How to Tie Up a Bridled Horse

This rider keeps both the halter and bridle on his mount while trail riding.

There are times in any equestrian sport when riders need to leave their horses tacked up and tied someplace safe. Whether you're on a trail in the wilderness and want to take a break to rest your muscles, or at a competition and require a quick trip to the bathroom, learning how to tie up your bridled horse without using the reins --- a dangerous procedure highly discouraged by Michelle Staples on the HorseTalk website --- can save you time and possible equipment malfunction.

Things You'll Need

• Halter
• Round, cotton lead rope ¾-inch diameter or larger

Instructions

Tying the Horse

1. Buckle your halter with attached lead rope around your horse's neck without placing it over the head and face of your mount. Either hang the lead rope over the animal's neck --- with an assistant holding the lead --- or tie the lead loosely to a fence or tree in a quick-release knot.

2. Place your reins around the horse's neck ensuring the buckle rests near the pommel of your saddle. If you are using split Western reins, knot the two reins together in a long, loose loop and drape the knot over your saddle horn.

3. Unbuckle the throatlatch and allow it to hang by the off-side of your horse's cheek.

4. Twist the two rein pieces over one another making several loose loops and thread the throatlatch through one of the loops, buckling it back to the bridle's crownpiece. This keeps the reins from slipping to the ground where the horse can trip on them.

5. Unfasten the halter and position it over the bit and bridle on your mount's head and face. Buckle the halter at the appropriate hole so that it secures the animal without being too tight across the horse's poll and under its throat.

6. Tie the lead rope in a quick-release knot to a secure fence or tree limb at about the height of the horse's back. This allows the animal to drop its head to relax, drink water or eat some grass.

Tying a Quick-Release Knot

1. Loop your lead rope over a stationary fence post or low-hanging tree limb. Leave enough length in the part of the rope snapped to the halter to allow your horse to drop its head.

2. Twist the unattached end of the lead rope into a 6-inch loop with your left hand and pull the rest of the rope under the stretch of the snapped lead with your right hand.

3. Make a small loop with the length of rope in your right hand, pass it over the stretch of the snapped lead, and tuck the small right loop into the large loop in your left hand so that you can see a U-shaped piece of rope.

4. Tighten the knot by tugging up on the U-shaped piece of lead rope showing through the left loop. Do not pull the entire rope through the loop. Leave the end of the lead rope free to use as a quick-release pull.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to keep the halter on your horse while trail riding, carry the lead rope in your saddlebag, wind it around your saddle horn, or tie it loosely around your animal's neck, ensuring that the end of the lead doesn't hang down where the horse can step on it.

• Always tie your horse to something it cannot break or pull over. The CowboyWay website recommends securing your mount to a fence post, instead of a fence rail, and tying to something that will not poke your horse in the face or eyes should the animal jump forward. The CowboyWay website also suggests using a round, cotton lead rope, ¾-inch diameter or larger, because this type of rope won't bind when you need to pull a quick release.

References

• Horsetalk.co.nz; Safe Ways of Tying Up Your Horse; Michelle Staples; February 2008
• The Equestrian and Horse: How To Bridle Up A Horse
• CowboyWay: Tie A Quick Release Knot

Resources

• ASPCA: Bridling Your Horse: The English Bridle
• Horse.com: Putting on a Bridle