04 How to Hobble a Young Horse pt1

One of our viewers asked Dennis how to hobble a horse. So here Dennis demonstrates one safe method for hobbling a young horse for the first time. Part 1 of a 3 part series.

[@1Whipperin]

Thanks for having the courage to publish a great horsemanship video. If more folks trained like you train, more horses and people would stay safe.

[@victorialazareva]

I am glad not a lot of such "trainers" are left

[@gerrycoleman7290]

He needs to work on his pressure and release with the appropriate timing, rhythm, and feel.

[@SpunkyP]

For those asking why hobble, first off, this is usually one of the last things introduced to a horse in training. Hobbling is a tool that is useful for several things. One, it teaches a horse to stand calmly. Two, it teaches a horse to not panic if it were to get stuck in a fence, or a bush, or other hazard. This gives the owner time to cut the horse out without the horse hurting itself or anyone else. Three, it can be used if you don't have a fence or corral available, but you want to allow your horse some room to roam around a graze. It can actually be a lot safer and more humane than tying in these situations. It limits the horses movement, not stops it. Just imagine having to leave your horse's head tied to a tree for 6-8 hours while you sleep. Or your horse getting its legs tangled in a long rope and panicking. So it's very useful for camping trips. Sure, some people abuse it, but overall, it has some great advantages for both owner and horse. And before you pick and choose what is "natural" or "unnatural" for training horses, at some point every riding horse is taken out of the pasture, put in an uncomfortable situation, and has a strange hunk of leather strapped to its back so a predator (humans) can get on its back and ride it. The whole process of horse training is "unnatural", but there are ways to do it that are safe and efficient for both the horse and trainer that never hurt the horse in any way.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You are correct.

[@lancelot1953]

Hi Meagan, thank you for explaining. I spent my youth on a ranch and I am retiring back on it (brother's family farm) and I had never learned about technique and its usefulness - thank you, that way, I can avoid the mistakes I made and teach my grand-children the right way... Ciao, L (from ME)

[@betageli6549]

Du bist ein Arschloch so was zu sagen ‼️ in Deutschland ist diese Methode zum Glück verboten ‼️

[@ayeeeitsabi6361]

Can people not wrap their minds around the fact that this is not cruel or abusive? Hobble training is safe and effective when done the right way. It sacks out the horse to prepare him/her to know what to do and what not to do in the case that him/her gets caught in ropes, fencing, or any other thing they could get their feet in. If my horse gets caught in fencing, *I* certainly wouldnt want her to freak out and break her neck. But, since she was hobble trained, she now knows to stand still and wait for me to cut the obstruction.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Absolutely correct.

[@DonFitoProductions]

Tis series is great, keep them coming!

[@bellabelliboo]

She is soooo gorgeous!! Thanks for posting! Very useful to get the horse used to all sorts of things...

[@RoanAndRoaming]

My 4 year old had gotton a rope around her leg and freaked out, kicking out and causing a severe rope burn and lameness for 2 months. Hobbles arent cruel, theyre a training tool for your horse to get comfortable with being resistricted or caught on an obstacle, fence or wire, which would cut or break the leg. And it can help solve issues like pawing or excsssive panicking. But it must be trained properly. People who just put them on and leave while the horse has no training with them, then yes its cruel.

[@horseygran9265]

If you ride in the Snowy Mountains, Australia, it is recommended to hobble-train your horse(s) to keep them from escaping with the wild Brumbies if you are trail riding/camping. A saddled horse once ran away and it was found with the saddle embedded in its skin. It had to be shot. Hobble training, just like using a saddle/bridle etc is just another piece of equipment for training.

[@GerryCoxHorsemanship]

We teach hobbled 'above' the fetlock, it reduces the risk they may stab a hind foot OVER the hobble, it also allows them a little movement t and helps them comprehend what is happening without just Doing it.. THEN we go low,, then we do Hinds and then we do Both!

[@erskin2005]

@justwatchthedamvideo I read on another page about hobbling horses that it is a preventative measure. It can teach the horse not to freak out when they get something wrapped around their legs such as barbed wire from a fence. Teach them with a rope while you're watching so they don't kill themselves or you out in the pasture or on the trail.

[@AnimalLeftist]

You know, I totally get the use and value behind this training. I believe people spend far too much time getting their horses to stand still, or lie down. I wish I saw more good riders on YouBoob. Far too many think that standing on your horse, getting it to lie down, and then standing on the horse again, = horsemanship. In my old world, horsemanship meant you like a horse that MOVES, and that you can stay with the horse as he MOVES. This isn't riding... Horses' health depends on their movement. Again, I think this training is useful, but it should be reserved for people that are already good riders and trainers. I'd hate to see an ammy doing this. Especially with a youngster.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Correct. This process is an advanced horsemanship skill. One should not try this at home unless one knows what one is doing.

