teaching a horse to stand while tied

Heyy everyone :)

So I started leasing this horse who has bad ground manners :( While I was out at the farm this past sunday, my horse wouldnt stand still while I was grooming him, and he got a little antsy and threw him head back and his halter broke! Luckly there was an experienced horse woman there to save the day lol. And as you can tell this is a huge problem, so I was wondering if anyone could give me some tips or advice to help me teach my horse to stand while tied. It would be very appreciated thanks soo much

How about some background? How old is the horse? Does he have any training? How is he with leading? Backing up? Generally giving to pressure?

Right off the bat though, he has now learned that he can get loose and you need to stop that immediately. I use a neck strap and halter and tie to a very secure hitching post.

My spooky mare has twice spooked while tied since I moved to this method. The first time, after getting over the initial spook, she was major pissed and just wanted to "win" against being tied. She had previously learned she could get free if she pulled enough (broke the barn and dragged part of it over to the neighbours). I made her stay tied for an hour. She tested it a few more times, but the last 20 minutes she was just plain bored.

The second time was just this past weekend. The mean green stool apparently turned into an enemy and she pulled back. And I mean she PULLED! Practically sat right down -- pulled her butt right under herself. But my neckstrap, halter and tie were designed to hold and hold they did. I stood aside and told firmly but calmy to "STAND". You could actually see her clue in and figure out that nothing was going to improve until she listened to me. It was amazing to see. The rest of the time she was tied after that, she was not happy, but she didn't make any effort whatsoever to pull. She's not tiny either -- 17.3h.

I will never tie her any other way, EVER. Thanks to a former forum member for this information.

Do not tie your horse with anything that will break or release. Halters, ropes, and whatever the rope is tied to must all be strong enough to withstand a minimum of 2500 lbs pull. If you use the neck strap and halter properly your horse will not get hurt, but if he learns to break and run, either he will or someone else will.

I agree with Northern Mama. You may also want to try using hobbles to restrict movement.

Ah - not the OP. Hobbles are a bit above her level of knowledge, plus it's not her horse.

It's not rocket science. If she can catch and saddle her own horse then she can teach on to stand in hobbles. I had never used hobbles until the first time.

I would simply move the horse back everytime it fully steps out of place.... don't do it when it thinks about it or starts to move, other wise the horse will be confused.

If it moves forward, move it back and praise.....

I've seen a horse break its neck because what he was tied to didnt give. Horiffic experiance and sorry but The advice you have given is just plain dangerous. A panicing horse needs to be able to get free.

I will never ever tie a horse to anything that will not give.

Only if not properly tied. A neck strap must be used in conjunction with a halter to keep the pull straight. I wish I'd been able to take a video of what happened this past weekend. You'd believe me then.

And, honestly, if worst came to worst, I'd rather the horse died than me, or some other bystander. What if the horse ran out on the road and a family in a Sunfire was going by...

Now there's a fact we often forget!

If you tied a horse in a safe place then it wouldnt be able to get out onto the road. That's what gates and fences are for, to prevent horses getting to places where they could do themselves or others damage.

Our yard is enclosed by walls, fences an gates. If a horse gets loose then the only place it can go is into my garden, where it is perfectly safe.

At a show I no longer tie to the side of the lorry, I always get the horse ready in the lorry.