Teaching a horse to hobble

[Shadow14]

I feel every horse should learn to hobble and try to teach every one of my animals . It teaches the horse to give to pressure and accept your dominance. It also teaches patience. I am also concerned about some day catching a wire in a shoe and having a wreck.

My first horse that I taught it too was in 1986 and having a big arena with soft footing and 8 foot walls I just put them on her and turned her loose to work it out. And work it out she did but have you ever watched a horse run wildly around with both feet tied together?? Not a pretty site.
My next horse I wanted to do it more gently so I spent a few years teaching the horse until I could safely tie a lead to the halter and trust him to not panic when his legs tangled so he could be staked out.
I know this is not hobbling but it goes along with hobbling.
That was Strider.
Then came Shadow and I spent 10 minutes for 2 nights with a helper and the 3rd night he wore hobbles and wore them every day for at least 1/2 hour. He was no longer crossed tied in the barn but hobbled instead.
Well tonight I decide to teach Rio to hobble and I didn’t have a helper so I put a cuff on one leg, tied a soft rope to it and lifted a foot and when he tried putting it down I just pulled it back up and after a few minutes he accepted so I move to the other foot and did the same.
Once he accepted on both feet I just buckled the hobbles on and went about grooming. He wore them for about 1/2 hour and I would push him sideways just to make him feel the restriant on his feet.
He accepted without a single fight so from now on evey day Rio wears hobbles.
Once spring comes he will start wearing a single cuff on the near/left hind and learn to be tied up to graze with a long rope and cuff.
It is not hard to teach, takes little time and I feel it is worth the small effort.
It is just one more thing my horse learns to yield too.

Anyone else teach hobbling???

[Guilherme]

Ayup!

We’ll put the horse in a stall without hay but with water for a couple of hours. I then take them into a nice, lush patch of grass but don’t allow them to eat until the hobbles are on. I then tie the lead rope “cavalry style” around the neck and step back. They immediately start to “chow down.” After a few minutes they’ll try to taks a step. Most “lurch” forward a couple of steps, figure out they can’t go anywhere, then resume eating.

The most “dramatic” event was one mare that spent about 5 min. struggling against the hobbles before she gave up and resumed eating. She managed to travel about 25 yards and bump the side of the barn a couple of time before she gave it up.

Our own “grassy knoll” is completely free from rocks, stobs, sticks, or other debris before we begin. We’ll repeat the process a couple of times. No more problems. :lol:

Something I’ve not used but want to experiment with this year is “sidelines.” With these instead of restricting the front two feet a line is attached to the front and rear foot on the same side. The length of the line is about 75% of a normal stride, meaning that the horse always moves in a circle.

The “sideline” can be made of heavy “line” (soft-laid marine nylon works well). It’s attached to “cuffs” identical to chain hobbles. I’ve also seen the lines made of chain.

These were favored in many uses over hobbles as the circular track of the horse kept them confined to a limited area and if they spooked they just ran in circles. A horse in traditional hobbles can move pretty quickly and, over time, can cover a fair piece of ground (several miles, overnight).

G.

[twofatponies]

I have seen hobble trained horses step in wire, stand on their own reins, and other potential disasters without being the slightest bit bothered, simple standing still or gently extracting themselves without any anxiety. It certainly seems like a good safety thing to teach if you will be camping out or otherwise working in the countryside.

I like the grass-eating method - sounds safer than “let them work it out”, especially with an older horse that is more liable to injure itself hopping around.

[Shadow14]

[QUOTE=Guilherme;3799790]
Ayup!

Something I’ve not used but want to experiment with this year is “sidelines.” With these instead of restricting the front two feet a line is attached to the front and rear foot on the same side. The length of the line is about 75% of a normal stride, meaning that the horse always moves in a circle.

The “sideline” can be made of heavy “line” (soft-laid marine nylon works well). It’s attached to “cuffs” identical to chain hobbles. I’ve also seen the lines made of chain.

G.[/QUOTE]