[@horsebird123]

BEAUTIFUL horse!!! i want her so bad! shes gorgous!!

[@TheOffensiveuser]

Thumbs up if you thought he was gonna put a plank between the horses legs and hit it with a sledge.

[@MsDreamcatcher123]

Did you sell Diamond, the mare, to a person in upstate New York?

[@erskin2005]

@justwatchthedamvideo no problem....I never really thought about doing it for that reason until I watched some videos about it, but now I'm kinda interested in doing it to my filly just in case we get in a bad situation on the trail with a vine or who knows what.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You need to know what you are doing. This is an advanced horsemanship process.

[@wheatermayable]

I didnt have the actualy hobbles, but I would tanlge them on purpose with a lead rope. He got caught in barbed wire too, and fell! BUT he stayed calm...

[@xilix]

I'm just glad to see people hobbling gently. Too many people are brutal with it and hurt the horse. Thank you for treating your horses well.

[@Roxanneify]

When starting to train your horse for hobbles, would it be good to maybe use feed as a distraction? Or hobbled when they are being fed?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

No. Training a horse to accomplish a task using food rewards is a bad idea. One wants to strive for strong mutual trust and respect. You are the herd leader. If you are a fair and trusted herd leader, the horse will want to do as you say. Rewarding a horse with food makes you a lower horse in the horse's mind. He will tolerate you giving him food but will likely not listen to you if you don't.

[@TheHeatherhales1988]

could you show a video of how to tie that hobble? you cant see in the video

[@iononmiarrendo]

@Schnuddelchen3 Was macht ihr Pferd, wenn es ein Bein irgendwo verfängt? Diese Übung hilft meines Erachtens dem Pferd, in einem Ernstfall sich von schweren Verletzungen zu schützen, weil es die Situation schon kennt. Was sind ihre Argumente gegen diese Übung?

[@mortalcare]

OH NO HES GOING TO BREAK HER ANKLES!!!!!!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

No.

[@PatNDameron]

And they are pasterns, not ankles, to begin with.

[@elhhel5978]

what the hell kind of good does that do?

[@ayeeeitsabi6361]

Teaches them to give in to pressure in the case that they get caught in rope, fencing, or any other obstruction that could wrap around their legs. By hobble training them, the horse learns to relax and let the rider cut off the obstruction and release the horse.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

If you understood horsemanship, you would know the answer to that question.

[@DD-bn2mx]

Is this the guy from Broke Back Mountain?

[@03firefly]

They horses learn to deal with being trapped or stuck. If they get tangled they will be more likely to stand there than freak out.

[@cindyfouler6004]

Hobble training is great. Can save you and your horses life.

[@brad349miller]

wow, I've never heard of this. My cousin's horse must not have been hobbled because last summer it got caught up in some wire and, although it intentionally tried not to hurt her, tried to get out of the wire and knocked my cousin around pretty bad.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Having a horse be still when trapped in wire for instance is very important thing for a horse to learn. It can be accomplished if the horse is well versed in the basics. And can also be reinforced with hobble training. It is a process. It can take awhile. The slow way is the fast way. The process is the use of pressure and release with appropriate timing, rhythm, and feel. That in itself is an art form to be put together well.

[@mandyc1091]

Why was u not supporting her head so she didn’t trip down and nearly hit her face on the floor like she almost did?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You are correct. One needs to be ready to support the horse's head in case the horse is heading for a face plant.

[@XShadowSenshiX]

All of my horse are hobble broke, I use cotton to start em so they don't panic and get hurt! It's just too handy to pass up, they learn some patience and as others have said they learn to stand still when something is about their legs instead of panicking, one of my mares got tangled in a neighbors discarded wire and instead of fighting and hurting herself she just stood quietly. Save her legs and a bad wreck!

[@SaddleVamp]

@borgomozzano I guess you would spend more time preparing that nervous horse now wouldn't you. Personally , I think it is one of the best things you can teach a horse and it makes a better broke horse and could in fact save it's life. I would not recommend someone who doesn't have solid horsemanship skills doing this unless they are accompanied by an experienced horseman.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

There are definitely important things to know to do this process correctly and safely for person and horse.

