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Spinoff. How do I teach my gelding to ground tie?

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  • #1

    Spinoff. How do I teach my gelding to ground tie?

    I think this would be handy, especially since he is a puller and has lots of bad history with being tied (I will never trust him 100%). How does one go about teaching this? I mean he will pretty much stand there when the rope and halter are on, but I know it is just becuase he doesn't have anywhere else he feels like going to at that moment. He isn't "trained" to do it. Also can you ground tie on grass--why don't they wander away...
    DIY Journey of Remodeling the Farmette: http://weownblackacre.blogspot.com/
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  • #2
    I have one horse trained to ground tie. He was trained as a yearling, and it takes some time and patience. Basically you put the horse where you want him, and using some sort of queue (mine is a very quick gentle tug down on the lead line) and say "whoa". Any time the horse moves from the spot, put him back using the same queues. Then start moving around the horse, or away from the horse, and if he moves, immediatedly go back and put him back in the same spot.

    Eventually they get it. I used to be able to ground tie in the arena (not grass), go into the barn and get a piece of tack, and come back, and the horse is still in the same spot.

    However, I don't think he would ground tie on grass, that is just way too much temptation.
    There are friends and faces that may be forgotten, but there are horses that never will be. - Andy Adams

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    • #3
      I've taught a few of my horses to ground tie... and come to think of it, I really should teach my 5 y/o too. I have done similar to the above poster.

      Start by working on concrete or dirt (or anything not tasty ) drop the rope to the ground (so that the horse can feel some weight pulling down on his halter) and give a gentle but definite tug down on the lead rope and say 'stand.' If the horse moves, I place them back where they were (back them 1 step, step them forward, push them over, whichever way is necessary to 'undo' the step they took from their 'stand' position,) give a tug down on the rope and say 'stand.' Rinse. Repeat, but not more than say 5 -10 minutes per day, you don't want the idea to get tired.

      The kicker is that when the horse stands for his alloted amount of time without moving, he gets a reward (a treat, scratches, whatever makes your horse feel like he's the best) EVERY time throughout the training process. Do NOT skip the reward, if you want your horse to perform as asked, he needs some incentive.

      Once they're to the point of standing while you're there, you start to remove yourself and 'test' your horse. Start by taking 5 steps away, once you can wait 60 seconds without them moving and you having to correct them, you increase the distance to say 12 steps away. Once that's good, you start the tricky one - being out of sight. Place your horse by a tack room, stall, etc. so that you only have to take a few steps before you are hidden from your horse (but close enough to hear if he moves a foot, because that requires correction.) Once your horse has got that one down, you've got a horse that will pretty successfully ground tie and you're ready to start really 'testing' him. Extend your periods of time for ground tying, and work him on grass too. Correct your horse IMMEDIATELY when he moves the 1st step, every time.

      By training in this method, I've had great success. I had years where I never tied my gelding, except for hosing him off. He would stand 30+ minutes without moving for grooming and tacking, 5+ minutes in a dirt OR grass ring while I marched around adjusting jumps, etc. The trick is patience, it takes a while to get this button firmly installed, but once it's there, it's wonderful to have a horse that with a tug on the rein will stand still in a ring with other horses so that you can adjust fences, help another rider, etc.

      Good luck!

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      • #4
        Good advice.
        Just remember that a ground tied horse is not really secure, so try never to put your horse or others at risk by ground tying where, if your horse were to get loose, get into traffic or interfere with other horses, like at a show, camping, trail ride or any such place.

        Only ground tie where if the horse walks off, he is still properly confined.

        Most ranch horses ground tie, but if you are doing other than something right there and quickly, you hobble your horse, if you are smart, no matter how well trained your horse is, because the unexpected that may spook your horse is bound to happen, sooner or later.

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        • #5
          If you use a very long rope, let it lie on the ground and you still have him even if you are not right next to him. If he moves, you can instantly make the rope snake and remind him to stand. Then he has to be put right back in the same spot.
          Proud member of People Who Hate to Kill Wildlife clique

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          • #6
            Yup, stick them in a spot, queue, and correct if needed. It really helps if your horse understands the "stand" command...undersaddle, and when you're just generally interacting with them.

            Ground tying is remarkably handy, especially if you're a jumper or you like to set up trail patterns. Nothing is more annoying than trying to simultaneously hold onto a fidgety horse and wrangle a heavy jump pole.

            But yes, like mentioned, it's really not for those situations where the horse could come into any sort of danger if he chose not to listen to his command/was spooked. I make my horse "stand" when I'm doing stuff in the ring, in the barn, putting a blanket on him out in the field (which is why it helps to have a verbal cue...I don't bring the halter with me, just tell him to "stand"), hosing him, or just generally going to be within a short distance of him. Although he's a calm boy, I wouldn't take the chance of ground tying him somewhere like a show, where for him to "get loose" would be potentially dangerous.

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            • #7
              how do you teach them not to freak out if they step on the lead line?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by dmj View Post
                how do you teach them not to freak out if they step on the lead line?
                We do that when we halter break horses.

                First, we get them used to a soft cotton rope being twirled and thrown all around them, top and bottom and inbetween.

                We put the horse in a very small space and leave the lead dragging.
                They learn to move around without stepping on it and when they do step on the rope, they learn to get off it and/or give to it and move on.

                You only do that while someone is keeping an eye, just in case, but I have yet to see a horse panic from it, they get used to the rope hanging there right off.
                We only do that one or two times and they learn to have something around their legs.
                Helps keeping them sensible if they ever get hung up in something.

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                • #9
                  thanks - appreciate it Bluey!

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                  • #10
                    My first horse came with this feature installed. It was great. I believe they taught her because she would sit back when tied and would break cross ties for sport.

                    I eventually taught her to tie but she would still sit back on the cross ties about once a month when she thought I wasnt paying attention. In teaching her to tie I unfortunately forgot to be strict about the ground tie. It was much harder to get her to ground tie again than it was to get her to actually tie. I have no idea why. Good luck!
                    There are stars in the Southern sky and if ever you decide you should go there is a taste of time sweetened honey.

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