[riccil0ve]

Yes, I suppose I could go on YouTube and find thousands of videos showing how to hobble a horse, but I wouldn't know a good way from a bad way [besides an obvious, 'they're beating their horse' type video] so I was wondering if you could talk me through it or find a good video? What kind of hobbles should I get? Pictures of what to use is preferable. Thanks in advance!

 

[westonsma]

 

[westonsma]

 

[westonsma]

 

[kevinshorses]

I was just going to post the clips that Westonsma posted. that's about how I do it but I have gone to only using rope hobbles for my horses for the simple reason that if I should need a piece of rope for something then I have it.

 

[RiosDad]

There has been a number of posts on hobbling. I will try to find some of them. Marecare and I talked about how to do it. I will look for links.
I made my first pair of hobbles from cloth and an elastic band. Now I just buy them.
I hobble daily for brushing or saddling. Cross tying is only done for shoing

This is one link
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/hobbling-35665/

 

[RiosDad]

This is a pair of bought cuffs with what I call a soft link. It has some give for a new horse. I switch to a chain later on. I hobble the front, the back and sometimes all 4 just to mess with him. He is fine no matter what I do

 

[RiosDad]

This is a pair of homemade hobbles on the back with the soft link.

 

[RiosDad]

This is the post I was looking for
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/training-horse-accept-hobbles-31945/

 

[RiosDad]

I have been hobbling for at least 25 years and I do not like the first video, the use of a rope or the lack of conditioning the horse to his first hobble.
I spend 5-10 minutes a day for 3 days and then hobble without a problem, no fight and no chance of the horse being hurt.
I have used a twisted towel but now percondition the horse with a soft rope but not tied to a leg and then on the 4th day a set of soft link hobbles. I did 2 horses recently for others and both took to the hobbles
without the least fight.

Again I would not do it like I saw in the first video. Do it the way Marecare suggests. That is the way I do it too.

 

[RiosDad]

There are stupid people out there teaching hobbling. This is one example of how not NOT to do it

 

[riccil0ve]

Marvelous, everyone, thank you so much! I haven't had time to actually watch any of the videos yet, or read the linked threads, but I promise I will. I just wanted to make sure you all knew you were appreciated, and I'm not ignoring you. Just outta time. =]

 

[Honeysuga]

There are stupid people out there teaching hobbling. This is one example of how not NOT to do it
YouTube - Using hobbles

Wow I am surprised he did not mess up his knees!

The number one rule about hobbling, NEVER let your horse know he can move in them, that is why you hobble in the first place, to keep him still. Yea you have to make him move at first so he can find out that he cant really do to much and find out he is not in any danger, but you need to reward him for standing still after he has learned this.

The horse in that video will never respect a hobble because A)He was terrified and let run and fall with them on, and became frantic and will probably always be afraid of them now and B) He was allowed to run around in them, so he knows he can move in them now.

 

[kevinshorses]

Wow I am surprised he did not mess up his knees!

The number one rule about hobbling, NEVER let your horse know he can move in them, that is why you hobble in the first place, to keep him still. Yea you have to make him move at first so he can find out that he cant really do to much and find out he is not in any danger, but you need to reward him for standing still after he has learned this.

The horse in that video will never respect a hobble because A)He was terrified and let run and fall with them on, and became frantic and will probably always be afraid of them now and B) He was allowed to run around in them, so he knows he can move in them now.

that horse will be fine. She had more fight in her than most but she figured it out and calmed down. Nobody could have stopped her from reacting to it and that was the safest way for her to figure things out. I would have done a little more leading by a foot but sometimes a horse will suprise you when you get the hobbles on, hence the round pen. I would have taken the halter off so it didn't get caught in the hobbles also.

 

[Honeysuga]

I never said she wasn't fine, I said I am surprised that she didn't hurt herself(didn't know it was a she lol, didn't pay that close attention to the genitals), running around all frantic with her front feet tied together and a lead rope dangling between.

My point is, now she knows she can run quite successfully in hobbles. I wouldnt call that fight, I think they put them on her and let her go, didn't take the time to actually work with her with them. But that is just how some people do things...

