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Posted on 12/30/2004 7:01:16 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
I was just curious. I've never really heard when their necks would be strong enough to handle being tied in case they throwed a fit. Dot was leading and feeling pressure from us holding her, probably by the end of her first month. But we never tied her till she was probably almost 2 years. She did fine, but I wondered if you had one that was good like her if she could have been tied sooner.
Becky
I think teaching to tie at a highline can't be beat. It gives a little yet holds to pressure... it won't break, and they can't hurt themselves if the ground around them is clear.... And I don't think they are as likely to fall down as they are tied hard.
Unless it's a baby that's being shown, they generally get imprinted and worked with enough to learn to lead, stand for the farrier and for baths and clipping, then they mostly just hang out until they are 2 1/2 or 3yrs old. Other than meds and farrier and getting lunged every once in awhile, we don't ask much of them, mostly because we just don't have the time.
That works in your part of the country but here, there isn't something around to put a highline up with a lot of the time. The cross ties work pretty good most of the time but every once in awhile, one will pitch a regular fit. They fight it out of temper, not out of fear so as long as they aren't in danger, we let them fight.
Tying to a high line is probably the best. But at some point they need to be tied solid, IMO, I go alot of places where a high line is not feasible. I've just wondered when they can be. I realize even a full grown one could hurt themselves.
The first time we did tie Dot we stayed with her for awhile and untied her before anything bad could happen. They all, tho will/do freak for some reason or another.
Becky
Our seven year old gelding started showing at about 5mos. He will stand tied for hours if necessary. He will also sit down to break a rope or halter if he figures he's had enough :) He'll stand tied to the trailer all day at a show and break loose on a hunting trip as soon as you close your eyes. He learned after he grew up that not much holds his 1200lbs if he sets his mind to it. He also learned best not do that in front of dad :)
That's pretty much what I do. Let them fight it if they do. Dot did one time, and did fall down. I think it was more out of a temper tantrum, like you said.
Why would cross ties be safer?
I have a tree that I have a lead rope tied to that keeps their head at the level cross ties would. Long enough for them to be comfortable, but not long enough to get a leg hung up in.
Becky
LOL.
I know an old man that had a stud that would set back and break leads every time. He finely tied him to a metal post with several ropes to several halters, and sat back and watched. Took something like 2 days before he saw slack in the lead rope. But that horse never did that again.
I don't know that I agree with that method:), but when they get full grown and have a habit like that, I don't know any other way you could break them of it. I wouldn't keep a horse I could leave tied up.
Becky
The one plus the cross ties have is the footing is less secure for them in that they are on concrete, not dirt.
I don't think they actually learn to stand tied until they fight it and can't get loose.
Indy (the gelding) has enough good points that we sort of overlook the appaloosa part of him every once in awhile. Sometimes it's a stretch (like when he rears up going up a hill) but then we remember he stands like a statue while autistic kids crawl all over him.
That's pretty much the reason for my question:) I think they all are going to fight it. I just wondered if there was an age that lowered the risk of neck injury.
I've always got Belle in the back of my mind. I don't know for sure, but I've always wondered if she doesn't have some kind of neck injury, that causes her problems. I know she was tied alot in cross ties that where short so alot of her weight hung on her neck. (I didn't do that, previous owners did). I got her when she was just 3.
Becky
Today at the auction they had safety release straps . Two kinds. The regular nylon and one with an elastic tie wrap in between. There was a lunge rope with the same. Do you know why? Are they for horses you have difficulty tieing? We need a pair but it just seemed to me that it was one more weak link that could be broken.
It could be. Have you ever thought about having her neck Xrayed? Why did they tie her so short do you know? Three is still pretty young.
I think they are safer cross tied than tying to something like a trailer or a bar they would get under if they pulled back on. The ground around and under them can be completely clear. Your tree is good. They can't hurt themselves on it and they aren't going to pull that over. But anything man-made, including posts, wall, tie rings on trailers or snaps on lead ropes, if they want to break it they can, especially if they can get really good footing.
I think we tied ours fairly young - measured in months... before she had the strength to break anything... but I didn't leave them unattended and would untie the knot but keep hold of the lead through the ring if they started pulling, untill I could settle them down again.
Everything that we tied with has safety release snaps, we use lines that are slightly elastic in the trailers - they give a little. Is that what you mean? I don't know why they would put that in a lunge line but there must be a logical reason I guess.
No. You know those things guys like that are an elastic cord with a hook on each end that they can hold stuff together with? There was about 12-18 inches between the safety release and the nylon strap. It stretched. I noticed a lunge rope also had one but it was longer. The horse could probably pull back from the safety strap I would guess another foot.
There's some value in the elastic trailer ties, in that they resist, but it isn't a hard cold solid restraint that sometimes is the trigger for panic, the harder they pull, the more resistance, but they can learn to stop at a lighter touch too. we used to have a section of bicycle inner tube on tie lines at a stable I was at.
Quick releases are really good to have at the fasten point in the trailer, in case of emergency where you either can't get the knot undone, or they are pulling against it too much to undo regular snaps. Especially if there has been an accident.
I know what you are describing - those mini bungy cord things - I don't know what benefit that would be, maybe someone else does. I haven't ever seen a lunge line like that.
HMM. Might not be a bad idea then. I was just thinking it was another attatchment that could pop.
Hair, have you seen lines like that? What is the purpose of them?
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