Ground Tying for Ranch Trail

There are many reasons to teach your horse how to safely ground tie

- CODY CROW

It can help your horse learn the importance of standing still even when he’s tied up. But it can also help him better stand still when you go to mount up or put him next to a mounting block.

In ranch trail events it’s common to see ground tying as an obstacle within the pattern. If your horse doesn’t like to stand still when you take a step or two away from him, you’re going to end up with some penalties and will be essentially leaving easy points on the table. Scoring varies depending on the association you’re competing in; you could just get hit with a maneuver penalty if your horse moves or you could get points taken off for every step your horse takes, with three or more steps being a fivepoint penalty.

When you first start teaching a horse to ground tie, start with a halter and a lead rope. In a ranch trail class, you’re obviously going to have your horse tacked up and using a bridle with reins. But by using a halter and a lead rope, you are less likely to find yourself in an accident if your horse runs off and you have to go catch him.

You’ll also want to start in an enclosed space. If your horse is flighty and more sensitive, you might even start in a smaller space like a round pen to avoid having to chase your horse around a large arena.

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