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How to Hobble a Horse to Lie Down

A horse hobble is a tool used by some horse trainers for a variety of reasons, the primary one being to keep the horse from bucking or running, thus ensuring the trainer's safety while teaching the horse maneuvers. Lying down is an important maneuver for a horse to know because, in dangerous situations, lying down can help it feel secure. In addition, some grooming tasks are easier to execute when horses are lying down.

The hobble is a set of ties that tethers the legs together to prevent movement. Its use is a form of force-training and should only be used when trust has already been established between the horse trainer and the horse. If the horse doesn't have trust in the trainer, a hobble can incite panic and cause injury to both the horse and the trainer. For the purposes of teaching a horse specific and basic tasks, a split hobble is the best kind to use.

Things You'll Need

1 Hobble
1 Horse
1 Pen

Instructions

- 1
  Slip a loose rope over each of the horse's front legs to get it used to the feel of something restraining its legs. If the horse resists, let one leg go free while keeping the other restrained. Slowly repeat the process for three to four days until the horse is used to the feel of a rope around its legs. It will take a different amount of time for each animal; horses that are more used to humans will need a shorter amount of time.
- 2
  Attach the actual split hobble to the horse's legs. Allow the horse to get used to wearing the hobble before attempting any training methods; this should take anywhere from three days to a full week. You'll know when the horse is used to the hobble when it doesn't try to move when wearing it, and doesn't make any jumpy or panicky moves when it's been left on for five to 10 minutes.
- 3
  Attach a lead line to the hobble and attempt to use it to have your horse pick up its right front leg. Holding onto the lead rope, pick up the leg while maintaining a position on the left side of the horse. The lead rope should be long enough to allow you to move completely around the horse.
- 4
  Ask the horse to back up by saying "back" or "bow." As the horse naturally shifts down to attempt to back up, release the lead rope and praise the horse. Repeat the process several times while asking for "back" or "bow." The horse should do this naturally after several repetitions. Different horses will need more repetition to understand the command.
- 5
  Begin the process of pulling the horse over, or to the side, after it's bowing down comfortably. After the "back," or "bow," command is followed naturally and without hesitation, you can pull the lead rope toward your side of the horse, encouraging it to lie down while saying the word "down."
- 6
  Repeat the above steps, using the split hobble, as many times as it takes to get the horse to lie down. After your horse does it comfortably with the hobble and your assistance, it should be able to do it on its own when it hears the commands you used during training.

Animals & Science