Dawn M. Richard and Karyn Malinowski,Ph.D.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
There
are many ways to tie a horse. The safest way is by cross-tying
in a stall or aisle-way. The ties should be attached to facing
walls at a level higher than the withers of the tallest horse
in the barn. Low cross-ties are dangerous to both the horse
and handler. The ties should be long enough so that the snaps
just barely meet in the center. It is best to use a panic
snap or quick-release snap at the end of any kind of tie.
This permits the horse to be released quickly during an emergency.
Chains are more durable than rope, nylon, or leather and will
not stretch. High strung or nervous horses should not be left
unsupervised while on cross-ties (See Figure 1).
When cross-ties are not available or impractical, use a quick-release
knot. It is one of the few knots that can be untied when a
horse is pulling against it. Never tie a knot that is hard
and fast. A horse can break its neck if it pulls back, falls,
and cannot be untied quickly. Always use a properly fitted
halter and a strong shank when tying a horse. Never tie with
bridle reins or a rope attached to the bridle. Baling twine,
string, and leather will break under pressure and should not
be used.
Be sure
to tie your horse well out of the reach of a strange horse
to avoid fighting.
Choose
a safe area in which to tie your horse. Do not tie the horse
near wire fencing, barbed wire, porch rails, machinery, etc.
Be sure the ground is free of obstacles and is textured enough
to prevent the horse from slipping.
Tie
the horse to something strong such as a sturdy fence post
that will not give way if the horse pulls back. Do not tie
horses to movable objects such as cars or tractors. Once a
horse successfully breaks away from being tied, it may then
get into the habit of pulling or become frightened of being
tied. If your horse pulls back, stay calm and move to the
rear of the horse. Urge it to go forward with a cluck , clap
of the hands, tap with a broom or buggy whip, or anything
that will make the horse move forward and release the pressure
on the tie.
The
tie should be no longer than 3 feet in length. Too little
rope will cramp the horse, while too mucrope will permit the
horse, or other objects to become tangled. The tie should
be placed at the level of the point of the horses shoulder
or slightly higher. Tying a horse too low will easily allow
it to get the tie wrapped around its leg and cause a potential
injury. On the other hand, tying a horse too high puts a strain
on its neck and encourages it to fight to get free.
Always
tie to a fence post and not the rail. The post is less likely
to give way when under the stress of a frightened horse. If
possible, try to avoid tying to a smooth post or tree trunk.
It is easy for the rope to slip down a smooth surface and
pull the horses head with it. If you must tie to a smooth
object, then make an extra wrap or two at the desired height
and pull it tight. Then tie a quick-release knot (See Figure
1).
If you
want to tie your horse out to graze, it first must be stake
trained on at least 20 feet of rope. Do not attempt staking
until you are sure the horse has accepted dragging the rope
and will not become tangled in it. To accomplish this, tie
a weighted, movable object, such as a brick or bag of sand,
to the loose end of the rope and allow the horse to get the
feel of resistance on the rope. The task can be made easier
with two people, one to lead at the head and the other to follow
behind to guide the rope and weight to prevent any sudden
entanglement as the horse moves and becomes familiar with
the rope.
Always
watch the horse for possible problems during the training
process. Once the horse has accepted the weighted rope it
can be staked by tying one end of the rope to something solid
in the ground, preferably with a swivel snap to prevent the
rope from twisting. Tie the other end to the halter. Keep
a staked horse under surveillance to prevent a mishap.
A bridle
should not take the place of a halter. Never tie a horse by
the bridle, bit, or reins. To tie a bridled horse, slip a
halter over the bridle and tie with a lead rope attached to
the halter as described above. Always untie a horse before
removing the halter.
If the
horse is to be tied in the same area for an extended period,
food and water should be within reach of the horse.
If at
any time the horse needs to be restrained, and tying is not
enough, there are different methods to choose from. If the
chain from the lead shank, over the nose, does not work, then
a twitch is most commonly used. A twitch may be applied to
the upper lip, the ear, or even the lower lip. Many different
types of twitches are available, the most popular being a
long handle with a loop of chain or rope at one end. To apply
the twitch, place fingers through the loop at the end of the
twitch, grasp the upper lip with your fingers, pull it through
the loop, and twist the handle until you get a firm but gentle
hold on the lip. Do not place it too high, because it will
interfere with breathing or too low which will cause pain.
Tighten it only if the horse acts up and loosen it as soon
as it becomes manageable.
Do not
use the twitch to move the horse around. A twitch should not
be left on for more than 15 minutes at a time. If left on
longer, numbness, or in extreme cases, permanent nerve damage
may occur.
Assuming
the twitches are placed and used correctly, they provide an
effective and harmless method of restraint.
Now
that your horse is safely and securely tied, you can begin
to work around it. But be aware that a sound or movement that
may not frighten you, may scare the horse into jumping back
and pulling on the ties.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
document is
FS346
, a series of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Rutgers,
the State University of New Jersey. Publication date: November
1988.
Distributed in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture
in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June
30, 1914. Cooperative Extension work in agriculture, home
economics, and 4-H, Zane R. Helsel, director of Extension.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension provides information and educational
services to all people without regard to sex, race, color,
national origin, disability or handicap, or age. Rutgers
Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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