Page 25 - The Pocket Guide to Equine Knots

Bowline, pulled tight.

As a lefty, I tend to tie the bowline the opposite way, but the result is the same. I make
the small loop in my right hand with the standing part on top, then bring the end down

through the “hole,” around the standing part, and back through the hole.

Tying up a Horse with a Bowline

As a horseman one of my most common uses of the bowline has been to tie up the hind
foot of a horse. Why and how do I do this? Let’s back up. One of the safest things you can
teach your horse is to freely give each of his feet, whether to a farrier or to a fence that
happens to snag him. Teaching him to yield with his feet could prevent an injury or even

save his life. Thus, I don’t stop with halter-breaking our colts; I also teach them to lead by
each foot, which is easier than it sounds. There’s no need to pull hard on a given foot, but
just exert a steady pressure. Annoyed at first, the colt soon figures out that he can release

the pesky pressure by taking a step toward you. When he’s good at the first foot (one of
his fronts) I proceed to the others. Usually each succeeding foot is easier.

Teaching a horse to lead by each foot.

Once this training is accomplished, hobbling becomes possible, then picketing on trips to
the mountains with a hobble half on one front foot. But the time may come when the horse

will have to be restrained, as mentioned above, to treat an injury or to pull porcupine quills.
In any case, holding a foot up, even if the horse resists, is something the farrier will
eventually require. Believing it best not to wait for an emergency, I teach our horses to

accept restraint by tying up a hind foot as part of their training.