# Neck Ropes.. Why do people think this is a safe idea?!



## TribalHorse21 (Aug 23, 2016)

So lately I have seen people all over youtube and instagram riding with these neckropes - usually made of paracord or some kind of unbreakable rope. It has become an _extremely_ popular tool for bareback riding and tackless riding. I can see why people like them, they're great for training your horse to go tackless, and they come in a variety of colors, sometimes with jewels attached - like a cute little necklace for your horse. I've seen people gallop around in these, and I've also seen people doing liberty work on the ground/free lunging their horse as well. My question is.. what the hell????
Do people not see the huge danger with using and riding in these? These ropes could easily slip off your horse's neck and get their legs caught in it - and since most these ropes are unbreakable - that would not be fun to watch. I've heard of horses being lunged and getting their legs caught in their leather reins, flipped, and died almost instantly from broken necks/fractured skulls. Imagine what an unbreakable paracord rope could do. Knowing my weird thoroughbred mare, she likes to drop her head to floor sometimes when running in the paddock or being ridden - I would *never* use one of these on her, or on any horse really. Even if your horse always keep his head up during your ride, what if you fell off bareback and he took off and went crazy with that thing around his neck? Seems like a horrible accident waiting to happen. Anyways, I'd love to hear other opinions on this, since it's a very popular thing now.


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## BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 (Apr 11, 2016)

In my opinion it's no different than having long reins. Yes, they could slip off and the horse could get caught up, but it isn't likely. Besides this rope should not be loose enough to hang that low when the horse puts its head down. It should be tight enough that it won't slide far down the neck from what I understand.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Why do you ride in a saddle? Your feet could get caught in the stirrups. Why do you ride with reins? They could drop on the ground and the horse step on it and break a jaw. I have ridden my mare with a lead rope around her neck ( the end of the rope was hooked through the clip.) and it was fine. I see no real danger riding with a rope around the horses neck. Sure, something _could_ happen, but anything could happen no matter what you ride your horse with.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

it's going to slide forward down the neck if the horse puts his head down, unless the rider holds it back.

I guess the best thing would be to use a strap of leather with a buckle; it will break under enough stress.

actually, I'd been thinking about trying that. my lease horse is so sensitive to the rein aids that I think he might work just as well in a neck rope. h m m m . . .


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

Honestly if you are advanced enough to be riding safely with no tack on the regular, you're not too worried about a rope. 

Also, most of these have some sort of clip that attaches to the horse's mane to stop it from falling down if the horse puts its head down.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I see absolutely no benefit to the rope when there is no rider so yes I think that's just plain stupid. But as far as while riding the head can stay up the rider is holding the rope. Even in the picture posted assuming the horse is loose, there is NO way the leg is getting through that loop, IF the horse gets it around it's head it's likely to just fall off anyways so the risk of the horse getting away from the rider with that on getting it in a position the leg could possibly get caught then getting the leg caught then being in a situation where the leg was stuck and the rope was still on and the horse couldn't move THEN the horse does something stupid to cause injury... that's a lot of criteria to meet!!

Anyways most of the time I see those ropes I see either something less loose that won't slide down or the rider is using a lead or something and holding the ends closed as opposed to a loop.

And yes, freak accidents happen and while you should limit any possibility you need to me realistic as well. Getting the legs caught in the reins lunging is rare, it is rare it would then not break, it is rare the horse would then decide to flip backwards, it is rare that when flipping backwards the horse would then injure itself to the point of death or permanent impairment. So do tie up or take off the reins when not in use but should we not use reins in case someone were to fall?

And while we all know "worst case scenarios" I can't say I've ever heard a factual story of that happening. In this case I think IF the horse got it's leg through it would most likely either come off over the head or the horse would stand there until someone saved it.

