Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Horse Problem........What to do????

......the big paint is a great trail horse.....I've taken him straight up, nasty, rough trails.....he never misses a beat......doesn't like crosing bridges or water much, but I can manage that.<BR>He one big flaw is.....he hates being tied up! He has broken every kind of lead I've tried....even pulled out the turnbuckle from the barn a couple of times. More strength than sense for sure! He usually breaks the latch on the leads.....and I hate to just tie a rope lead straight to the halter, I like the convience of taking the latch on and off with ease. He is fine as long as he is not left un-attended, but as soon as he is by himself, something is gonna break!<P>B'cat,....do you think the rope line you use will have enough give to it that he won't be able to break it? I'm thinking tieing him to something solid gives him the ability to break it, but something that will stretch or give might hold......<BR>....I'm thinking of stretching a line in the pasture and keeping him tied up all night as though I was in the backcountry.....would rather know now if I can hold him for an over-nighter! <BR>....may have to go to Boggy's electric fence idea......but dand it....I need to be able to tie him up!<BR>...any ideas????<BR>DS

Slayer it is a common problem especially with big horses. You have to break him from it before he gets totally spoiled. He does it because he has found out he can. And every time he gets away with it convinces him more that he can. Now you have to have a horse that is still there where you parked him when ever you come back to him.<BR>Use a log chain if you have too and put a big old split ring in it so you can thread the free end of the chain back through it and leave him tied to something he can't break. Make it just a tad shorter than your lead rope and put them both on him. Tie him high so he won't get tangled and go nuts. When he sets back and finds out the he gets choked when he tightens up the lead rope it will discourage him. Sort of like a choke collar on a dog. It will take a while but he will convince himself that he can't break it and will quit trying after a while. Don't get all softhearted and let him go too quick. Half a day is not too long to be tied up.<BR>BCR

a small chain passed from the ring on the side of the halter under your horses chin and fastened to the ring on the other side of the halter will also discourage him from pulling back, as in the last post, dont get soft hearted on him, his chin will probably get bloody, but horses arent stupid, he will get tired of the chain hurting his jaw, we used to use jaw chains on mules all the time, they figure it out quickly, i have a young paint that does the same thing, he's fixin to get the chain treatmeant real soon...gut

Some god advise from both posters above DS. If you have a good nylon halter, get a calf pulling chain from Mountain vet supply in Fort Collins. They are over near the sale barn on I-25 and Hwy 13. Put the chain thru the place where the lead rope hooks on all the way around his nose and back thru the ring where the lead rope hoooks. Then have a good strong lead rope tied securely. When he pulls back it will apply extreme pressure to his nose and he will stop that nonsense. You might have to use it all the time, unless he realy hurts his nose the first time. Sometimes it cures them sometimes you have to use that kind of setup permanently. Kinda like a shocking collar on a dog. SOmetimes they know when the shocking collar is on and when it isnt, and you will just have to see if you can trust him after the training. Good lucck and let us know how it works. bcat<P>------------------<BR>If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes [img]http://www.hunttalk.com/icon/bcatrunningcat.gif.com/boykin][/img] <BR><A HREF="http://www.huntandlodge.com/Boykin/outfitter.html" TARGET=_blank>Boykin's Hunting <B>Homepage</B> </A>

Another option that's a lot lighter than a chain. Get a rope halter, nylon. They put more pressure on the nose and top of the head, and they are thin enough to hurt a little. Then, get a thick spun nylon rope and tie it directly to the halter. There's no hardware to break. We use this on our young horses and they learn very quickly. Bull-headed mules too. They give up trying.<BR>You can leave it on all night, and tying them <BR>all night isn't a bad idea anyway.<BR>I'd be a little hesitant to leave them tied with some of the chain ideas, at least until I've tried the rope halter. <BR>Slayer, if I recall correctly you're from Wyoming, so finding a rope halter shouldn't be a problem.

Slayer,<P> You have to be very careful, these things can work, or be a death trap. We had neighbours who tied the mare to a fence, and she strangled herself because there was no give.<P> The rule in guide books is to never tie a horse up with a briddle, or a chain. On the bridge of the nose you have there wind pipe and many sensory nerves, which can create a lot of damage.<P> A couple method I have been told about are you take some sort of rope and place it inbehind the ears, then run it through the ring under the chin on the halter. Make sure you you wrap the rope in cotton or some sort of material so it doesn't cut into them.<P> The other method I have seen in magazines and TV, it is similar to the other method, but instead of going behind the ears it goes inbehind the withers, between the front legs and through the ring. Make sure you are nearby to make sure nothing goes wrong. <P> Also with a horse that fights like that, there is no give in a rope or chain, which can actually throw their spine off, and cause severe muscle damage in the neck. You can pick up almost any vet book and see the results. Having a strong rubber lead of some sort to tie with during the training is a good idea, because it gives, but it is still strong.<P> the guy whos horses I am training tried this on one of his mares that would pull post out of the ground, all she did was tried pulling three times, and to this day has never attempted to pull again.<P> Well good-luck, and keep a watchful eye, because horses panic and can get themselves into trouble.<P>Tonya

