Tying Knots that Work for Horses - For Students of... What kind of knot is used for...
If you want to figure out how to make a certain knot, you can use a halter rope, a piece of baling twine, or a shoelace.If you are trying to make a knot with rope or twine, it is easy to see the steps and figure them out.
The simplest knot of all is Overhand Knot, which you make first when tying your shoes.The first step in forming a more complex knot is the overhand knot.
The best knot to use when tying two ropes or twines together is square knot, because you don't want it to slip or come undone.A square knot consists of two overhand knots, one on top of the other, but the second in reverse direction.The square knot looks like two closed loops that are linked together.
If the ropes or twines being tied together are not too slippery, a properly tied square knot won't slip.There are two overhand knots tied in the same direction, so make sure you don't tie a granny knot.If you need it to hold securely, it is not a dependable knot.
If you are tying two ropes of vastly different diameter together, a square knot may not hold.It is possible to tie a leader to a fish-line in this situation.Make a bend in the larger diameter rope and thread the smaller rope around it, coming back out under itself.Pull everything tight.Make a bend in the larger rope, put the smaller one through it, around one side, under the other side and back over itself.The two ropes will be secured when you pull everything tight.
When tying a horse to a post or fence rail, this quick-release knot is often used.A reefers knot, also known as a bowknot, is a good non-slip knot and has the advantage of being more easily untied when a horse has pulled back on the rope.
If you want to tie this quick-release knot, you need to put the working end of the rope around the post or pole.Pull until the knot is tight, then double the rope under the part that is coming away from the pole and pull through the first loop.The free end of the rope is what you want to untie.
If a horse nibbles on his rope, you can run the free end down through the loop to keep him from pulling on it.You have to pull the free end out of the loop before you can untie it.
One of the best ways to tie a rope around a horse's neck is with a non-slip knot.It is easy to untie this knot.
The rope should be positioned so that it is left and right.Pass the working end over the long part to form a right-hand loop.Put the rope between your thumb and index finger to secure the loop.The rope should be inserted into the loop from the back.Wrap the working end around the back of the standing part.Put the working end in the loop from the front.Stand the rope in your left hand and hold the working end and the right hand part of the loop together.Attach the knot by pulling it to shape.The amount of working end that you originally allowed for will affect the size of the loop.
The rabbit and tree story is an easy way to remember how to tie a bowline.The first loop has a rabbit hole, a tree and a working end of the rope.The rabbit runs around the tree after coming out of the hole.
CLOVE HITCH is a simple wrap around a pole, created by putting the rope once around the pole and poking the working end of it under itself as you bring it around to complete the second loop.If a horse cannot pull off a pole fastened to the far side of the fence posts or a pipe fence rail, this knot should only be used.It can be used in conjunction with an easy-untie knot to keep the rope from sliding down a slippery tree.
Combine it with a knot like a bowline to make it easier to untie.To keep the rope from sliding, first tie a clove hitch around the pole.Take the two ends that are left and tie a bowline around them.Since the bowline is not a slip knot, it will be easy to untie if the horse pulls on it.
The clove hitch can be made by bending the working end through the rope.The knot can be undone with a quick pull on the working end.
The ring knot is a good knot to use for tying a horse to a ring.Put the twisted loop through the ring by twisting the rope a few times.A second loop can be created by putting a loop through the first loop.A tail on the working end of the rope can be pulled for untying if a loop is put through it.
This makes a tie that won't tighten up very much if a horse pulls on it.If you pull on the tail end, it has the advantage of quick and total release.The rope falls out of the ring after a quick jerk.You don't need to let go of the rope end to get it through the ring.
The double half knot acts like a slipknot and is a handy way to secure a rope in a hurry.Take the working end of the rope in your right hand as you position the standing part to your left.The working end can be passed over the rail or around the post.Put it under the standing part of the rope and into the loop from the bottom.The second half of the hitch can be formed by repeating this step.
A properly tied quick-release knot allows you to pull on the end of the rope to untie it, no matter how tight the knot has been pulled.For a quick, safe and easy knot for tying a horse, put a loop of the rope around the post through the tie ring.The ring or post should be twisted a couple of times.It would be hard to untangle the knot if it was pulled so tight.There will be some flexibility when you have to loosen the knot because the twist makes a little space between the various parts of the rope.The rope is pulled through a twisted loop toward the horse.If the horse set back at that point, your hand would not be caught in the loop if you did this with your fingertips.Don't put your hand through a loop in a halter rope.
The first loop is pulled through the second loop.Put one or two fingers through the second loop to grab a piece of the rope that is attached to the post or tie ring.The piece is pulled through the loop and the rope that goes to the horse is tightened.Pull on the loose end of the rope to untie this kind of knot.Even if the knot is tight, the horse can be quickly released in an emergency.
The horse may be able to untie himself by nibbling and pulling on the loose end of the rope if you leave him alone.If you put the free end of the rope through the last loop, it can be undone in an emergency.You have to remove the end of the rope from the loop before you can pull the knot loose.
Sometimes you need a small, secure loop in the end of a rope to create a bigger slip loop, such as in a lariat.An easy way to do this is to make an overhand knot and leave at least 6 inches of free end.Run the free end around the standing part of the rope and back through the overhand knot.You can run the other end of the rope through a neat loop if you pull everything tight.
Heather Smith Thomas grew up on a ranch.She wrote thousands of articles on animal health care.Getting Started with Beef and Dairy Cattle is one of her books.The 4th edition of my book, Storey's Guide to Training Horses, was just published.Since 1967, she and her husband Lynn have been raising cattle and horses on their ranch in central Idaho.