And ultimately there are plenty of poor products out there, doesn't mean you need to buy them. If you think it's too dangerous don't use it.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I would not even count on a shoe-lace thin leather strip breaking after an incident I saw with a friend a few years back. She was riding with 8 foot long roping reins (so solid leather rein similar to english reins) but they had water loops on the ends with shoe-lace type leather on each end holding on the water loops. Something as thin as a shoelace you think would certainly break, right? Well, she wasn't attending her horse while opening a gate and he got his foot through the reins (he put his head down to eat grass) and then panicked and started quickly backing up. It was like he was just thrown into reverse. Neither of the water loop connections broke but she got him stopped and he was fine.

I will always remember that incident, because certainly a horse can break a strip of leather the thickness of a shoelace. You would have thought it would have broke in that situation but it didn't. 

Now my hypothesis is probably that the horse was so soft in the mouth that he didn't put enough pressure on the reins to break them and just flew into reverse. So I think that must have been what happened.

But still, it makes me VERY careful about what I do with my reins when I get off my horse now. And I don't count on even leather breaking when you need it to.

So I guess I wouldn't be using a paracord neck rope either. But I also wouldn't be using a paracord neck rope because now that I've hit 40 I just don't feel the need to show off or find out how little I can get away with. I think any horse that neck reins well would be able to ride in a neck rope. Any horse that responds to pressure on it's chest/neck should ride well in a neck rope. I just don't have the urge to film it or feel like I need to prove it. Maybe when I was 20. :lol:

If I did use one, I think it would be prudent to to have a way of clipping it to the mane. Because a horse that's lost it's rider is probably going to look for grass and there is a very good chance that neck rope is going to slide down his neck. That's just being safe and looking out for your horse's well being.


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## RemingtonDiva (Nov 12, 2016)

I do wonder if you are worried about that rope around their neck what exactly you handle your horses with or ride in. Everything we do with horses has the potential to go wrong. I agree with the point made that once you are at the point of riding your horse bareback with only neck rope then you probably have done a lot of training and have complete trust in your horse not do anything too stupid.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

*Trailhorserider*, I agree. Another scenario that is of concern is if the horse gets loose, and runs off through our Arizona mesquite. That neck rope could easily get tangled up in the stiff and sturdy trees we have here. I've seen all kinds of tack get tangled up here. Sometimes it just breaks and all is well, and sometimes it doesn't and things go south in a hurry. I would never use paracord for anything involving animals.


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

And I thought this was about the inherent risk of riding a horse with no control over its head, especially outside an arena.

Sure, paracord poses a danger because it doesn't break. But so do all of these very popular and highly used synthetic reins, bridles, and saddles.

Personally, I think you are worrying yourself too much over what people do with horses. Everyone has different opinions, tack, and riding styles. What's the point of ranting and raving and being upset over what other people do? Excepting abuse, of course. All you do is spend needless time being upset when you could be using that time to improve skills, learn new things, and spend time with your horse.

Just coming from someone who regrets the minutes and hours she wasted in the past being upset over what other people do...

The other boarder at my barn frequently makes a comment within earshot of me when she sees me coming back from a ride: "I don't believe in spurs". I don't say anything, but clearly she does not understand that spurs are for horses that are already well trained and are just a smaller, finer, more minute way of reinforcing a cue or correcting a horse, vs. a whip or crop. That doesn't mean that everyone uses them correctly though. Remember, it's the hands (or feet) that use them that are abusive, not the tool itself!

And guess what, several years ago, I would have agreed with her on spurs. But I got educated about them, and now am not so quick to judge what others do.

However, I digressed. :wink:


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

@trailhorserider plenty of examples of things that were meant to break not breaking and vice versa it's surprising sometimes.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

horseluvr2524 said:


> And I thought this was about the inherent risk of riding a horse with no control over its head, especially outside an arena.
> 
> Sure, paracord poses a danger because it doesn't break. But so do all of these very popular and highly used synthetic reins, bridles, and saddles. <snip>


Yes, and that's one reason I don't like them. I use a paracord halter under my bridle as a trail halter but I would never trailer my horse or tie her unattended nor turn her loose in anything but a breakaway. I think with these newer materials we have to be aware of what kind of damage they can do.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Rope burn comes to mind...BAD rope burn. Talking about people here but it applies to horses too!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

GMA100 said:


> Why do you ride in a saddle? Your feet could get caught in the stirrups. Why do you ride with reins? They could drop on the ground and the horse step on it and break a jaw. I have ridden my mare with a lead rope around her neck ( the end of the rope was hooked through the clip.) and it was fine. I see no real danger riding with a rope around the horses neck. Sure, something _could_ happen, but anything could happen no matter what you ride your horse with.


