A better way to hold your horse. How to set up a highline for horse camping

Way back in 2009 I created a highline how to video for horse campers. It’s been pretty popular and I hope it’s been helpful. But that was over a decade ago and lots of things have changed in that time. I set up my highline differently now.
It’s time to refresh, revamp, and revise this piece. Please join me as we discover the joy of “A Better Way to Hold Your Horses”.
You can find more of my thoughts on this and 177 other trail riding and horse camping topics in my book “The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping,” as seen on Amazon’s bestseller list. Here’s a link - amzn.to/3CuErid
Links to all of the highline equipment demonstrated:
Rope - amzn.to/3g2U6cW
7mm Cord - amzn.to/3ihivNC
2” webbing - amzn.to/31oHjNU
Carabiner - amzn.to/2BetFSZ
Swivel - amzn.to/3SKrhFg
The old video - • How to Set up a Highli...
Bowline Video - • How to tie a bowline knot
Prusik video - • Prussic for Horse Camping
Guide to horse trails and camps - www.TrailMeister.com
Horse camping is a wonderful way to relax and spend quality time outdoors. Keep ing our horses safe and secure is paramount. This is how I do it.

[@Acelevi999]

Thanks again ❤

[@doitfancy7657]

Fantastic video!! Thank you so much! Everytime we do a highline the rope would always become loose after a few hours. Can't wait to try your method to put up our highline.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Glad to help and thank for the very kind words!

[@geniemedford9200]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@pawelduda4168]

❤

[@ellafields9424]

@LAM Hey - is actually (hay) if your talking about mule Fuel....

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Excellent point!

[@lisajignoffo9442]

Great video! Thank you! Always used a “come along”. No I don’t need it! Fantastic!

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Glad it was helpful!

[@seankusmc163]

Robert, a video on tying to feed bunks and hitching posts for the evening would be appreciated. I have seen a lot of instances especially at trailheads when this might be necessary and wanted to get your opinion. Thank you.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thanks for the idea! I try to avoid doing this as much as possible but it certainly could but required.

[@terryjones7550]

Great video! I plan to use it next month on my first time horse camp for elk hunting. One question: is the rope used 3/8” or 5/8”? When you are handling the rope it looks bigger than 3/8”. Thanks for the excellent information.

[@djknut5282]

Thanks for the informative video. I learned some new tricks. Question on the swivel you add. I've always made sure the horses lead had a swivel near the clip. Is that good enough? I noticed cocoa has a swivel on her lead also. What is the reason for a second swivel on the prussik?

[@thegiantswordworkout]

Really enjoy your videos. Your spirit is grand my friend! I just bought a $980 external frame backpack. Can't say I've ever road a horse. I've looked into pack goats a bit. I'd want to train one up slowly to get really strong. I threw 50 pounds in the external frame pack and did 1.5 miles on foot rested 2 days then another 1.7. The goal is 100 pounds 10 miles a day. If I had a pack goats he could take half that weight for me perhaps. In the future when I've got all my equipment I'm looking for someone who is down to do a 30 day survival trip. I'm gonna be packing a Diana 48 .22 pellet gun and a small fishing net and collapsible pole for game. I need to learn the edibles. I figured 50 pounds of that 100 pounds will be dried food for the first run try to hunt as much as possible small game. Then attempt a second run all foraging and hunting when confident with skill set. Posting this comment 3 xs I hope you see it. 👍 If you'd ever consider a 30 day challenge let me know old soul.

[@LisaHouserman]

This was super informative! We got our first mule back in late July and had previously had large ponies but not for a few years. What a difference between mules and horses/ponies! We care for two small donkeys as well. I love your channel.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thank you very much for the kind words! I need to get back into making videos. I took the summer off from YT to write a book. The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping. You can find it on amazon at amzn.to/3CuErid

[@roberthambly9926]

Great video Robert thanks

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thanks Robert!

[@rafterL78]

I like the lead just long enough to touch the ground with their nose, day or night. Yes they can sleep while standing but when putting a lot of miles on them they need to rest their feet and get a deeper sleep. I don't fool with nearly as much hardware either.

[@user-rs2od4ey5j]

Keep it going

[@SLOROB55]

Robert. Great video. You may never need them but if you throw a couple double or triple blocks with becket in your kit you can move some pretty big stuff.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Great tip!

[@celuria4481]

excellent video! while I don't have a horse, I use this highline to secure my dog while camping- she is a husky and will just bolt and run for miles if she's not leashed, but setting up a highline and connecting it to a retractable leash with a carabiner lets the leash slide along the rope, so she has relative freedom of the campsite. I will say, though, is there a reason to use the prusik (with a separate loop) instead of another knot that just creates a loop? i've been using a marlin spike hitch taught by a hammock hanging video, and that seems to do just fine as far as creating a loop that a carabiner can sit in to make the pulley and is pretty easy to release, without me having to have a separate loop I have to remember to bring- or can get lost. either way, still very useful!

