Ways of Hitching a Horse to a Pole

Teaching a horse to tie is one of the more dangerous lessons for horse owners and for the horse itself. Knowing how to tie a horse safely, whether to a pole or any other object, is critical for the safety of the horse and the handler.

  1. Secure location

    • Before tying a horse to anything, you must be sure the pole is secure. The last place in the world to tie a horse is to something that will break loose and then "chase" the horse as it flees in a panic. The pole must be heavy-duty, secured into the ground with concrete and able to withstand the panicked pull of a thousand-pound animal.

    Height

    • In order to safely secure any horse to any structure, the rope needs to be higher than the horse's head or -- at the very least -- at head level. A horse is more apt to panic if the pull on its head is down low and it can also get its legs stuck over the rope, causing additional panic and serious injury.

    The Knot

    • All knots to safely tie a horse are called "quick release." These are the kinds of knots that release with one pull and will not get knotted up so that you can't release them in an emergency. From a common slip knot to a quick release knot, the knots are meant to secure a horse while also securing its quick escape in the case of an emergency.

    Safety Ring

    • Safety rings are metal rings designed to have the lead rope wound through them so that when and if the horse should pull back, the rope tightens and restrains the horse, yet you can release the rope without getting too close to the panicked animal and putting yourself in harm's way.

    Tie with a Halter and Rope

    • Never, ever tie a horse with their bridle to a pole. The bridle will break, but not before causing severe injury to the horse if it should panic. To tie a horse to a pole or any other object, a halter goes on the horse's head with a lead rope attached to the halter, which is then secured to the pole or other stationary object.