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Preparing for my first overnight - hi-ties?

Endurance and Trail Riding
#1

Will some of you experienced campers please help me decide on what type of tying or containment system to invest in. I really like the ide of the trailer tie system:
http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/EasyCare_HiTie_Horse_Trailer_Tie_System/descpage-HTHTTS.html

but the price of a picket line is much more appealing. The costs for my first LD are really adding up so I’d love to picket if it’s safe, and something that isn’t frowned upon. Having never, ever camped with horses before, I’ll appreciate any advice you can give.

#2

Easy tie or just tie to the trailer (risking some sleep loss) or a high line.

We never leave ours out on a picket line over night-that’s only for when you’re watching them. We tie ours to trees or the trailer for the night. If we’re out in the wilderness we use our battery operated fencer for grazing but that won’t work as well for small spaces. Still tie them at night. Nothing worse than lying there in the dark wondering if you just heard your horses get loose and run off!

#3

![]( did Competitive Trail rides for many years and always tied to the trailer with this set up:
[IMG]http://pic100.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1111/4304110/17325803/269316606.jpg)

A piece of plywood to cover the wheel well and help prevent injury. Horse would lay down and never had a problem.

#4

Wow, what a relief! Thank you both for saving me some cash :). I thought it was totally unacceptable to tie to teh trailer for some reason - remember, I keep thinking there are all of the rules that don’t seem to exist in endurance!

#5

You may feel every move they make if you’re sleeping in the trailer, just a warning in case you need to be well rested :wink: My horses have camped hundreds of times overnight on a picket line and we’ve never had an issue. We’ve seen other people with issues though, so you want to do it right if you do it. Keep your line high, don’t do overlong tie ropes, keep a light handy for the middle of the night and the unexpected noise. Have a sharp knife handy.

#6

I won’t feel anything since I don’t have living quarters :). I may or may not try to sleep in the tackroom, depending on if I fit (have never tried). Otherwise I’m pitching a tent.

Will someone explain what a high line is?

#7

You can sweep out the back of the trailer and toss down plastic or other floor covering, add a folding cot or air mattress and sleep back there.

#8

High line? Picket line? A rope between two trees (or whatever lol). It’s just a very strong rope strung between two end posts of some sort, usually trees in my case. One end is a loop around the tree with an old western cinch underneath to keep the tree from being debarked/cut…the other end is using a come along that you use to tighten the line as it stretches. I have knots making loops in my line already but you can buy neat little swivel rings too. You attach the lead rope to the loop with a safety knot and your horse to the snap end :wink: I hang my hay nets on the line so they can munch whenever they want. I offer water but don’t tie the bucket, I don’t like the chance of horses getting tangled…everyone has their own way they do it and have had success with.

#9

question: Why don’t you leave them in the trailer with lots of bedding, hay and water - no different than a standing stall?

We leave ours in the trailer at events - take out some dividers and it is like a full stall - I don’t understand why people have issues with this.

We were at an event and our horse kept breaking out of the HORRIBLE stalls provided - since we already had dividers out of the trailer we put her in there overnight with water/hay and shavings. We were chastised but I don’t see an issue with it.

#10

[QUOTE=trubandloki;6941945]
You can sweep out the back of the trailer and toss down plastic or other floor covering, add a folding cot or air mattress and sleep back there.[/QUOTE]

blush I never thought of that! I am such a rookie.

As for keeping them in the trailer…is it a noise issue? Or the risk of getting cast?

#11

For your first LD I’d say tie to the trailer. At the ride you can look around for ideas and decide what you’d like to do. The plywood is a great idea, as is fender trim (to make that sharp edge a little softer). I sleep in the back of my truck, still attached to trailer of course, and when horse is hard-tied to the trailer you do certainly feel it!

I have the high-tie you linked to, and I really love it. But you want to practice at home first, to make sure your horse is OK with it. Being tied over their head it is harder to get leverage.

Most of the rides I go to don’t have access to trees for high-lines, but I do that when camping. I also have tied one side to the off ring on the trailer, rope over the top, then to a tree (if one one is available). So many options, have fun!