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

I use a clip/swivel that are made together, because I forget carabiners😂

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Those will work but the barrel swivel that they use has a lot more friction and will wear over time. That and you have to drop the Highline to move them. At the end of the day it's whatever works for you and gets you outside!

[@Ouachita.Mule.School]

@@user-ez9gy5hd7n I wasn’t disagreeing! I do the same thing with the string to adjust the height, but I forget caribeners too much😂

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

@@Ouachita.Mule.School Gotcha! I've done the same!

[@lorenzomurillo3686]

Thank you for the video. I’m trying to duplicate your setup. Can you tell me how long do you recommend for the prusik loops?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thank you. It depends, Usually we tie them about a foot or so long.

[@AndyTheCornbread]

The way you tighten this high line is the same way we learned to tighten a static line across rivers etc. in mountain warfare school in the Marine Corps. We used a higher ratio than just 2:1 because you have to pull it tight enough to send people across it but the principle is the same. What do you sew your webbing loops with thread wise? I use 60lb test kevlar braided fishing line, but I am always looking for alternatives that might be better.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thanks for the comment Devil Dog! I was in Bridgeport in the early 90's! RE: the sewing I just use heavy duty upholstery thread. And lots of it. Semper fi!

[@ericlakota1847]

What is nice is that 3 strand will hold any thing you will pull with a few horse if you need to pull somthing

[@carolienstaal1414]

Thank you for this video. Very helpful. Question. When you tie animals for the night on a shorter leash, can they still reach the grass (or hay) on the ground?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thank you! No, they cannot. We hang hay nets so they can eat during the night without having the risk of entanglement. Thanks for watching!

[@StableGeniusEquine]

Great video. I've never high lined before. What do you typically do for feed and water day and night?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thank you! Haynet over night. We water before bed and first thing in the AM.

[@StableGeniusEquine]

@@user-ez9gy5hd7n Do you hang the hay bag from the high line?

[@ericlakota1847]

You can get rid of persit and carabener use a bolin on a bite .

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Would a climbing quick draw be useful in any way in horse camping? Thanks

[@helenalewine8627]

Where do i find the products description place you talk about

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

You can google them or find at your local outdoor outfitters. I used to have amazon links but got rid of them.

[@elsamccowan2122]

What a terrific system! While equines can rest while standing, they must lie down to get true REM sleep. Something you may wish to consider in tying short at night. I’m not sure how this could be safely accomplished without some type of portable corral though. Any ideas?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Elsa, Thanks for your very thoughtful note. Great question! I had the exact same question for my vet. While it's true our horses won't be getting REM sleep they'll be fine without for the couple of days that most camping trip last. They can also get that REM sleep during the day, when I'm nearby to keep an eye on them. I'll often drop the lead when I'm making meals so they can lay down, stretch and relax. I hope that this helps answer your question.

[@audiododd]

How long are you making your Prusik loops?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

I make mine between 1 and 2 feet long.

[@NottaTrace]

Could you possibly use rope for Marine purposes? I can't find anything similar to the one you linked here in Canada

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Good question. I don't see why not.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Are you preparing the 2" webbing to create the tree saver strap yourself. Or are you purchasing the straps with the sewn in loops?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Great question! I just buy the webbing and sew the loops in myself. Easy to do and doesn't require a sewing machine. amzn.to/3r2Pv0G

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@user-ez9gy5hd7n How do you sew in the loops? Thanks

[@angelabryant4517]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@ambervanmeel1222]

What swivel do you use? The link is broken. Thanks for the videos! :)

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Amber, Thanks for the note and the very kind words! These are the swivels that I use - amzn.to/3SKrhFg Thanks for the heads up on the broken link - It's fixed now!

[@trishberger9111]

Where might a person order a prusik

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Are your tree saver straps about 9 feet long?

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Gerry, Yes abt 9 or 10 feet long.

[@jaykay8570]

Instead you might try this: just tie a slip knot where you want the horse, throw two half hitches around it (from the end you'd pull on to get the knot undone)-- done. 5 seconds. My dad taught me that 40 years ago. He called it the Mule Bend. It will hold the animal and it is very easy to get undone. Anything else, for me, is a waste of time, especially if you are trying to do this in the dark. Best,

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Great idea!

[@onthesea10]

When I click the link to the 2" webbing it is not a tree saver strap. It is just a strap that needs to be made into a tree saver strap.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Correct. I make my own out of 2" webbing and needle and thread to put loops in both ends.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Where do I get the swivel? What are the names of the recommended ones? Thanks

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Thanks for the question!

[@SLOROB55]

Go to your favorite online vendor and search climbing equipment.

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

Gerry, I just saw that I didn't add a link! Here you go! amzn.to/2KwOaya

[@user-ez9gy5hd7n]

@@SLOROB55 Thanks for the heads up that I didn't give Gerry a link ! Here's what we're using - amzn.to/2KwOaya

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@user-ez9gy5hd7n Thanks. I have another question. Are you purchasing the 2" webbing with the sewn in loops or do you prepare the webbing yourself to create the tree saver straps?

[@billisham451]

Oh good lord, way back in 2009. Nobody's used anything other in a high picket for decades.