[@hydroboostoxiaction6271]

my horse always comes so close to falling when she hobbles, can anyone help me?

[@KoriHarlan]

omg, JUST DO DO IT IT'S ABUSE! there's no point rather then making your horse trio and dislike you

[@zeibrai5812]

anorexic princess no it's not shut up

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You have not done the process correctly. The slow way is the fast way. You did it too fast. Now you need to start over.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@KoriHarlan Well............you don't understand horses.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@Amanda B No. That would be abuse from a selfish idiot.

[@Nizingur]

Personally, I find the speed at which this training is done takes the horse too far out of its comfort zone to make this positive-reinforced training. I would take it a little bit slower to ensure this doesn't become embedded in the horse's fear centre - as any good horseman knows: an embedded fear memory is a hell of a lot worse to get rid of in a horse than a positive memory!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

The slow way is the fast way.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Break the process down into small pieces. Get the horse confident with each piece. Put it together. You are not giving the horse release of pressure when she does the right thing. A horse learns on the release of pressure.

[@onegoodturngetsmostofthebl7499]

Folks.... hobble training is far more than teaching your horse to stand still. One very good side benefit is to teach your horse not to panic if they ever get caught up in a wire fence. A horse's natural inclination is the strike, pull, or run from any object touching their legs. If it is barb wire and you've had to mend a horse with significant leg and body lacerations you quickly realize the benefits of teaching your horse to remain still in this type of situation.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Yep.

[@ME-bw3rl]

Works on wifes too 😇

[@jennalavoie4962]

Wow she looks like Black Beauty!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You are doing that way too fast. It is a process. Break it down into many small segments. As the horse gets very confident with all of the small steps, then put it together. It can take weeks to get a horse very confident with hobbles. Pressure and release. You are not giving the horse enough release. The horse learns on the release of pressure. And that needs to be done with proper timing, rhythm, and feel. The slow way is the fast way.

[@jawjadancr]

why hobble?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Keeping a horse nearby in an open area like a meadow near the camp site. Horse also learns to stand still when trapped, say in wire, until you free him.

[@dorotheecrawford3206]

Can't see how he's tying it because the camera didn't move. He has his back to camera.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

How it is tied is important.

[@animalwisperer]

Walk forward? And how the heck is she supposed to do that?

[@gerrycoleman7290]

No, the horse can, when he is used to the hobbles. There is enough slack to make small steps. Some horses learn to hop.

[@Lovethejester1]

There was nothing about this video that would "break the mind of your horse". This guy was hobble training this mare with total respect and a lot of patience and safety measures. Hobbling done right is very effective and can be a wonderful skill to keep them out of trouble if they get caught up in something. I'm guessing you have never had much experience hobble training or with hobble trained horses.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Hobble training is good for the horse to be confident with. This fellow could have done the process much better, though.

[@emmakay6003]

Rick gore is ur key to the problem

[@gerrycoleman7290]

He is a very skilled horseman.

[@butterthefluffbutt1131]

I think hobbling a horse should be used once the horse is more trained. And it should not be used on young horses I think it’s sad to see how your ok to watch a horse struggle

[@CHEVYedsf]

This is all well, but why would you need to hobble your horse anyway? Unless you're a breeder I see no reason at all to hobble your horse. And even then, you dont need them if the mare is in heat!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Many reasons. One of the other commentors mentioned some of them.

[@americanmisfit1]

@TheOffensiveuser MISERY!!!!!!!!

[@jillianmurray371]

Wtffff is this the horse can’t walk or move and it almost fell he tried to get it off and was soo uncomfortable why don’t we tie his legs together and see how much he can walk how about just teach your horse to stand

[@gerrycoleman7290]

You do not understand the big picture of why hobble training is important for the horse to be comfortable with.

[@DeathKitty123456]

the horse could have fell and broke her neck... yep safe -.-

[@gerrycoleman7290]

That is why it is very important to support the horse's head in case they go down in this process. If one does the process correctly, the horse will not panic. The slow way is the fast way.

[@SarahMcKenzie]

The horse could break the legs. Maybe someone should hobble you... A horse is not a toy!!! A horse would run away, if it's getting scared. You break the mind of yout horse, because it can not run away because of the hobbling and because you'r holding it -.-

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Wow, there are so many things you do not understand about horses.

