Posted 2006-01-15 9:01 PM (#35507) Subject: Tie off or not!
Member
Posts: 12
Location: Wonderful WY
Load single horse in 2H straight load BP, do you tie off the horse when traveling or not? I have heard both, is it preference or is there meaning behind either way? Thanks
Posted 2006-01-15 9:34 PM (#35508 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Member
Posts: 9
Location: davis ok
i have allways tied mine,rather i was hauling in a slant or stock trailer.it could be i am just in the habit of doing it now.im sure someone culd give a reason behind it,but when i was hauling them in a stock trailer i didnt want them turning around.in a stright load trailer i would guess it would keep them from geting their head from turning towards the other horse next to them,or geting hurt..maybe... sorry i was'nt much help..
Posted 2006-01-15 10:43 PM (#35510 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 362 Location: Allegan, Michigan
I was always taught to tie them off. I have had a friend who lost a horse due to the fact she always let them loose in the straight load. The horse turned his head and tried to turn around. He ended up getting stuck and panicked breaking his neck. It was a costly experience for her. I have never ever ever had any issues with a horse being tied. I do use quick release snaps as a precaution. I can tell if a horse pulls back hard enough to release one. I pull over at the earliest safest spot and check them. I am seriously considering getting one of those cameras for the trailer. I am a worry wart...lol..
Posted 2006-01-16 1:01 PM (#35538 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Another example:
A friend lost a horse that was loose in a 2h straight load trailer. The horse got his head over the divider and stuck between the roof and the top of the divider. When he lost his footing in the struggle, he hanged himself to death.
If he had been tied, this type of injury wouldn't have happened. Maybe something else, but not this one.
This is not a "I heard story" I extricated the dead horse from the trailer
Posted 2006-01-16 4:09 PM (#35551 - in reply to #35538) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Veteran
Posts: 207 Location: Illinois
Originally written by hosspuller on 2006-01-16 1:01 PM
Another example:
A friend lost a horse that was loose in a 2h straight load trailer. The horse got his head over the divider and stuck between the roof and the top of the divider. When he lost his footing in the struggle, he hanged himself to death.
If he had been tied, this type of injury wouldn't have happened. Maybe something else, but not this one.
This is not a "I heard story" I extricated the dead horse from the trailer
[/QUOTE
Thanks for the sad story :-(
I have always tied, and firmly believe in doing that. I had a guy at the horse fair last year criticize me for doing that. He was trying to sell some gimmick for trailer tying. He said why would you want to tie? I replied, because it's hard to control a 30 foot trailer with 3 loose 1000 pound horses rocking it around!! I agree, use the trailer ties with panic snaps on both ends.
sorry your friend had such a sad lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing it.
Posted 2006-01-16 4:27 PM (#35554 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Veteran
Posts: 238 Location: West Coast
I always tie my horses. Be sure that you untie them *before* you open the divider or back door in case they try to back out.
Also.... in addition to what other's said about untied horses getting into trouble, I have seen untied horses in slant loads hurt themselves when they put their head under the divider.
Posted 2006-01-16 4:49 PM (#35557 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I don't know what is right or wrong. And surely wouldn't state it had to be done my way.
I thread my ropes through the tie ring on the head side of the slant load, But I've quit tying a knot in them. I drop the loose end into the manager or let it hang
My horses feel the resistance on the rope in the ring and stand just like they were tied. Even when I open the panel, they will stand until the see me pull the rope back through the tie ring. For me I can approach and grab the loose end of the lead prior to opening the panel and I have some control if a horse tries to back out before I'm ready. For 5 years I had a trailer where my horses could turn and walk out forward. My current trailer has storage under the manger, which makes the trailer narrower and the horses HAVE TO back out. My horses will try to turn around. So having a lead rope through a ring gives me control to keep them head forward. If the try to turn I bump their halter. If I tied, I would have to open the drop down windows and until prior to opening up the trailer back. With the manager and panel dividers it would be a very long reach from inside the trailer with out opening the panel and walking along the horse.
Posted 2006-01-17 6:50 AM (#35580 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
In a straight load or slant load, I ALWAYS tie the horse. I use panic straps and breakaway halters. I have even thinned down the breakaway strap on a couple of halters to make sure they will break if needed. In a stock trailer I don't tie unless I'm hauling more than 2 horses, or if the horses don't know each other. My 2 saddle horses prefer not being tied and like to face towards the rear when hauling. I think all horses will face towards the read if given the choice. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-02-01 7:10 PM (#36398 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Payson, Arizona
Hi - thought I would add my 2 cents here, I had never tied my horses, and never had any problem until recently. I was trailering back from an event with my daughter, and when we got home found my horse on the floor of the trailer, with his left front hoof caught under the divider in the manger. I thought he was dead at first, thought his leg was broke, it took all I had to free his leg, still he never moved at all untill I grabbed his lead & pulled. Luckily, he was uninjured and all is fine. Sure scared us to open the trailer to find him in that position, and not ever have felt a struggle from the cab. So I always tie off now, but as stated earlier in the thread, with a slip knot...
Posted 2006-02-02 12:42 PM (#36435 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
This isn't a clear cut issue. I do not tie them. I have a slant. Yes my horses have looked under the divider but they have not been dumb enough to crawl under. They stand just fine. They can drop their heads down to clear airways. They can much on hay in the bag or on the floor. I don't let those "horror" stories make me do anything different. Everyone knows someone who had something happen. if you want to tie them, fine. I don't.
Posted 2006-02-04 6:35 PM (#36561 - in reply to #35507) Subject: RE: Tie off or not!
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Omaha, NE
Our personal preferrence is to tie and tie low. Our trailer (slant) has rings at the top and bottom the window. Until about a year ago we used a bunge with a quick release attached to a top ring. After an event last year a professional hauler was assisting with loading a horse he had borrowed from us and he said always tie low to allow the horse to blow the gunk (not the technical term) out of their lungs. As they cannot do this unless their head is below their chest. This made sense to me.
Tie off or not!