This method was used by the arabs in the 1800’s for grazing but they kept the side line very short. They said it rounded the back when the head dropped so the back remained strong and didn’t droop.
I have never tried it that way but you will find a cuff and line to a single back ley really works well. The horse quickly learns to test the leg before moving forward so when he hits the end he stops, backs up the step he was about to take and turns to the left and grazes off in a new direction but it is ALWAYS to the left if tied on the left hind.
Strider took years of me holding the line and watching that he didn’t get into trouble but eventually he would tangle a leg and just lift the offending leg and shake the rope off without getting upset. I don’t want to go that route ever again. The one hind leg really works and Shadow was grazing in a single hind leg hobble within a week or two.
You can buy soft cuffs for about $5 each. Buy two and then using a big elastic band tie it between the 2 rings on the cuff. This way the horse has a soft hobble, one that he can actually lift a foot and feel partial freedom but the steady pull of the elastic pulls the foot back down and he quickly learns to yield to the steady pressure and yet at the same time feels some freedom of movement. I wear this soft elastic cuff for say a week and then firm it up with a much stronger elastic link and within another week he is wearing a normal center link.
The hind leg I put on a cuff and get someone to lead the horse a step forward while I hold a rope attached to the back cuff. When the horse takes this step forward I hold solid to the rope and after one or two tries which I and the handler can control the horse stops immediately and steps backwards to put the foot back on the ground. I then graze them by holding a rope attached to the halter and in the other hand the one attached to the hind cuff. I hold the hind cuff rope a little shorter then the halter rope so when the horse walks forward as they all do grazing he bumps into the hind rope first. They usually quickly learn to just turn to the left which is into you and graze on past you again if there is a wreck you still have the halter lead so you can drop the hind leg and control the horse.
Again this might sound more complicated then it really is but if a week or two your horse should be trained if you spend a little time each night.

As for ground tying or just dropping the reins this all helps train the horse for this simple exercise. If my horse steps on the rein he will just stop, not fight it but just stop and stand.
I also find that attaching a few twine strings to a halter and then turning the horse out to free graze quickly teaches him if he steps on the string and tries to lift his head and finds it restricted not to panic and simpley lift the offending foot. Strider could tell every time which foot was causing the problem and he didn’t violently jerk his head up and panic

[Icecapade]

all our horses hobble… my dad used to be big into packing while kids were at home and before he got deployed. Most of our horses can move quiet efficiently… ranging up to a couple hundred yards from the camp site =) My friends mustang moved faster hobbled than standing. Impressive to seem him leaping about to frolic… =)

my horse stand about 90% of the time, I usually hobble while saddling, but at a boarders barn sometimes its just not practical… I need to start again…

I soft hobble in these circumstances.

[Guilherme]

We’ve taught ours to “ground tie” for many years. It’s a nice base for lots of stuff (mounting, tacking and untacking when no tie space is available, trailer loading, etc.).

When using sidelines or hobbles or picket lines or other such systems people in the past had a “watch” set to periodically check the stock and ensure that entanglements, wanderings, etc. were kept to a minimum. Military organizations had somebody awake all night; most civilians had persons designated to get up at set times to check on the stock.

IIRC picket pins are used with hobbles; I’m not sure if they were used with sidelines.

We’re not real big on “wilderness stuff.” My idea of “roughing it” is the Holiday Inn Express vice the Crown Plaza. :lol: Still, I recognize that being able to effectively restrain a horse when stalls and/or corrals are not available is a Very Good Thing.

G.

[Shadow14]

I keep all my tac at home, not at the barn and I carry it in the back of my truck to and from. Each and every ride I stop a few hundred yards from home, get off, loosen the girth and hand walk the horse to the back of the truck. There I drop the reins and go about untacking the horse and myself. The horse learns quickly that any shifting is not allowed and in a short order they stand quietly. With Strider I went so far as to totally untack including the head stall so he ended up standing there with nothing on him and he woundn’t move.
'Rio is not at that stage but he does ground tie fairly well.
I would leave Strider for a few hours while staked out with a long rope but I did check on him after a few hours.

[Auventera_Two]

Great posts Norval!

I don’t know how to hobble train, but I have always left lead ropes laying on the ground while they graze, as a training exercise. After one or two “freak outs” they figure out to just move their foot off the rope and continue on. It helps them with tying up solid to a post or tree or the horse trailer. Its just good trail horse training. Horses can’t freak when they feel pressure on their head. Anything can happen out there and they need to be able to stay calm.

[chicamuxen1]

Years ago I worked with a bunch of 2-3 yr old Appys that belonged to this rancher/feedlot owner. They had basicly run wild in a couple of big pastures. They had been caught with a rope a couple of times I guess as the colts were castrated but they didn’t know how to lead or anything else. He wanted to be able to sell this bunch of youngsters so I did basic gentling, catching, tying, desensitizing, etc. He had these corrals with immense 6’ wood fences, corrals that were used for sorting cattle but they worked well for this work I was doing on the babies. I decided to do some hobbling with each of them just to get them accustomed to restraint. Since I worked alone I’d start with each one tied up to the big inner tube on the post, did some farting around with a single hobble then hobble both fronts and untied them. This was going really well! Until I got to the last filly.