#12

[QUOTE=trubandloki;6941945]
You can sweep out the back of the trailer and toss down plastic or other floor covering, add a folding cot or air mattress and sleep back there.[/QUOTE]

blush I never thought of that! I am such a rookie.

As for keeping them in the trailer…is it a noise issue? Or the risk of getting cast?

#13

[QUOTE=kasjordan;6941948]
High line? Picket line? A rope between two trees (or whatever lol). It’s just a very strong rope strung between two end posts of some sort, usually trees in my case. One end is a loop around the tree with an old western cinch underneath to keep the tree from being debarked/cut…the other end is using a come along that you use to tighten the line as it stretches. I have knots making loops in my line already but you can buy neat little swivel rings too. You attach the lead rope to the loop with a safety knot and your horse to the snap end :wink: I hang my hay nets on the line so they can munch whenever they want. I offer water but don’t tie the bucket, I don’t like the chance of horses getting tangled…everyone has their own way they do it and have had success with.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly what I’ve done forever. Good luck on your ride! I’m sure you will have a great time and no matter how your horse is tied it will turn out great :slight_smile:

#14

Thanks Reagan! And thanks for the explanation kasjordan - super helpful!

#15

A battery operated fence charger, step in plastic posts, 1/2in, white polytape or the smaller orange 1/4in tape…

 I was at a ride this past weekend -- and didnt see one horse tied to > anything. All were contained in some arrangement of small paddock. A few were even grouped together.

There were 140 entries, all without incident.

 It even rained that night, with many horses in blankets, including mine ..and still without issue in paddocking. Hang a hay bag off your trailer, water and feed buckets can hang there too ... 

 Just another opinion.
#16

Well, that certainly seems like an economical option too. I’ll look in to that!

#17

If you leave him on the trailer, he can’t move around at all, which will leave you with a pretty stiff horse in the morning (unless you leave him loose in a stock trailer, I guess, but it’s still tight quarters).

I would second irish_horse’s suggestion to just tie to the trailer for your first LD, making sure that you’ve done it at home first and know that your horse will stand quietly for long periods of time. That way, you can scope out what everyone else is doing at the ride, ask questions, and decide what you like best before you spend $$$. You will see MANY different set-ups :slight_smile:

If you decide to go the trailer route: make sure your set-up is safe, no low-hanging hay nets or things they can get caught on, and make sure they can reach everything they need. You probably won’t want to sleep in the trailer if the horse is tied to the outside, because the noise/vibration might keep you up. You’d probably be better off in a tent. Good luck and have fun!

#18

A friend lost a gelding who scratched his ear with a hind hoof while highlined and he hooked the rope behind his pastern. These are experienced trail riders who ‘know’ how to highline safely. He didn’t survive the night and was found dead in the morning.

When I learned that a few weeks ago- highlining became a maybe in the daylight, and a no no at night. I’ll be crafting a step in post/hot tape/solar charger paddock.

#19

Kat- that happened here a few years ago too. A friend lost her little Morgan. Got his leg over the lead rope and the rope just tore his leg up. Husband got me this rubber tubing that I sectioned and put over my lead ropes, no rope burn if they ever get hung up. I usually make their halters about 2 holes looser at night too, just in case so they could maybe pull off easier. (After hearing you know a horse too, I may just go to breakaway halter for my little one who’s prone to panic and pull) Just an extra idea maybe.
You can see the rubber tubing in this pic-
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/kasjordan/picketlinelovins.jpg

#20

I’ve only highlined with a collar.

OP, you know your horse best and what he/she is comfortable with. Is it IN the trailer, tied to the trailer that you have made safer, highlined (if doable where you are camping) or in an electric corral. All those take practice to get the horse comfortable and safe.
When I did CTRs, you HAD to tie to the trailer and walking through camp in the middle of the night it was very quiet and half the horses would be laying down. Never saw anyone get hurt. Hi ties were permitted also but few had them as they were so pricey.
It also help to take your horse for a ride when you get there and let them expand a bit of energy.

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