HELP FOR HORSE RIDERS. PROBLEMS WITH TYING UP

PROBLEMS with TYING UP

Problems with tying up are either mild, or severe. Mild problems occur when the horse is feeling a little insecure/anxious and can't stand still - often when having moved to a new home and everything is new, strange and different. Primarily, he can't stand still, fidgets a lot and may paw the ground.

A severe problem is usually caused by a moment of panic, although mild anxiety can escalate. The horse horse wants to get away in a hurry. He pulls back to get free and finds himself trapped. Deep panic sets in and he fights all the harder to free himself - when anything can happen. He may rear, fall over or break something, all the while, fighting furiously to free himself.

	1. Mild anxiety ... The problem may be resolved by simply giving him a haynet to occupy his mouth and his mind. If he still moves around, so be it. Just follow him and do what you have to do. Every now and then, you can ask him to stand still, but don't make an issue out of it. The more you fuss, the more anxious he will be!
	2. Severe anxiety/panic Do what you have to do by holding the lead-rope, instead of tying him up. This can be a little inconvenient, as the horse may, at first walk around you. Let him do this. When horses are anxious, they need to move. However, if you keep him on a small circle, going round you (a) you can carry on with what you need to do and (b) sooner or later, he'll get bored/tired of it and stand still.
	How long it takes him to come to a stop depends on the level of anxiety. He may stop after a few minutes, or it may take a few days for him to realise that no harm comes from this activity - that he is not trapped and is free to move.
	When the fear of being tied up has subsided, you should be able to tie up again, but go cautiously at first. By now, he should have learned to stand quietly, while you groom, tack up etc. But when you start tying up again, it's a good idea to simply loop the rope through or round the gate or tie-ring, so if he does pull back, he can free himself instantly.
	Alternatively, you can teach your horse to ground- tether, which can be useful in other situations, is a fun thing to do and shows complete trust between you and the horse. It's a natural progression from holding the rope in your hand. When you are confident that he really isn't going anywhere, just drop the rope to the ground. NB. This mare once had severe problems with tying up ... !!