Tether Training
If you’re wondering why we use a tether to secure the horse while traveling, check out my previous article where I explain the different ways to secure a horse overnight and why we chose the tether.
We use an 11m Biothane tether, connected to a 40cm stainless steel spike on one end and to the halter on the other. In that article, I also go into the mathematics behind the materials and length.
But in this article, I want to focus on how to train a horse to the tether. Here in Europe, you can hardly find any advice on how to properly prepare a horse for tethering—probably because so few people actually use them.
I’m not an expert, but I have trained three horses on the tether so far and would like to share what has worked best for me.
Is Your Horse Suitable for Tethering?
Not every horse is suitable for tethering. If your horse has issues with being tied or with pulling back, you’ll need to address those problems first before attempting tether training.
If your horse can already be tied without panic and doesn’t resist when pressure is applied, then you can begin tether training.
Step 1: Introduce the Rope
Start by introducing the rope from all angles, making sure the horse is comfortable with it touching different parts of his body.
Next, allow the horse to be free (in a safe, enclosed space) while dragging a rope behind him. The goal is for him to remain calm and to learn that if he steps on the rope, he can simply lift his legs to free himself.
Step 2: Teaching Pressure and Thinking
This step is a little harder. Begin simply with the front legs:
Take the lead rope from the halter and loop it gently around one front leg.
Position yourself in front of the horse and apply pressure to the rope.
The halter pressure pulls the head back, while the rope pulls the leg forward.
At first, the horse may freeze, wanting to resist or back up. Your job is to stay flexible with the rope, moving with him until he makes the decision to think forward—whether that’s shifting weight or stepping towards you.
The key here is helping him restructure his response to pressure. Instead of just reacting to it, he learns to think and experiment with different ways to release the pressure.
For example, with my horse Tequila, this step took a lot of patience. He tended to freeze, so I used short sessions, calm voice cues, and treats at the start. Slowly, he figured it out.
Step 3: Hind Legs and Tangling Awareness
Once the front legs are established, move on to the hind legs. It’s the same story here but even more complicated. Encourage the horse to calmly figure out how to avoid or step out of tangles.
You want the horse to become aware of the rope, to understand how it moves around him, and to learn how to avoid stepping into trouble.
(For more detail, check out my YouTube video where I demonstrate this.)
Step 4: Controlled Practice with the Tether
When the horse is confident, start using the tether in a pasture. At first, don’t spike it into the ground—instead, you hold the end so you can step in and help if needed.
It’s very important to allow the horse to get a little tangled and work out the solution himself—but only if it’s safe. If the tangle is too risky, free him, but leave the rope around his legs so he still has to think about how to move without getting caught again.
The key is teaching him to think calmly: to stop, assess, and untangle himself instead of panicking.
Step 5: Spiking and Noise Training
Only once the horse has proven that he can stay calm and think through tangles do I spike the tether into the ground. At this stage, I always stay close by. Over time, you can move farther away, but I don’t recommend leaving the horse completely unsupervised.
It’s also important to get the horse used to the noise and feel of pulling the tether spike behind them—whether on grass, asphalt, or gravel. This prepares them for real-world situations.
