rope halters / tying dangers

["KIMBERLY PRICE" <kmprice51@hotmail.com>]

I taught my horse if he pulled back while tied he can get free.  Of course, 
this was when he was young and still wild, I was still green (I'm still 
wild; sometimes), and of course, almost immediately after I got him.  Since 
he learned this, I've had him pull back, sit down he pulled so hard, break 
many buckles and will never trust him 100% not to pull.

What is working now is using the rope halters.  The knots put pressure 
points on his poll and of course he knows by now very, very well to yield to 
pressure.  He has pulled back tight on it once but never broke it and never 
got hurt and hasn't done it since. But, I also know a mare who reared up to 
pull while tied and broke her neck so there is always the risk.

I also don't tie him to the ring on my trailer but instead to the support 
beam.  There was a local fellow around here whose horse pulled back, the 
ring snapped and he got hit in the eye.  Well guess what...during the days 
Mystery pulled he snapped the ring and although it didn't hit anything once 
I found out about that fellow I never tied to it again.

And, I never put the halter around his neck while the lead is tied like some 
do to change to the bridle.  Was in the middle of doing that, he spooked (at 
a cat!), pulled, the halter slipped up over his head with my hand attached 
inside and I crushed my hand.  I still have ligament damage and no feeling 
on top.

Whew,  thats almost 9 years experience from getting this guy as an unbroke 5 
year old and now he is 14 and very well trained, but will always have the 
potential to pull.  Some Lyon's exercises helped too, tying him up and 
having him yield his butt from side to side instead of straight 
back...helped enforce a new habit.

Kimberly (&Mystery the Morab)
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com