 

[wild_spot]

I would have whacked them upside the head for not getting that leadrope off. If they knew she would react wildy ("Her mother was a firecracker too!") Then that should have been one of the first things they did.

 

[RiosDad]

that horse will be fine. She had more fight in her than most but she figured it out and calmed down. Nobody could have stopped her from reacting to it and that was the safest way for her to figure things out. I would have done a little more leading by a foot but sometimes a horse will suprise you when you get the hobbles on, hence the round pen. I would have taken the halter off so it didn't get caught in the hobbles also.

Kevin did you notice the flying lead line?? She stepped on it with her hind legs and went down?? I don't consider leaving a long lead line attached to the halter and let her struggle with it flapping around her hind legs as being very smart.
Teach it my way , 5 to 10 minutes a day for 3 days and the horse will accept without all that fight.
The hobbles I wear in the barn are very tight, only a fist between the cuffs and he doesn't move around with them. the hind hobbles for grazing have more length so he can move with baby steps but there is also a long teether attached to them.

No Kevin I would never do it the way it was done.

 

[Painted Horse]

I teach my horses to hobble while they are tied to a hitch post. More as a way to teach them not to paw. Since they know they are tied up, they don't have the inclination to try and leave. They quickly learn about the pressure around their pasterns and the limits of movement with the hobble.

The second lesson is to move them away from the hitching rail and then add the hobbles. I still have them under control with the lead. I'll ask them for a small step or two. I keep them under control with the lead, don't let them get excited or try to go anywhere.

The third lesson is to put them in some grass when they are hungry and let them graze with the hobble on. Again, I remove any motivation for them to really want to leave. They quickly learn to take baby steps as they graze.

My horses have been hobbled so much over the years. I carry hobbles on my back cinch ring and hobble at most of my lunch stops. My horse are very accustomed to it. They have learned to run VERY fast in the hobbles. And while they can out run me in hobbles if they choose. They don't go far before they tire. So if they get a wild hair to head for the trailer when I'm 10 miles into the wilderness. They won't go far before the effort wears them out and I can catch up. I try to pay attention to my horses when I put them out in a meadow with hobbles. I know if they are hungry and there is feed, they will keep their head down grazing for about an hour. Anytime after that, if I start to see heads coming up, I know it's time to collect them and put them on the high line. Otherwise one of the alphas will remember some grain left in the trailer and take the whole group with him.

I like the Utah Hobbles. Made from wide strips of harness leather. These are easy to slip through the flank cinch ring and just let hang while I ride. I also pick these up in the 2" wide Nylon web straps. I don't like to teach how to hobble with nylon, But once the horse knows what hobbles are, these are cheap and easy to use in the back country. And you are only out $5-$8 if your horse looses a set while grazing. Plus they come in bright colors that make them easier to find out in the meadow if they come off.

Here is young mare hobbled around camp in the evening.

 

[RiosDad]

Painted horse, do you ever put the hobbles on the hind legs?? I often hobble behind, sometimes I hobble all 4.
My guy is long legged and short necked so he likes to spread his legs while gazing. Hobbling behind allows him to spread his front while the hind restrains him. The guy before this one were a single cuff on his left hind leg and you could stake him out of grass. When he hit the end of the teether he would take a step backwards and always pivot to his left and graze off in this new direction.
Again do you every hobble the hind legs????

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Haha, another bonus to trick training Jynx! She's already used to all sorts of ropes and pressure on her pasterns! I doubt very much I'd get a huge reaction out of her. We have some hobbles in the shed, I should train her into them.

Agreed on the nasty vid - I can understand where kevinshorses is coming from, you really can't predict that blow, the black filly didn't really have any more "help", she was just a blatantly calm filly with a good mind on her (much like I can guarantee Jynx would be). However, leaving the leadrope on was the single most idiotic brainless thing I've ever witnessed. I'm amazed she didn't break her neck in that fall when she tried to get up from her knees.

I agree with you RiosDad - I would never go straight into hobbling like in the first video. I'd take the extra time to settle them to ropes and get them used to the idea before jumping right in. Hobbling isn't going to be very useful when your horse blows itself into a fence or over onto it's own head. It's ok on a quiet filly like that, but don't fool yourself into believeing it'll work that nice on a spookier or more sensitive horse.