# horse freaks out when i tie him up



## BarrelWannabe (Feb 8, 2011)

I ruined a horse to tying by her learning to pull. It took her 1 time to learn she could pull and get off. But...don't let put you off. Its going to be a long process of teaching him its ok to be tied and that he can't pull to get off and away. One way to do it would to be during grooming time. Start by making him stand, no halter, no lead rope, and just love and groom on him when he stands still. After you have that down, put the halter on him. If he moves, don't touch the halter, just put pressure on his body to put him back. After this is where you would like it to be, clip a lead rope to the halter. Have him stand still and let the lead go slack. Of course, keep an eye on it so he doesn't trip up but just groom and love on him when he's where you want him. Next, stand him next to a fence, halter and lead rope on, and just lay the lead on the fence. If he moves, just put him back where he needs to be. Don't ever get frustrated that he doesn't stand at first or isn't going along quick enough. Once you are to the point that you have the lead draped and your comfortable, tie the lead loosely for a few seconds and if he stands quietly, untie the lead and give him a break. At this point in the process, it could have taken weeks or months, but that doesn't matter. Just so long as he's comfortable and knows what is being asked of him. Once you're to the point of tying him for a short time, just gradually increase the time he's tied. Keep him busy and thinking while he's tied. Try not to let him focuse on being tied. Just take your time in breaking him of this. It might take a long time, it might take a week. Just let him take his time and yours so that the both of you are comfortable.
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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Purchase yourself a Blocker Tie Ring and use it religiously. Also sounds like you could use the help of a professional trainer.


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## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

Another option is rather than tying him to begin with simply pass the rope through the twine have a gentle hold of the other end. If he gets worried feed a little more rope through but be prepared to met with gentle pressure if he begins to pull slightly keep pressure momentarily then feed more rope and give a release. Most times the horse will pull back hit pressure and then panic, if there is a release from that pressure you avoid the panic and don't teach them to pull.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

I wish I could find a method to solving tying issues with my Appaloosa but in eight years nothing has worked. He is taught to stay still by just saying stand. If you say stand he won't even so much as move an inch. I had to teach him this due to the fact he has never learned to tie and still to this day no method I have ever tried even remotely phases him. So even if you can't get your horse out of this there are other things you can teach him to make it just as easy.


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## Equilove (Feb 21, 2011)

Prinella said:


> Another option is rather than tying him to begin with simply pass the rope through the twine have a gentle hold of the other end. If he gets worried feed a little more rope through but be prepared to met with gentle pressure if he begins to pull slightly keep pressure momentarily then feed more rope and give a release. Most times the horse will pull back hit pressure and then panic, if there is a release from that pressure you avoid the panic and don't teach them to pull.


This is what I suggest ... I went on a ride yesterday and we had 4 horses - before we'd had them tied for 5 minutes, 2 horses broke their leads. I knew Spot was afraid of fly spray and got antsy when you went to saddle him, so I untied the knot and fed the rope through but held on to the end that wasn't attached to him. That way when he pulled back, I could give him enough slack to where he didn't pull and break something. In situations like that when you're in public and can't risk a broken snap, that method is best. Now when you're actually working the horse, I would use the same approach, but in a different way:

Take a long line, like a lunge rope or something similar, and grab a buggy whip, and use something solid (like the big rings on the trailer or a hefty hitching post) to feed the rope through/around. Hold the excess in one hand and the whip in the other, and stand back a bit. Every now and then, put a bit of pressure on the rope so that the horse feels the pressure on his poll (typically what induces a lay-back). If the horse lays back, push him forward with the buggy whip. As soon as he jumps forward, take all the pressure off. It worked for my TB gelding that would lay back when he was tied alone.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I would suggest teaching the horse to hobble or simply just tying him to something sturdy with a sturdy halter an lead and let him get over himself. I would leave him tied. Once you start doing things with him, let him freak out let him pull back, just get out of the way! Do not panic do not try to untie him. Once he stands calmly for a good while then and only then would i untie him. Hope this helps.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

bubba13 said:


> Purchase yourself a Blocker Tie Ring and use it religiously. Also sounds like you could use the help of a professional trainer.


These work very well and you might find a video about them on line


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

.Delete. said:


> I would suggest teaching the horse to hobble or simply just tying him to something sturdy with a sturdy halter an lead and let him get over himself. I would leave him tied. Once you start doing things with him, let him freak out let him pull back, just get out of the way! Do not panic do not try to untie him. Once he stands calmly for a good while then and only then would i untie him. Hope this helps.


