There is some debate whether horses should or shouldn’t be tied
‘solid’. Tying solid means to tie so that it’s almost impossible
for the horse to break free. For the horse’s or pony’s sake it
is probably best if handlers don’t tie solid. If a horse is
badly startled while tied it could panic, struggle and injure
its neck and back. But sometimes we have to balance horse safety
against people safety. There may be situations where it is safer
to tie solid than have a horse break away and bolt into a crowd
of people or busy highway. But when we are working with our
horses in a paddock, or in the stable it’s safer for the horse
to be tied so the rope or tie will break free if it panics.
Ideally the rope should be attached chest height or higher. The
rope should be tied so it doesn’t dangle low enough to be
stepped over but not be so high or tight that the horse’s head
is restricted. Never tie to a bridle, with the reins, or to the
bit in anyway. If the horse struggles it could severely injure
its mouth. Always tie