Well, slap me silly!...I'm shocked this is more common than I thought! Boggy, you described he to a tee when you said "when he sets back".....because that's exactly what he does!<P>B'cat....I'm on my way after the calf pulling chain....it never dawned on me to use chain instaed of rope. And running it under his chin or over his nose is a great idea! ...and don't worry about me going soft on him....I'm ready to take a ball bat to his head! He's one damn fine ride on the trails.....but if, as Boggy says, he doesn't stay parked where I leave him......well, let's just say that would be less than an ideal situation! ....and don't think even after I break him from this crap, I won't still hobble his butt the first few times back-in! <BR>DS

Well, you guys sure came through for me!.....got the chain this morning B'cat, and I did what you told me Boggy, got him all chained up to something he couldn't break, say my barn!....and put the lead on as well.....<P>....in the first ten minutes he tried half dozen times, laying back with all he had,......then, as his nose began to deteriate, he decided it was much better to have a bruised ego than a bruised snout! <BR>He then stood there for more than 3 hours with not so much as a pull. I think that will be part of his daily exercise!.....and the chain might accompany me afield as well....better safe than sorry! <BR>.....thanks a many guys!<BR>DS

Glad to help Slayer. Now don't let him go too quick cause I guarantee you he will try it again. He may not the very next time you tie him but he has pulled loose more times than he hasn't, right. So he will try again.When finding out he can't overwhelms the memory of being able to he will quit trying, not before.<BR>BCR

Duely noted, Boggy.....in fact, the wife and I rode them to the top of Horsetooth Mountain this afternoon, and I whipped out the old chain while he grazed for a half hour or so before we started back down.......can't trust him yet!<P>I'll be willing to tote the chain along for the piece of mind it gives me,...at least for a long while.....<BR>DS

Let the fun began ---DS thats right that you shouldnt trust him for a long while.Its better he has a sore bloody nose then he runs off and really gets into trouble.<BR>A horse you cant tie up is one pain in the butt.<BR>I have only had one that started that crap and a few times tied with something that she couldnt break did the trick.She diceded that the hurt nose wasnt worth it,and all I had to do was stand back and watch.<P>

Hey Girlfriend....you back from your shoot?!<BR>How did ya do?<P>That big ol' brute has sure shaped up the last few days....I think in a couple of months I'll probably have him out of it.<BR>He's such a good horse, even with his pulling back on the tie rope, I like him a lot more than my other one. He has a good personality.<BR>DS

Uhhhhh, Slayer.....<P>did you try the emergency brake?? <P>badger<BR>PS: I know I have absolutely no business throwing in my half cent here, I know which end of the horse NOT to feed, & thats about it.......<BR>------------------<BR>Gun control is good bullet placement.....<p>[This message has been edited by badger (edited June 05, 2001).]

DS,back and getting ready for the next one.<BR>Steve got a first place and our granddaughter got a first place (this was her second shoot) gotta love this kid.<BR>Hey what can I say about me--I had fun.<BR>Lets just say I wou'nt be giving up my rifle anytime soon.LOL<BR>Have fun with the horses, just hearing you talk about yours brings back so many fun storys,Its a wonder some of us are still alive.

Steve must be quite the archer,does he shoot a compound or longbow? .....and good on your grand daughter! ....and you, well,....er...um.....ok I've said enough! <BR>DS

DS,we all shoot compounds.<BR>Steve just bought a Mathews and I just got a high country.<BR>We bought Sidney a browning.<BR>I am getting better LOL does that count----<BR>We both had Reflex bows.<BR>Mine needed to be upgraded and Steve had a limb problem with his --didnt know how long it would be gone so he bought the mathews.<BR>We didnt want to have to wait very long to get his bow back.<BR>His came back in two weeks--oh well ,its only money ,right LOL<BR>Sidny does quite good at most things---you and her have something in common ,she just got dumped off of a horse LOL Her first horse wreck.She told me it wasnt her papas fault ,it was the stupid horses fault LOL<BR>

Does Steve like his Mathews?......was it worth the money?....I've been looking at one, $800! Half the people I talk to say don't do it, the other half say best bow you can get....????????<BR>DS

DS-Glad the chain trick worked. I have never heard of a horse actually hurting themself using this trick. I dont know where Tonya came up with her stuff on it, but I have never seen it do anything permanent to any horse, but have seen many cured with this type of action. Women tend to baby their horses a little bit we call it "SQUAW BROKE"....I have way more problems with Squaw Broke horses than with the the horses broke the old fashioned way. Just being honest here. Women tend to worry about hurting their witto noses... They assosiate pain with obediance in this case and thats the only cure I know of . bcat

LOL now Bcat ----I hate to say it but you could be right ,ouch that hurt LOL<BR>DS,Steve really likes this bow ,but he also like his Reflex.So I think its better to go try out as many good bows as you can and pick the one that feel the best.<BR>One thing about the Mathews is that its said to have great customer service and fast turn around if there is a problem.<BR>Steve shoots fingers and so was having a hard time finding a bow --this mathews fit.<BR>

I have a PSE with all the trimmings, I can't bring myself to stick a deer. Anyone interested drop me an e-mail. Will trade! sonniepeoplescom.net -- no<P>Mathews, top of the line, and proud of it, kinda like Weatherby.<P>------------------<BR>A hint to the wise is sufficient! Smiles are contagious, infect everyone!