[@fabienne7146]

Viel zu spät. Du zerstörst das Vertrauen

[@DeDoodIsHier13]

yep very safe... poor horse :S

[@v9311]

Hetzalwel Dusdat she’s not a “poor horse” it literally does nothing to harm her. It’s just restricting her feet to move if in any given situation where she’s stuck (in a fence, bush, ropes, ect) she’ll be calm for someone to untie her. It’s not like he’s doing that for no reason

[@sweeneytoddjoanna]

If you need a hobble on that horse then you can't train. Either you can train or you can't. You my friend can't.

[@briannamobley7054]

Spencer House hobble training is important. It teaches the horse that being trapped is ok. If these horses were to get their leg hung up they wouldn’t freak out and possibly break or cut their legs

[@elizabethmcqueen321]

Hobble training could save both the horse and riders life in the situation above. Hobbles are very important especially for trails and ranch horses

[@gerrycoleman7290]

There is a certain amount of truth in your statement. Can a horse learn to stand calmly when trapped without hobble training.........yes. Will hobbling help to reinforce that lesson................yes.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@elizabethmcqueen321 That is correct.

[@blondbrain275]

The horse can get injured!! Why the fuck would you do this!?

[@blondbrain275]

***** I skipped half because I can't handle animal abuse. So you are "training" the horse not to panic by making it panic?!? When training a horse you should always set them up for success. There are other humane ways to teach your horse not to panic!! Its called sacking out or desensitising. You know what else teaches trust, patience and calmness ground work, grooming, trail ridding, liberty work etc. I don't see how this horse can be learning anything because that is not how horses learn. When a horse is scared it doesn't learn anything but fear. That horse is probably more terrified of ropes now. Everything is negative about this old, out dated, abusive method of "training".

[@KoriHarlan]

+Ebonyfox2 I understand most ppl use it to have horses stand still but I do study horses and I'm not explaining rly anything right now. everyone has different opinions where I see this it's abuse

[@KoriHarlan]

Ebonyfox2 omg this is sad I know this. I own multiple horses . Call me a tree hugger whateva but I know if they get tangled they STAY STILL. it would be nice if you tried to relate my comment to what your saying.

[@KoriHarlan]

Ebonyfox2 you treat me like a 10 year old I'm suprised you can r wa ad I'm honestly cracking up the way you put things :") 😂

[@Ebonyfox2]

Horserider 16 I'm surprised as someone who does own multiple horses that you would say for a fact that horses stay still when they are trapped. A good chunk of them DON'T. I've seen plenty of horses rip their skin completely off to escape being trapped. If you perceive being informed about something as being treated as a child then that's an issue for you to work out as I have yet to make any statement about you at all in a good or a bad light.

[@marieesser2145]

einfach schrecklich😬😠

[@HastRider]

I can not wrap my head around how someone COULD do this!! For me barbaric. I have seen the results of the terrified animals that pull and thrash trying to escape. Natural horsemanship is a much better solution and tied to a line rope with rings allows grazing with restriction.

[@stormywindrider3315]

I realllllly agree with her. This lady is smart

[@omgequine]

+Debbie Kurth Its only cruel if its an uneducated person doing it to the horse. I never hobble trained my boys because its not needed. if It were to a spooky horse then id understand as It would be 10x better to do this then to see a horse stuck in a fence, freaking out, trying to run and only injuring itself further.

[@zeibrai5812]

Debbie Kurth it's funny that's why

[@Amyr61]

Hobble training is good. If they freak out the desensitization and training was done too fast. TRAIN...... horses should be desensitized to everything you can. It builds trust and can save both the rider and horse from injury or death.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

It can be part of the natural horsemanship method if done with pressure and release with proper timing, rhythm, and feel.

[@HastRider]

This is sick and cruel! There is absolutely no reason to do this to a horse . A real horse person would never need it. Sick sick sick .

[@ayeeeitsabi6361]

Hobbling is not cruel, nor sick. It teaches the horse to give in to pressure. Say your horse get tangled in rope, fencing, or briars. You dont want your horse to freak out and cut its self would you? No! You want him/her to stand calmly, and wait for you to cut him/her free. Hobbling also allows the horse to graze when camping, so you dont have to tie him/her to a trailer or tree all night long and possibly get tangled.

[@TheKaneECO]

+Debbie Kurth How about you learn what the hell your talking about first. Thanks hun.

[@HastRider]

WOW, talk about a person who thinks they know. I happen to actually own, train, compete and ride. I have watched the results of hobbling. I stand by my statement.

[@TheKaneECO]

Then you are horrible at hobbling. Or your horses have issues.

[@HastRider]

I never hobble a horse...ever. I have just watched the trauma of other cowboy types who do. My horses trust me and are never abused by this practice.