He had this one gorgeous near leopard filly, tall and elegant, who’s dam was a NZ TB/App cross. She was very classy, definitely the cream of the crop and soooo smart. I got to the point where I unclipped her tie rope and stepped back. She lifted one front foot and tested the hobble, tried the other leg, reached down and really sniffed those hobbles over and I could see her thinking the situation over. Then she looked up and gazed off past me. She looked so calm and thoughtful, little did I know that she was gazing past me to the corral gate that I had left open. Then she left! She just lifted up both front feet and loped out of the corral into another corral, passed thru THAT open gate, took a right at the corner of the barn, thru the barnyard and out ANOTHER open gate to the dirt rode out front where she hooked a left. I wasn’t standing still, I was in hot pursuit but that filly was moving fast. When she made the road she stretched out into a funny looking but fast gallop and headed down the center of the road towards town. I was left standing in the middle of the road watching her disappear into the distance. I was without transportation unless I went and saddled up my own horse. I was thinking about how to tell Dale the ranch owner about what had happened.

At this point that filly was a small whitish figure waaaaay down the road. She stopped at the crossroads, probably thinking over her options. Go right into town and run down the middle of the highway or turn left and head out into the endless BLM land along the Snake River. Instead, she turned around and headed back, full steam ahead. I planted myself in the middle of the road hoping I could keep her from running past the gate but she had already decided to come home and she turned into the barnyard on her own then back into the corrals. I finally started shutting gates. What’s that saying about the barn door? Lucky for me the horse came home. I never did tell Dale about that hobbled horse gone astray. I figured if a neighbor told him then I’d explain.

Some horses get smart really quick about hobbles.

Bonnie S.

[Shadow14]

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;3800750]
Great posts Norval!

.[/QUOTE]

Thanks A2. I use to think it was hard but not anymore. Once you do a couple without a struggle of any kind you get a system worked out the works for you.
When I bought Rio 3 1/2 months ago he was almost totally unhandled, unspoiled so to speak:lol::lol::lol: and I have my way of handling horses. Firm but my way all the way. He quickly learned I am dominent and quickly learned to give to whatever I decided. I just knew he would accept so last night I decided it was time and he will wear them from now on for short periods each night while I groom him.
If I don’t ride I do groom. I feel I have to handle a horse daily to keep routine and a closeness.
I don’t know if your mare would accept right off but she sure can be tested quick enough to see???
2 people , a soft rope and 10 minutes is all it takes

[Shadow14]

Good story Bonnie and she sounds like a great horse.
I have a similiar one. A few of us crossed a fairly deep fast flowing river unto an island. We dicided to tie the horses and go skinny dipping or whatever:lol::lol: Me being smarter then the rest decided to hobble my mare and yes I rode a mare at this time, anyway I hobbled her to let her graze while we undressed. Well a little time passed and suddenly off ran my mare, both feet tied hobbled but off she ran with me butt naked in hot persuit. I was hoping the deep fast flowing water would stop her and it did but I looked mightly stupid running buck naked after her and then leading her back:lol::lol::lol:

But it is a memory and makes me smile

[Juneberry]

Thanks for this post. I would like to teach my guy to hobble. heck I’d like to teach him to stand still! he’s off the track and I know they let the TB’s pretty much do whatever on the line as long as they are safe. So we are working on good ground manners, but the standing… not going so well.

I’ll stand him some where and take a step back and he’ll come with me so I tell him no, make him back up and reinforce with a “stand”. I’ll step away and here he comes with me again. We’ve been working on it for a few weeks now (not every day unfortunately because of time) and it’s not that he’s dumb. he’s actually very very smart. I guess he dosen’t see the point in standing.

My question is, does your horse need to be good at standing first before training to hobble? or would training to hobble help reinforce standing still?

[Shadow14]

I feel teaching hobbling teaches a horse to stand quiet. Both Strider and Shadow would freeze when I stopped to talk to someone. They never moved a foot and when I stop for a pee break with Rio he also freezes but that is due to me getting on his case if you moves or spoils my moment:lol::lol:

To teach a horse to hobble have someone hold the horse while you put a soft rope around the one front pastern. Do not make a loop around the pastern, fold the rope in half and put it around the pastern, again no 360 degree wrap, just 180 degrees, the rope does NOT go all around the foot.
Now with you holding and standing beside the horse get you assistant to lead/encourage the horse to make a single step forward. When the foot starts to leave the ground hold the rope to prevent it from moving. If the horse panics drop the rope and start again. In a few tries the horse will go to move and when feeling the rope suddenly stop. The minute he relaxes the foot praise him. Do both front feet for no more then a few minutes each.
Do this for a few days until you feel comfortable that he is not going to fight restraints. Shadow fought it 2 times the first day, 2 times each foot and I did all 4. The next day he didn’t fight and the next I put soft hobbles on him. Our saddle shop sells soft hobbles, you can make them out of an old leather coat or whatever, even cloth. They are easy to make and I will post pictures tonight off my home computer.
Soft hobbles gives the horse some freedom to struggle without toppling himself and every few days you can tighten up the soft link between them
Again cuffs can be bought or homemade with cloth or soft leather from a old coat and a normal sewing machine.
I will post pictures if anyone wants and carry on with more on this again if anyone wants.
It is easy, safe if done like I suggest and worthwhile

[Juneberry]

sounds great shadow. I know what I’m working on tonight!

