Page 18 - The Pocket Guide to Equine Knots

Clove hitch, step 2.

Clove hitch on a saddle horn.

Lanyard Hitch

However, the other similar knot we’ll examine is the one often called the “lanyard knot,” and
it looks neat when used for hanging a bucket from a corral rail (or a watch fob attached to a

ring or belt). My other frequent use of this knot, which is simply two facing half hitches, was
taught me on an elk hunt by my wife’s older cousin George, a fine horseman. Bucking wet
snow up to the knees of my tall horse, we’d followed tracks of a herd of elk that eventually
had dived into a patch of deep, dark timber. We were sure that if we tracked them farther,
they’d simply emerge on the other side, out of view.

We hitched on a simple plan. I’d lead George’s horse around the timber and down the
mountain to a clearing we knew to be at the base of the hillside at the edge of the timber
patch; he would hunt his way down through the woods. With luck, one of us would “get into

elk” and acquire some fine winter meat.
I tied the reins of George’s horse in some haphazard manner to his saddle horn, intending
to lead the horse down by its lead rope, but George said, “No, tie the reins up with two half
hitches.” I must not have responded immediately, so he explained, “Take both reins up on
one side of his neck and tie them to the horn with two half hitches.”

What he’d asked finally sank in, and with his help I tied the reins up the way I’ve always
done since, both reins on one side of the neck (step 1), the two half hitches tied so the
reins emerge neatly together, as shown (step 2).

I’ve found this to be the best method for tying reins up if a horse must be led; it’s secure