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Lisa Brand
Member
Username: Trouble
Post Number: 62
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 2:11 pm: |   |
Hi, everyone.
I tried to put this under tying problems but couldn't start a new thread under that subtopic.
My relatively calm, cross tying, trailer tying, stall tying gelding has recently begun freaking out when tied to a fence post.
I normally groom and tack up in cross ties. However, several months ago in order to save time and for my convenience, I began grooming and tacking up with my gelding tied to a fence post next to the barn.
I had no problems with this the first month or so. Then one day he must have spooked (or so I thought) and pulled back really hard. Nothing broke and so I continued to do my thing after calming him down.
I have continued tying him to this post and have had no more problems until yesterday when he again pulled back really hard. He pulled back frantically several times before I could release him. There was nothing there to spook him and I really don't understand why this is happening.
My only thought on this is that when he is tied in cross ties, or the trailer, or his stall he is tied at or above nose height. When he is tied to the fence post, it is below nose height. It seems as though he can't see what he is tied to and freaks out. The only thing I can't figure out is why it only happens occasionally and not all the time.
I don't think he is being a $%@!, you can see the whites of his eyes. This is a really scary thing to deal with. I used to deal with this kind of thing daily with my psycho mare I had when I was young (and didn't have children, a mortgage, etc.) Now, It really bothers me when 1200 lbs. of horse freaks out.
Anybody have any ideas on this one? Thanks.
Lisa |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 379
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 2:29 pm: | |
Yes, Lisa,
I won't take the time to explain all the psychology behind it, but my dear friend Charlie Hilton (www.cimagesinhim.com) just returned from a shoot in Oregon where he met the man who has come up with a failsafe training tool to help horses conquer the fear of being caught when tied.
He brought me some samples of the BLOCKER TIE RING. Please go to www.blockerranch.com and inquire about the tie ring. You won't be disappointed . . . Clinton Anderson has used it in demonstrations with horses that just won't tie . . . one horse tied to a trailer almost pulled the trailer on top of himself . . . it was up on two wheels, but thankfully, the hardware on his halter broke first . . . but the Blocker Tie Ring cured him in a safe, calm, way . . .
Well, maybe I will try to explain . . . the tie ring allows the horse to pull a leadrope through the ring, but before the horse gets to the end, he realizes that he doesn't have anything to be afraid of . . . The ring works best with a 12-14 foot marine rope leadrope . . . None of the horses Charlie saw it demonstrated on ever got to the point where they pulled all 12 feet of lead through the ring . . .When the horse discovers that he isn't really caught, as he feels when he is tied with no give, then his brain has a chance to take stock of the situation and he realizes that he can move . . . and the horse stops panicking . . .
It's neat. Check it out.
Holly |
kerry
Member
Username: Parfait
Post Number: 68
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 3:25 pm: | |
Lisa,
Once my really, really broke old mare did this (twice in a few days) and I couldn't believe it. Eventually I found a big swelling under her jaw on the right side. It seems that everytime the halter hit it just right she paniced. She's never had a problem since. Maybe he's sore? Does his breathe smell OK and such? Just a thought.
Kerry |
Lisa Brand
Member
Username: Trouble
Post Number: 63
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 4:33 pm: | |
Holly,
thanks for the info. I will check into this tie ring. I do feel that he thinks he is "caught" because he does panic. I am glad this makes since to you because it's easy to assume that if your horse is used to tying that you won't ever have any problems like this. Maybe I left more slack in the lead line at times when he didn't pull back. Thanks, Holly
Kerry,
I am going to check him tonight for any soreness. I had a problem similar to yours a couple years ago when he would suddenly jerk his head at times when haltered. It ended up being a sharp edge on a tooth poking him where his halter was. Thank you very much for your input. This is what I love about this site. Thanks.
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Angie Judson
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 17
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 4:58 pm: | |
Lisa,
We have an 18 yr old Arab mare who is the sweetest, most level headed horse I've ever had or known. Like your horse, she also freaks out every so often when tied. She's also tied to a fence post, we saddle up, and grain her in the corral. We've had her 12 yrs, and she has always done this every so often. My thoughts are she seems to see something, like her shadow, because she always looks at the ground, kinda spooks to the side, and then pulls back. Or maybe she thinks the rope is a snake!! This mare will open gates and stall doors, she lifts the latch and pulls the gates towards her and out she goes. And that don't scare her!! 'Nways, What I do is tie her by just wrapping the rope around the post twice, so that if she pulls, the rope pulls itself free. She hasn't done that for awhile, but sometimes she manages to rub against the hook of the rope, and heads to the hay before I get back to unhook her. My husband says she's "dumb like a fox"....meaning she maybe puts on this show of being scared and pulling to get us to thinking she don't need riding......maybe that's why she limps off and on too?????
Another thought: I don't know where I read this, but you can use a long rope with a tire on the end of it. The rope goes up over a beam above the horse, and it has to be set up so that when he backs up, the tire is dead weight on the other end, so he's pulling it up. So if he goes forward, it goes back on the ground, and the pressure releases. Very important though that he has a wall behind him, so he doesn't just back and back up til the tire is swinging above his head!!!! (not good) I don't have a spot to do such a set up, but if you do, maybe it's worth a try. Maybe someone else had tried this and can comment....good luck |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 380
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003 - 5:06 pm: | |
Angie,
The tire technique may be better than nothing, but it is still putting a pull on the horse until the horse walks forward enough for it to hit the ground, so that if the horse wants to release his pull, he really doesn't get an instant reward . . . The Blocker Tie Ring is on the same concept except that the horse gets an INSTANT release as soon as he gives even just a smidgeon, so it really helps teach the horse to give immediately to pressure.
Holly |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 9075
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Sep 11, 2003 - 7:20 am: | |
Hello All,
Our specific recommendations for this common problem are in that tying section. I went and looked and there is a working submittal form on that page Lisa: what problem did you experience?
DrO |
Lisa Brand
Member
Username: Trouble
Post Number: 64
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Sep 11, 2003 - 12:42 pm: | |
DrO,
I went to the subtopic "Tying Problems". It shows no posts in the description and starts out with the article on Halter Training. Forum discussions are at the bottom of this article, but nowhere to post response or start new thread. |
Lisa Brand
Member
Username: Trouble
Post Number: 65
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Sep 11, 2003 - 12:56 pm: | |
Angie,
I thought about tying very loosely like you suggest for awhile. That way he can pull enough length to realize he's not caught. Good Idea!
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Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 9077
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Sep 11, 2003 - 7:07 pm: | |
Hello Lisa,
The reason there are no posts shown is that is a linked subtopic. That is what the little folder with the links means: it actually takes you to another subtopic. As the first sentence in the article states: Halter breaking is another term for teaching horses to stand and lead obediently in hand and stay tied quietly. You see it is not natural for horses to give to pressure on the head, your horse has reverted to a somewhat unbroke state. Within the article are descriptions of Halter Breaking by Tying Out and these are the sections I recommend you follow.
I do not understand why you cannot see the link to a new discussion, it is at the bottom of the list of discussions. If you are not seeing it perhaps your browser has cached an incomplete page, try reloading if you want to post to that page.
DrO |
Lisa Brand
Member
Username: Trouble
Post Number: 66
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Friday, Sep 12, 2003 - 4:42 pm: | |
Thanks, DrO. |