Today I went for a trail ride with a friend who has terrible osteoporosis in her hips. She CANNOT afford to fall. She is a life-long rider and is not likely to come off without a dang good reason, but it has taken some courage on her part to get back on a horse again. In her youthful riding life she took way more crazy risks than I ever did which is saying something. (We rode past a picnic table and she commented, "just like the one that broke my leg when I jumped my horse over it. My horse made it but I didn't"). Now she thinks about safety and about consequences every moment. 

Sure "anything could happen" but a whole lot of bad things happen when you make a bad decision with the wrong equipment.


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## TribalHorse21 (Aug 23, 2016)

RemingtonDiva said:


> I do wonder if you are worried about that rope around their neck what exactly you handle your horses with or ride in. Everything we do with horses has the potential to go wrong. I agree with the point made that once you are at the point of riding your horse bareback with only neck rope then you probably have done a lot of training and have complete trust in your horse not do anything too stupid.


I try to ride my horse in the most minimum amount of stuff possible. I ride in an english saddle with either a halter or a hackamore on my thoroughbred. No martingales, draw reins, tie downs, or any of that extra stuff. We already put our horses at risk by putting a saddle and bridle on them, so the more junk you have on, the riskier it is. The halter, hackamore, saddle, and reins I use on her are all leather so it has a good chance of snapping if it needed to. I would never ride in something that is non-breakaway. I won't even tie my horse up to a post or cross tie her, I taught her to ground tie instead. I know I probably sound like a paranoid overly-cautious grandmother, lol, but I guess I've seen too many freak accidents. 
I'm sorry but I don't agree with the last statement,_ "once you are at the point of riding your horse bareback with only neck rope then you probably have done a lot of training and have complete trust in your horse not do anything too stupid,"_ My mom has a super broke and very hard working trail horse that I used to hop on sometimes and ride tackless. But, when I rode tackless I would carry a leadrope with me so in just in case I needed some extra "stop", I could drape it round her her neck (never tied into a loop) and woah her. Despite her being a great horse and feeling really safe on her, I wouldn't take the risk of using a paracord neckrope - even bomb proof horses sometimes have their moments, and may freak out if they suddenly found themselves entangled in rope. Even if she didn't freak out, it could still cause injury.


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## TribalHorse21 (Aug 23, 2016)

Avna said:


> Today I went for a trail ride with a friend who has terrible osteoporosis in her hips. She CANNOT afford to fall. She is a life-long rider and is not likely to come off without a dang good reason, but it has taken some courage on her part to get back on a horse again. In her youthful riding life she took way more crazy risks than I ever did which is saying something. (We rode past a picnic table and she commented, "just like the one that broke my leg when I jumped my horse over it. My horse made it but I didn't"). Now she thinks about safety and about consequences every moment.
> 
> Sure "anything could happen" but a whole lot of bad things happen when you make a bad decision with the wrong equipment.


Well said!!! :iagree:


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

GMA100 said:


> Why do you ride in a saddle? Your feet could get caught in the stirrups. Why do you ride with reins? They could drop on the ground and the horse step on it and break a jaw. I have ridden my mare with a lead rope around her neck ( the end of the rope was hooked through the clip.) and it was fine. I see no real danger riding with a rope around the horses neck. Sure, something _could_ happen, but anything could happen no matter what you ride your horse with.