[Icecapade]

safest with rope first… my hobbles are just regular soft yacht rope… take a turn and a half around far leg, twist twist turn and a half around the near leg… tie.

the advantage to that especially with other horses near by, is if they really get into a pickle, they eventually will get free. if you are in close proximty to other horses, and one gets lose and crashes into your hard hobbled horse you can have serious damage done. its a good way to start too while you are standing there, they will fight and correct but if they panic they won’t be tearing themselves to shreds.

[Shadow14]

Th![](s is what I call a soft hobble. It is the one that Rio is wearing. It is 2 soft pieces of leather but cloth will do with a ring sewn in either end and a couple of links and a heavy rubber band. It is simple to make , clips quickly around the leg and with the soft link the horse can lift a foot but he will quickly put it back down due to the pressure of the elastic.
I used this pair all the time but have bought ones also
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/2aan6gx.jpg)

[Icecapade]

I would refer only to a soft hobble as one that is temporary… a hard hobble regardless of material is one that must be undone to be released… such as clips as you have shown. its not going to go come undone, its going to break after a point…

but I could see how you would call it soft.

[katarine]

I’ve taught some to hobble, not all. I prefer to start with teaching them to be led by their feet, so the feel of that restraint isn’t completely new to them. Good way to teach foot handling manners too w/o getting kicked.

Then, a basic variant of Guilherme’s way: Loose in a round pen, not a stall, with water. Then, in a nice spot with grass, etc. Until you feel they are cool with it, multiple sessions I mean, and multiple locations…retaining a long line on one leg as a whoa reminder is a good idea. Once they learn they can run in hobbles, they aren’t put off by the idea of doing so. The canter/gallop looks funny, and they don’t often go very far…but a fit horse wanting to go home? Sure, they are outta there. Easy to catch once they are tuckered, though LOL.

The sidelines sound interesting.

There’s a joke if you’ve been packing horses (meaning packtrips in backcountry) for 20 years, you’ve been looking for horses for 10 of 'em.:lol: We don’t hobble out there when doing backcountry rides- we tie a few, leave a few loose to graze, then tie everyone overnight. Gotta know your horses to know who’s in love with who, and therefore who needs tied, and the other, let loose to eat.

[Guilherme]

I dunno, Katherine. As I read your post all I could think about was “Trust in Allah but tie your camel!” :lol:

Some horses take some time to figure out hobbles, some don’t. Most of mine were the latter (and I’d say the same about the Walkers we broke to hobbles long ago). One of them was a really nice, honest 16.2h Palomino mare we named “Rita.” That was short for “La Cabrita” (or “little she goat”) 'cause that mare would eat anything that didn’t eat her first!!!

She broke to the hobbles very well. Almost. One day I was out checking fence and found some sapplings had come down. None were all that big so I figured I could clear them myself. I got down, hobbled Rita, tied her to a small bush where she could graze and went to clearing. Suddenly I heard a big “crunch” and turned around, only to see that she had set back, broken the branch she was tied to, and was high-tailing it home. She ran almost like a jackrabbit, with large “bounds” that were almost as high as they were long. Fortunately it was only a 10 min. walk back home.

Hobbles are good things to use under the right circumstances. They do have thier limits, but the plusses certainly outweigh the minusses.

G.

[katarine]

Guilherme, you are dead on right! They are a good tool, but I couldn’t sleep at night thinking well they are hobbled, they’ll be here in the AM. Nope, boing boing boing there they go. We just have to be smart about who’s loose and who’s tied. they all know the only grain around is in camp, in a coffee can. That helps too

Not long after we met, my SO and I were picnicking on our neighbor’s farm. Hobbled the QHs to graze on a lush field, set out our little hoity toity picnic of cheeses, grapes, cracker, a little wine, ahhh…oh **** there goes Jake boing boing boing…then JJ figured it out boing boing boing those rat *astards were headed out. I was afraid they’d make it all the way off the farm (deal was leave the main gate open so he’d know we were back there) and scare our sweet neighbor. So we go hightailing it after them. Found them exhausted, still hobbling, sides heaving, about halfway to the front of the property. Regrouped, hard tied those dingdongs, and returned to find a very satisfied Noodle Dog cleaning up the last of the cheese. We fed the horses the dog-haired grapes, had a glass of wine and drank a toast to never hobbling those two, again