 This doesn't sound like something for a novice to do.
Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

bubba13 said:


> Purchase yourself a Blocker Tie Ring and use it religiously. Also sounds like you could use the help of a professional trainer.


Yes & yes. I've 'cured' some very die hard pullers with the tie ring. Fast, easy & safe.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

I thought horses were suppose to be taught to give to pressure not get rewarded when pressure is applied by getting more slack


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

toosexy4myspotz said:


> I thought horses were suppose to be taught to give to pressure not get rewarded when pressure is applied by getting more slack


 You can adjust the tension to give more or less slack. The idea is that it keeps them from getting frantic as it releases slowly and not break suddenly like the horse is expecting. This horse hasn't learned to give to pressure so it will help train them.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

toosexy4myspotz said:


> I thought horses were suppose to be taught to give to pressure not get rewarded when pressure is applied by getting more slack


The tie ring doesn't give slack, the horse does, the ring allows to rope to have some give when a horse pulls back hard. As long as the horse is pulling back there will be tension.
Tension is tension to a horse, the hard core pullers react to any tension. When they pull back with the ring & are not locked tight they decrease the amount of panic they feel, eventually they stop pulling & the _instant _they do there is slack in the rope (all tension gone). That's how they learn that _not_ pulling back is the correct answer. An inner tube, for example, will not release tension until it is back to the original starting position. I've never seen any horse run back to the original tie spot.

Sure they may learn being tied hard is fruitless to fight but then it wasn't their idea- it was defeat & they are more likely to try again another time.

The tie ring is the exact same concept of asking a horse to lower it's poll or lead without being dragged-a little tension to the poll brings the horse forward. 

I hope I explained this clearly.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

The best method, I think, but not everyone is able to do this is putting a pole ten foot above ground, six foot in the ground, put a screw eye on the very top and a screw eye at the height you would tie the horse. Run a rope through both screw eyes and tie an eighty pound bag of sand to one end. Leave just enough for the bag of sand to sit on the ground. On the other side where your screw eye is on the side of pole, leave enough rope to tie your horses and them stand comfotably. If the horse pulls or fights he lifts the bag of sand the horse has plenty of room to give and fight but nothing to get hurt on. As the horse gives to the pressure it doesn't take them long to realize that standing by the pole puts no pressure on them. Even if they pull back they won't get hurt. There is too much tension on the rope for there to be any slack for the horse to get caught and a horse cannot stand and pull against eighty pounds all day. They have to give in to get rid of the pressure.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

I'm not a hundred percent sure what ring you all are talking about, if it's the one I'm thinking of its like half of o ring snaffle, I think. It's a ring with straight middle piece.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

toosexy4myspotz said:


> I'm not a hundred percent sure what ring you all are talking about, if it's the one I'm thinking of its like half of o ring snaffle, I think. It's a ring with straight middle piece.


Yes. It works on the exact same concept as your bag of sand except the sand won't release tension until the bag is back on the ground, provided a horse will even lift it all the way off the ground. I do like your sand bag idea, it seems very safe just not as mobile as a ring.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I like all of the above suggestions. In the meantime, as you wait for UPS to deliver your tie ring, do you have a lungeline and a fence with a stout vertical post? If so, I REALLY like what Craig Cameron demonstrated with a Mustang he was training. (We got to see the whole process in a series, and the horse was totally green when he started.) You clip the end on the halter then run it through the fence about at the chest level of the horizontals. Wave your arms, whistle, make a lot of noise to try to spook your horse. He will pull back, but he can run out the length of line. Pull it short again, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. He won't feel trapped, and he'll learn that being tied isn't scary. It's going to take a LOT of sessions. Ask ANYBODY who has retrained an OTTB. _They aren't allowed to be tied,_ according to a TB trainer I know. A groom just holds them for every job where we all tie ours. Therefore I had to be the one to train my OTTB to be tied up, who HAD been shown, who HAD been jumped, who HAD been trailered ad nauseum.
See--it's not you OR the breed of horse.


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

My horse doesn't like to be tied and tends to flip out as soon as he feels the rope tighten. I'm just waiting on my Blocker Ring, but in the meantime, I'm trying to fix his tying issue myself.