I second this- anything could happen with ANY equipment. As long as it is used properly, I don't see a big deal.
I have seen them before, and it didn't really make me blink twice. I was just like oh, cool. I have personally never used it, but whatever floats people's boats! *shrug*


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I didn't even look at that contraption from a break or won't break point of view.

When I was trail riding, I was generally where there weren't any trails. Once came upon steaming bear dung which made all of our older and very well seasoned horses nervous and doing a two-step to get out of there. They didn't want to but they walked on as asked because they were well trained.

That is the kind of well trained that would have me writing a check for the horse -- not the picture with neck rope. 

Breakable or not breakable --- I wouldn't use that kind of material for anything --- I still use double-stitched nylon halters with custom 12' traditional lead ropes. If I've ever had a horse pull back when tied on the trail, it's been decades ago, because I can't remember.

There are still some things in this life that, if they work, don't fix them

I would hope the fool showing out with that neck thing wouldn't be stupid enough to try riding like that in the wildness or up in the remote mountain areas.

That kind of rope-around-the-neck-stuff stuff doesn't impress me - a scruffy horse that will swim a river and not bolt when it smells bear dung, does


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## cmpequine (Feb 4, 2019)

This post is relatively old now and probably doesnâ€™t get noticed much but I was google searching companies who make neck ropes so I can expand my collection and explore the variety of neck rope materials and textures. 
At the moment Iâ€™m counter-conditioning my horse through positive reinforcement. He was fully saddle broke, â€œbomb-proofâ€ until I gave him choice to say no and allowed him to express himself; he then showed me that lots of things are scary and he didnâ€™t want to do most things people were making him do so I said â€œokay, I get it, I understand, but this time itâ€™ll be differentâ€. Fast forward a few months and heâ€™s not excited to walk up to the mounting block and 90% of the time allows a rider on with a very clear â€œyes, this is okayâ€. He is ridden with either no saddle, a bareback pad, or very infrequently a treeless saddle, and either a halter just to guide him in lining up then thrown over his shoulder and left alone, or a neck rope. 
He has been retrained a â€œwoahâ€ cue and a â€œwalk onâ€ cue as well as a â€œtrotâ€ but not yet with someone on him. Verbal cues work amazingly well and are strong enough to the point where a neck rope, bridle, bit, saddle, whips, Spurs etc arenâ€™t really necessary at all and I only want more neck ropes to fine tune already existing cues and make it easier for anyone to ride him. Through my change in training he has never once spooked with a rider on him and if he feels nervous in the slightest, heâ€™ll simply stop and stand still or walk to the arena door that leads to his paddock to spot his buddies for reassurance. 
On your comment about the fear of the neck rope slipping off and a horse getting his leg caught: first off, your horse should be taught to problem solve if he/she gets stuck on something. Thereâ€™s been times where my horse ran before getting his halter and lead off but he was fine because in the cross ties or when were standing in the paddock for grooming, I keep the lead attached and just drop it on the ground. Heâ€™s stepped on it and pulled himself but eventually realized that getting out of that situation isnâ€™t hard and now if that happens, he steps on it, and backs up to release the pressure then usually waits for me to take off the lead or throw it back up. Secondly, Iâ€™ve left his neck rope on when doing barn chores and cleaning up and heâ€™s cane up to me with the neck rope draped right behind his ears; so nearly off but if he were to graze, itch his face, drink water, drop his head in any way, itâ€™s most likely to either hang out high on his neck or just slide off and be hard for me to find later on. 

Because riding with a neck rope gives the rider less control, I actually believe itâ€™s safer as it almost eliminates the opportunity for you to argue with your horse over non-existent dominance which will reduce his/her likeliness to get upset, be in pain, or be uncomfortable and have a flight response/reaction: bolting, rearing, bucking, spinning, kicking, hopping, the list goes on. Since switching to my way of training, Iâ€™ve had no scary experiences with my horse and no arguments, only clear, connected conversations, two beings understanding each other despite the language barrier.


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## cmpequine (Feb 4, 2019)

Edit: my post is meant to say he is now excited to walk to the mounting block: not â€œnot excitedâ€


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