Re: Picket lines

["Duncan Fletcher" <dfletche@gte.net>]

Mary -

How did he get loose (i.e., what was still attached to the horse and what
was still attached to the picket line). I am sure you are aware of the
balance of this post, but include it for those not familiar with the
potential problems. I have had the standard snaps caught on feed bags and
thereby unsnapped by horses - need to go to bull snaps. I also tie to the
picket line loop (or knot eliminator with a standard quick release knot, but
with the tail of the rope through the loop to lock the knot (This means you
need to know how where to pull the tail in an emergency - or carry a good
knife).

I have an electric pen and use it on occasion, but it is impractical to
carry without a pack horse, and many of the horse camps do not have the open
space to set it up.


Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net


-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Sutliff <mtnriderII@webtv.net>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Thursday, September 24, 1998 4:45 PM
Subject: Picket lines


Just want to say that picket lines are great however the horses can and
do get badly hurt sometimes.  We have used picket lines for years both
at organized rides and on private pack trips in the mountains.
This summer my gelding was badly injured in a picket line mishap.  We're
not sure how it happened but the noise woke us up, he was loose and had
badly injured his left hind pastern.  Seven weeks later and after a big
vet bill I finally have the go ahead to start riding him again.  This is
a  horse that has been on a picket line for 3 years without a problem