I’ll explain briefly here our preferred methods for introducing all four of the “skills” I mentioned yesterday that come in handy for keeping horses in camp. These four skills are:1. Using the Picket Line
2. Using the High Line
3. Hobbling your horse
4. Using the portable Electric Fence
For containing your horses in or near to camp, we use a combination of these. Often times, for grazing we will picket a lead mare, and the notorious run a-way, and hobble the other geldings; then at night we will keep our horses tied to the high line. For longer stays, we’ll set up the portable electric fence in a big, wide area, and still picket the lead mare within that perimeter. I’ve seen camps with well seasoned horses only picket the lead mares and allow the gelding to roam free. If riding all day, the horses are left out to graze all night. And for the most seasoned horses, they can learn to stick close to camp, especially if you camp in familiar places time and time again.
Using the Picket Line
What is it: A picket line is a long rope attached to the horses’ halter or single hobble around a front foot, with the other end of the rope firmly attached to a stake. The horse is able to graze around the stake to the length of the rope.
Precautions: We run our picket line from the halter. We have tried both methods, and find this to be easier for the horse to maneuver and to keep him/herself untangled and out of trouble with the rope. Still, we have had horses tangle, and I personally do not like to leave horses picketed for long periods of time unattended.
Teaching this to your horse: As with most of these skills, the first step is teaching lightness, respect and feel for the lead rope and halter. The second step is teaching the horse to keep off his rope. The best way I found to teach this is to allow the horse to walk around in a safe, small pen (a corral or round pen) with their lead rope dragging. They will step on it. And pretty shortly, they will learn from which foot the pressure comes, which one to lift, and how to get off their own rope. I start with a 10 foot lead, and eventually increase to a 20 foot lead. At this point, your horse will have learned well to stay off his lead, or to lift his foot to get off the lead before putting too much pressure on his head. So, the third step is then to have the end of the long rope secured, tied off, or staked, in a safe situation so that your horse can learn to give to the pressure and feel when he comes to the end of the line. This is also a rather useful skill for the horse to learn so that he/she does not step on dropped reins, or pull back if and when the horse does find himself on the reins.
Using the High Line
What is it: The high line is a long rope secured between to trees on which the horses lead rope can be tied overhead. The line is run with tree savers (we use old cinches) wrapped around large sturdy trees at about 8 - 9 feet high on the ends, and often sagging down to about 7 feet in the center. Yes, we usually have to climb the tree to wrap and tie off the rope, and we try to get the rope as tight as possible. We use a long rope, approximately 50 feet long with evenly placed rings to tie on the lead ropes. This prevents the lead ropes from slipping up and down the rope. I once woke to the whole lot of horses squooshed up in the middle where the lead ropes slipped along the high line. Now I secure the lead ropes with a slip proof device/string or use those rings.
Precautions: Horses should be evenly spaced, distance between horses should be considered out of kicking range, and placement or order of horses is essential. I put the ones who kick far off on the sides, and the ones who get along well can be closer to the center.
Teaching this to your horse: Again, first your horse should have lightness and respect for the halter and lead. Get your horse comfortable being tied up for an extended period of time. From there, this is a relatively safe thing to teach the horse. Seems like most new horses adjust naturally and easily to this, even being tied up all night long, if he’s there with his buddies near by, and they let him know it's OK.
Hobbling your horse
What is it: Hobbles are restraints put around the horses lower legs. Most hobbles go around the front two feet. I’ve seen some which include one of the back legs for a third leg. It’s a rather safe and comfortable way for your horse to remain out grazing for extended periods of time. I know some folks want to teach hobbling as something that keeps your horse in one spot and one spot only, but that’s not the point in the high country. A hobbled horse can move around and graze, but his motion is slower and he won’t be as likely to think he can run off, or be able to get as far as fast even if he thinks running off is the thing to do.
Precautions: Horses can learn to run pretty quickly when hobbled. Make sure you have a good saddle horse tied to the high line or picket line if the other horses are out hobbled. Rotating hobbled horses isn't a bad idea. We often put half the horses out hobbled to graze, the other half back at camp on the high line. And split the buddies up. One buddy out hobbled; one on the high line.
Teaching this to your horse: The lightness and feel we teach to the horse with lead rope and halter, here is taught to the horses feet. Start by getting your horse used to the feel of the rope around his feet, and comfortable with his feet being handled. Then teach your horse to give to the rope around his foot, one foot at a time. I do this by first having him lift the foot, first forward, then back, with the rope around his foot, teaching him to give (lift) with gentle pressure. If he fights at first, I ignore it. I don’t up the pressure. I just continue teaching. Soon your horse will feel comfortable with the rope on the foot, and comfortable giving to light pressure. At that point, lead the horse by the foot. I literally run a 20 foot lead around the horses foot, one foot at a time, and gently pull until I get him to step towards the pressure. Just one step at a time. Continue this for a few steps, and it only takes a few minutes before you can lead the horse anywhere in the corral by the gentle lead of the rope on the foot. Teach this to all four feet. When your horse is reasonably comfortable with this, I’ll put the hobbles on the front feet. There are all kinds of fancy hobbles on the market. My favorite for teaching are old thick cotton ones that won’t burn or cut into the horse in any way should he struggle. I do not try to get the horse to move when he has the hobbles on, but encourage him to stand still. He will eventually try to move, and usually this is an odd sight to see a horse learn to move with hobble for the first time. If you can imagine a very big, ungraceful bunny hop. Let him learn, stay out of his way, and comfort him when he’s relaxed again. Remove the hobbles from the relaxed horses, not one that is fighting or resisting.
Using the portable Electric Fence
What is it: This is a great invention, though it’s big and bulky to pack in, and takes a while to set up, so we don’t use the portable electric fence unless we are remaining at a camp for an extended period of time. But when we do use it, it is by far the safest and most comfortable means of containing horses in the back country. You can purchase the separate componants (stakes, tape or wire, charger, ground rod), or ready made packages that even come in handy carry cases which can be packed in and set up at camp.
Precautions: Make certain your horse can see the wire or tape, and that both have a breaking point should your horse panic, tangle or run through the fencing. I prefer to use 1 inch tape which is very visible to the horse.
Teaching this to your horse: Horses are quick to learn about electric fences. Start by running a line of electric fence to block off a section of pasture. Always make sure in the training stage that the juice is on! Horses are very smart. I’ve had horses learn to hear the clicking of the power, and could tell when it was on. And when it was off, learn to walk right under. Keep the power on, especially for training. Teach your horse to respect that tape or wire. They quickly learn to look for it and stay away.
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