Marko wrote:
Last one (the biggest) is kind of collar we(not me) use in our country sometimes to horses that does not want to be tied up. Normal halters (nylon/leathers) break when horse is tied up on both sides with big chains. So they use collars with they use to bulls too. Collars doesnt break even the horse uses full bodyweight to jump down against it when chained up.
Yes, I know how horrible it is. Couple years ago horse died here in such 'training', broke hes neck.
Personally I do not see reason to use collars of anykind.
I suppose there are times when the surroundings might dictate fastening in some way, but for me it's like that age old question of teaching children not to run out in the road by spanking them.
When the are old enough to understand the dangers, they are ready to learn those reasons.
When they are too young to understand, then neither spanking, nor any other method will 'teach them,' to be safe around traffic.
Which leaves the parent a very logical way of dealing with the problem. DON'T LET GO OF THE CHILD NEAR TRAFFIC until he's old enough to teach the risks to.
I feel the same way about horses. If I cannot hold them in hand then I have no business having them near dangerous events and circumstances.
I do not tie horses. Ever. (Or if busibodies are watching, I make a fake knot. No part will close if the horse pulls, and in fact it will untie with pull pressure.
Having said that, however, this is a good time to bring up how to tie fast far more safely.
I worked with race horses. Nothing unusual to have $100,000 colt on the end of a lead rope. The saying was, "better a loose $100,000 horse than a $100,000 pile of dog food."
I can't remember if the lead came from this very forum, AND, or not, so I can't give proper credit, but when researching this issue I discovered the following, and it appears to be a very advanced design concept. If I ever do have to tie fast I will make it with one of these.
It is one of two I will mention. The first:
Designed by a farrier, wouldn't you know.
http://www.longridersgear.com/catalog/p ... cts_id=514
Even when they break they are safe, in that the broken line pays (slips) gradually out through a clutching cylinder of woven material that keeps it from snapping sudden loose, even if it breaks.
It can neither release the horse suddenly for him to fall, nor turn into a whip to take his or a bystander's eye out.
And it puts the horse back on his feet square, as the tension builds up beyond his capacity to resist.
It's basically a fat bungie cord in a cover. Like one end of a a pair of those old trick, woven "Chinese Finger Cuffs."
Only this will provide a controlled 'slip-out.'
http://www.kbrhorse.net/tra/safetie.html
This LOOKS horrendous, as the video shows a mare, who had developed the habit of pulling back and breaking the line, in middle of a full blown lunge back, and one can see, at the end, when it doesn't break, but does not hurt her either, that possibly she is learning something.
If you have to tie ...
The other item is the so called "Aussie Tie Ring," and has some merits, but some issues as well, I think. It too is based on a controlled slippage design idea.
http://www.blockerranch.com/product.php ... dsku=1&cat
And videos on how to use. It doesn't look like much, but I actually works wonderfully well, and is simple to use.
http://www.blockerranch.com/reference.php?cat=18
I wonder if changing the kind of line, size, material, flexibility, stiffness, might serious change the working characteristics of this Tie Ring?
But if you have to tie ...
When I was a kid the vaqueros used to just use the innertube method. It could occasionally, just as either of the above could, result in a horse down, but I don't recall any actually being hurt from going down.
The innertubes never broked and dumped them, so effectively, they simply lay down.
If you can keep from tying your horse, then don't do it.
I do not endorse any method above. If I must I train to tie. By positive operant conditioning.
Donald (who had to teach Dakota to tie fast though Donald hated doing it) Redux