Steps on Putting a Horse Tie Down Together

Horses use their heads and necks to keep themselves in balance when moving free and when being ridden under saddle. Some horses maintain a steady and even head position under saddle, but others tend to throw their heads up too high. This can throw the horse off balance, and even cause the rider to lose some control. A tie down is a type of training aid designed to correct this behavior and urge the horse to carry his head in a more balanced manner.

Things You'll Need

  • Saddle
  • Bridle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Saddle your horse as you normally do. Check the girth and locate the small ring at the front. This ring should be located roughly in the center of your horse's front legs.

    • 2

      Pull the top of the tie down, known as the hanger, up over your horse's head. The hanger sits behind the horse's ears. As you pull the hanger over your horse's head, the noseband will move over the horse's muzzle.

    • 3

      Attach one end of the tie down strap to the ring on the end of the noseband. Attach the other end of the tie down strap to the ring on the girth.

    • 4

      Lengthen or shorten the tie down strap as needed. The tie down strap should be slack enough so the horse can move his head normally, yet snug enough so the noseband will pull on the horse if he moves his head up too high. It is best to keep the tie down rather long when first introducing the horse to it. Some horses can panic when they first encounter the restriction. Keeping the strap long at the beginning reduces this risk and allows the horse to get used to the device slowly. You can shorten it later as needed.