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[RC] Hobbles/Stakes and tie outs - Carol Suggs

When packing in the high country we use hobbles, during the day while the horse are grazing and
always keep a watchful eye out for them and never turn all the stock out at the same time, that way one or two is left back at camp and this lessens the chance that the others will take off down the trail and head for the trail head where we left the truck and trailer!  If we go with our cousin and his pack mules he will routinely let some of his mules loose at night and they wear bells.  Mules are great for keeping bears out of your camp, and you get used to the ding dong of the bells after awhile.
 
One of our mares can really travel good with hobbles on, heck she has even jumped a cattle guard with them on.
 
Our stock then gets brought in at near sundown and they get a little feed in their bags and get put on the high line for the night.  We tie them short, but long enough so they can relax their head and neck naturally.  They can lay down if they want, but not all the way down.  I have experianced tieing them long and had them roll and then roll right over their lead with a front leg and then panic to get up and that is not a pretty sight.  So if you high line, make sure they can't do that.
 
If you hobble, make sure that you train at home in a soft grassy or sandy area so that if the horse falls it won't get hurt.  Some horses take to hobbling very well, others (like another mare we have) think that when she has the hobbles on she is frozen to the ground.
 
When using a stake to tie out on, make sure that the horse is trained to this and I don't think they should be left unattended.  With it tied to their foot the chances if they get spooked and run off and getting hurt is worse than tied to their halter.  Another thing to remember is that horses are very strong and one good yank could pull that stake from the ground and then you may have a scared horse running away with a rope and a stake chasing it....that wouldn't be good either!
 
Tieing to the trailer overnight, you can help reduce the chance of them laying down and getting hurt by getting some plywood cut to slip in between your fender wells of the trailer and your tires, thus making a solid area so that the horse can't get its feet under.
 
But if you are just talking about an overnight stay...tie to the trailer and tie short so they can't lay down.  Horses can sleep standing up just fine and this way you don't have to stay up all night biting your nails wondering if every little bump you hear is your horse getting stuck with its legs under the trailer!
 
Carol-Mariposa