Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Hi Denise - I have a comparison page here: 

http://members.tripod.com/ridephotos/horse/ties.html

I've been using the hi-ties (from

sportack
.
com) for several years. I have no connection to Sportack and do not
benefit in any way from anything I'm about to say. 

I think the hi-tie system is the best there is on the market for
confining a horse.  There is no 100% safe way to confine a horse,
however, some ways are safer than others.  I've seen every kind of
accident there can be involving horses with various confinement
systems.  The most dangerous in my opinion are:  1) 
portable electric corrals, 2)  corral panels 3) tying directly to
trailer or to a tie-arm (hi-tie type product).  I believe that most
accidents that are on a tie-arm are less serious than the others. 

I like the hi-tie because it is not as flexible as some others. 
Others that flex more will drive you NUTS at night with the constant
squeak, squeak, squeak that occurs.  It makes me want to post a sign
that says if you are using a certain type of tie-arm to pleez don't park
next to me - I want to sleep the night before a ride!  I also have
seen that horses tied on the tie arms that move and flex more that those
horses learn to pull over time.  I don't want my horses doing
that.  

Most important thing about any confinement system is to train a horse in
advance of going to a ride.  Spend several nights allowing the horse
or horses to be tied or confined that way.  

Remember too, that it's not just your horse - it's every other horse in
camp that you have to consider.  Several times I have seen one, two
or more loose horses run through camp tearing everything down in their
path. First to go are electric corrals, then panels.  Usually my
horses are always left standing (even if rattled), on their
hi-ties.  Once I even had electric tape wrapped around the legs of
one of my horses - who was still left tied on his hi-tie, while the horse
that *had* been in the electric corral panel had disappeared off into the
forest at 3 a.m.  

As far as placement of a tie-arm - be sure to place far enough apart so
the horses cannot get tangled up together.  Good idea also to follow
some of the advice in my link above - use cotton ropes, and no bungees or
quick release directly to the halter for securing a horse. 

My experience:  I spend probably an average of 3 months a year with
one or two horses (sometimes three) tied on my hi-ties which equates
overall to years worth of time on these things and have tried many other
confinement systems over the years.  I have never had a single
tie-arm break.  

Karen