tie blocker

[europa]

Has anyone used this to teach tying and does it work?

[Fairview Horse Center]

My farrier has always used a half of a thin D ring snaffle (hacksawed in half) to do the same thing. It does work, and prevents the panic. It just puts a drag on the line.

I usually just use braided leather boot laces with snaps on each end. They give just enough to let the youngster be comfortable, but no recoil.

[europa]

Darlyn ....I am challenged...have you got a pic of the shoelaces? I think I kind of have the idea but not sure. You tie the bootlaces to the rope?

[Daydream Believer]

Yes, I use them. I start off in a stall and then later as the youngster is more comfortable, I will tie in the round pen briefly and later on the xties. I have them on the cross ties also for safety. I love them!

[Evalee Hunter]

Blocker is the name of the man who "invented" the tie. It's the Blocker tie, not a "tie blocker" (which sounds to me like something that blocks, or stops, or gets in the way of, the tie).

[WBLover]

My coming 3 YO is BAAAAAADDD at tying! He is fine for a while, but then gets impatient and just backs up to the end of the rope, then digs in and pulls hard until something breaks. He's gone through a set of cross ties and a nice halter already.

I really need to work on that, do you recommend something like this? Is the theory that if they don't have something so rigid to pull against, therefore they won't keep pulling?

I bought elastic cross ties but haven't tried them yet, is that the same effect?

[Foxtrot's]

Elastic cross-ties. Does anybody use them? If he pulls hard enough and breaks them, they ding back and whack him, or anybody nearby.

[sublimequine]

Elastic cross-ties. Does anybody use them? If he pulls hard enough and breaks them, they ding back and whack him, or anybody nearby.

If you have a horse that isn't a great tie-r, I'd AVOID the elastic ties! My mare is a decent tie-broke horse, but I screwed that all up by using an elastic trailer tie in the barn. She somehow got the tie stuck over her poll, flipped out, hauled a$$ backwards, and that big metal quick-release buckle became a big honkin' weapon that nearly got her in the face. :eek:

We had to start over after that. :no: But luckily, she's a big fan of the blocker ring. She's very comfortable in one. :)

[Kimberlee]

Tie him in a stall. That way he can't back up and break the tie. He has to learn that he can't break the tie, and that he has to keep standing there. Tie him for 10 minutes several times a day over a week, then 15 minutes, then 20 minutes. Work up to his patience level. You normally don't expect child to sit still for x number of minutes, unless you have worked on it. And, a lot of young horses need to work up to it too.

[Pippin]

I LOVE THEM... i start in the stall.. . then go to the tree.. yes they will stop once they pull back a few inches... but if they hit a STOP while pulling then the battle begins...

All my young ones tie using the blocker... would not do it any other way..

P~

[ponygirl]

I use sisal baling twine when introducing cross tying 101.

[tarragon]

The best thing I've found for initially teaching youngsters to tie is a bicycle tire inner tube. I attach bull snaps to either end with "C" clamps, and it works wonderfully. It has enough give that they don't panic and can't really hurt themselves by pulling back, but exerts enough pressure when they pull against it that they quickly give up trying to pull (it's too much work). I've used it for lots of babies and it has always worked for me.

I've used the blocker ring for other things (like trailer loading and clipper training, or retraining an older horse) and think it's great for that, but in my mind it doesn't actually teach them to tie since they can just pull the rope through and walk around. There isn't enough resistance.

And I hate the bungee cross ties! They will stretch too much and allow a horse to get all twisted and tangled in them and then when they do break they snap all over the place. I don't ever put one in cross-ties until they straight-tie very reliably and know to give to pressure. My cross-ties are attached to the wall with a baling string loop for emergencies, but I want them to have very limited movement in cross-ties.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Darlyn ....I am challenged...have you got a pic of the shoelaces? I think I kind of have the idea but not sure. You tie the bootlaces to the rope?

I just take 3 pair of leather boot laces. Then I braid each 3 together, like a mane, and tie snaps to the ends. Snap an end to the ring and one to the halter. 3 pair of laces make 2 cross ties. This is not going to work for a confirmed puller, but for the babies starting out, it is a nice safe way to introduce them. They will break fairly easy, but usually they babies don't pull as they have a good deal of give and stretch.

I don't like anything that stretches and recoils if it breaks. That is a great way to take out an eye.

[Reiter]

What tarragon said! I would not use the Breaker tie to teach a young horse to tie, since it doesn't teach them to tie! It teaches them that when they pull there's give, so the first time you tie the horse up normally, you're back to square one! He'll freak when he gets to the end of the rope! A horse needs to learn (the younger the better) to give in to pressure and not freak out. I start teaching my foals to tie when they are about 3 months old. By that time they are used to the halter and lead and have already learned that there is resistance (me) at the end of the lead rope if they pull. I tie mom up and then tie baby up next to mom. I don't use innertubes etc, but think they are a good teaching tool if needed. I just tie them up like I would any trained horse, but I make sure it's very short timed (1-2min in the beginning) and keep the distractions to a minimum.
Most the foals will test the rope and then quickly give in (since mom is standing calmly). I then steadily increase the time and later on will leave mom loose while tying baby, at this point they are used to the tying and most of them won't do anything. Occasionally one will pull a little bit but that's it. I know people will say foals can injure their necks etc. when being tied, but I've never had a problem and I think it is much more dangerous to have a grown horse that doesn't tie! By the way, I do think the Breaker tie is beneficial in retraining a confirmed puller, just not for teaching to tie correctly! JMHO
Sorry about the rant, climbing off the box now! ;)

[Reiter]

Okay sorry, got to get on the box on more time! ;)
Personally I would be careful with the shoe lace thing too, you don't want to teach your horses that pulling back will result in freedom. The whole point is for the horse to learn that being tied means I'm stuck here until someone unties me!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again JMHO and I'm really off the box now! :)

[Maddie]

The best thing I've found for initially teaching youngsters to tie is a bicycle tire inner tube. I attach bull snaps to either end with "C" clamps, and it works wonderfully. It has enough give that they don't panic and can't really hurt themselves by pulling back, but exerts enough pressure when they pull against it that they quickly give up trying to pull (it's too much work). I've used it for lots of babies and it has always worked for me.

This is what we do and we have also had very good success with this method.

[tarragon]

I'm going to amend my previous post a bit by adding that I don't just tie a baby to the tube and leave them. I start when they are just a few weeks old by holding them in the stall with their dams, asking them to stand still for just a minute or two while I scratch on them, then move on to looping the lead rope through a stall bar while I hold the other end so they get the general idea of being attached to something while I groom or rub on them. I usually don't start actually teaching them to tie until after weaning.