snaffle and working on lots of circles, figure 8's, and serpentines at all gaits. Start at the walk and when she is calm, move up to a trot, etc. Teach her to give to the bit pressure and break at the poll and tuck her nose instead of lifting it to evade the bit. Just work on getting lateral and vertical flex easier by using the give to the bit exercises. Lots of one rein stops will also help keep her mind focused on you and your cues.

I would suggest that you remove the tie-down and go back to basics in a controlled environment like an arena. Good luck and I hope you find something that works.


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