Horsemanship - No More Chasing Loose Horses

Recently an old partner of mine asked me to right a short article on the keeping control of your horse when bridling up.

At some point you have to talk the halter off and put the bridle on. Best case if that your horse is trained well enough to stand ground tied or stand in place and not run off. My old partner helped chased someone horse for a few hours out in the open after the owner rode back the trailer and took the bridle off without having a neck rope or anything to hold the horse, and the horse took off running through the desert for several hours, saddle and all.

If you are tacking up at a roping or other event, a loose horse running through the parking areas can cause some damage or cause other horses to spook or pull back. In you have been in the horse business long enough, you will chase a few horses that got away form you. Lose a horse around a bunch of others horses and riders and it could just be embarrassing or could result in you being asked not to come back, “Please don’t come back, yahoos are not appreciated here”.

The silent video below with text tags shows me taking the bridle of a horse looping the reins over his neck so I have some control and way to remind him to stay put as I get the halter on him. This horse will stand un-tied as I saddle/un-saddle him, check his feet and so forth, however something could also spook him and send him moving off. I have fences and gates on my property to keep them from getting too far. In fact, this horse occasionally unlocks the corral gates and lets him and his buddies out to roam around. I don’t mind him doing that from time to time as it breaks up the monotony of being in the corral and I think it keeps their minds fresh, but having a loose horse on the range or out in the open, especially near any traffic can be a bad event.

Safe Journey.