My barn has solid metal round fencing. I loop my horse's lead rope around the top bar and hold the end so he has about a foot and a half of loose rope. Then, I tell him to stand. If he starts to pull back, he has enough rope to sort himself out with and if he requires a bit extra, I let it out and allow him to reason through it. Once he's calm and has stepped forward, I give him some praise and gather up the rope I let out. We do this over and over until he stands completely still. Right now, we're up to 10 minutes and doing well. 

By teaching him what the command 'stand' means, I'll be able to leave him anywhere. Once he listens to that command without fail, I'll be able to teach him how to ground tie, which is another valuable thing for a horse to learn.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Courtney said:


> By teaching him what the command 'stand' means, I'll be able to leave him anywhere. Once he listens to that command without fail, *I'll be able to teach him how to ground tie, which is another valuable thing for a horse to learn.*


Agreed.


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## Royal Pine Buck (May 28, 2011)

there are two schools of thought to this. andi have seen both work. it is just up to the individual. use the tie ring and allow the horse to relieve himself of tension (which i like ) and works 


or

get deflated rubber innertube ( a kind for a bicycle tire) and tie the horse with that. 

it gives but not enough so the horse can keep going back since it only gives so much. the horse will learn it can't get away by pulling back and backing up and won't hurt himself. (although i have seen some fall down sooo..safest route is probably tie ring)

if you watch a horse that is tied it will pull back and then if it can't get away lunge forward. 



but that is my opinion.  i don't know if someone else mentioned it or not. i would probably go the tie ring route.

as you CAN adjust the pressure and tension as people have suggested.


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## Equilove (Feb 21, 2011)

Corporal said:


> Wave your arms, whistle, make a lot of noise to try to spook your horse. He will pull back, but he can run out the length of line. Pull it short again, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. He won't feel trapped, and he'll learn that being tied isn't scary. It's going to take a LOT of sessions.


Personally, I'd do all the sacking out BEFORE I start working on the tying issue. I mean think about it... if your horse isn't scared of waving arms and noises, it won't be induced into pulling when you do those things.

When I was working with my older gelding (he was a 15 yr old OTTB, long off the track, but still had issues with being tied) it took me two or three sessions to be able to tie him properly. Same with my little mustang mare. The gelding I am about to buy has issues with being sprayed with fly spray and will pull _when I try to spray him_, but the underlying issue is the fly spray, not the fact he's tied.

Hope that makes sense...


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Instead of tying your horse just run your rope around a stout pole or post. Keep your lunge whip handy in your right hand and the lead in your left. The only reason you have the lead is to prevent a wreck. As soon as he starts to pull, hang on hard to the rope and tap his hip over,ie, get his butt moving and make him hustle. This gives them something else to do besides pull. Move to his other side and do the same. Be sure to stop when he stops and stands quietly. A treat at this time might go a long way. Be patient and be prepared to wait there with him. As you do, turn your back on him. If he thinks you aren't paying attention he may try again. This does work as you are giving him a choice-it's his decision to move or stand quietly.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

Saddlebag said:


> Instead of tying your horse just run your rope around a stout pole or post. Keep your lunge whip handy in your right hand and the lead in your left. The only reason you have the lead is to prevent a wreck. As soon as he starts to pull, hang on hard to the rope and tap his hip over,ie, get his butt moving and make him hustle. This gives them something else to do besides pull. Move to his other side and do the same. Be sure to stop when he stops and stands quietly. A treat at this time might go a long way. Be patient and be prepared to wait there with him. As you do, turn your back on him. If he thinks you aren't paying attention he may try again. This does work as you are giving him a choice-it's his decision to move or stand quietly.


I extremely disagree with this only because our Appaloosa becomes extremely aggressive when a whip or anything of the sort come into the picture. Our Appaloosa is an eat out of your pocket horse but has some serious underlying issues that in eight years, seven trainers, and fifteen local horseman can't find a resolution to. So, all i say with this method is be careful!! Some horses will not tolerate it. We have had our app rear and strike, turn and start kicking, charge, etc just because a whip was brought in the picture. I can lunge him with a whip no problem but he knows what you are trying to do and a whip isn't anything but a way to send him over the edge. Granted our app has some serious issues that came with his bloodlines. Just be careful and use this method wisely. Some horse freak out worse and some respond well.


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## sandra jean (Sep 19, 2011)

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## sandra jean (Sep 19, 2011)

Wow! I am very glad I came here for advice. I have several ideas to try now and feel more confident about finding a solution. Thank you all very much.
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