Where do you tack up?

Calluna

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2010
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Leicestershire
I visited a friend this weekend. I've not been to this livery yard before as they've recently moved. While I was there horse and pony were tied up outside the tack room being tacked up. They were about a horses length apart I think. While owner popped into tack room to get something horse decided to corner pony and give him a kicking, which was a bit of a shock all round.

To avoid it happening it would make sense to tack up in the stable (not possible to tie up outside own stable as it's an American barn and the central corridor is not wide enough) and teach young horse better manners of course. This horse and pony don't know each other well, their paddocks are at opposite ends of the yard, but logically you may often be in a position that your horse does not know its neighbour.

It just made me wonder what everyone else does?
 
Id never tie up next to an unknown horse, but i also make sure mine always have a massive gap anyway, saves dangerous situations. I like to tack up in the stable anyway as it's my own space away from others.
 
We have a pretty relaxed tack up arrangement, it's wherever Bud happens to be standing, so usually on the yard somewhere next to a haynet, or in the donkeys stable, or Tintin's stable, or next to the gate. Or even in his own stable.

But the only others around are the donks. He is usually no collar, not tied. I just bring stuff to wherever he is and we dress him up as we go.

Certainly not the way to do it on a livery yard.
 
At the RS we tack up in the stable . I guess it was just a different situation I'd not come across before. They were not completely unknown to each other, but don't share a field and the pony has only been on the yard a couple of weeks.
 
Id never tie up next to an unknown horse,


Our lot can be all shoved into one stable to be tacked up, packed in like sardines and be perfectly happy. But never a strange horse within kicking disance
 
I'd never tie my horse near another unless I knew them to be best mates and really that's never gonna happen knowing my lad's loner personality and tendency to get intimidated.
We have a leccy fenced pen inside our field gate about two stables worth in size. When I'm tacking up, I do it in there away from the other horses.
 
We only have one tie-up place on the yard - the shower, and the horse must be crosstied in there so that they don't come out or swing their bum round - and we have a rule against tying up in aisles or outside stables, so if there's a horse in the shower already then people must tack up in their stable. It just makes life easier if there aren't horses standing here, there and everywhere... safer too! I usually tie up the ponies in the lunge pen to tack up, but that is just "groom's privilege" ;)
 
we kind of have allocated spots on the yard, based on who gets on with whom and a few other things. We only have three stables so don't tack up in them. I wouldn't tie next to a strange horse either to be honest. In fact I can't even tie my own two close to each other as they'll fight. Appley's spot is next to her bestest buddy, they'll happily share a haynet even!
 
First time I helped harness up at my driving instructor's place, we got the 17hh coach team out to harness up. Got them all out on the yard and she ties them next to each other in pairs on the side they are going to drive so nobody can mess up the harness.

I tied my two where I was asked, went in to get the harness to find them both bum to bum, resting a leg, leaning on each other. She seemed to take no notice, but not knowing the horses asked her if they'd be okay like this , she just glanced and said "yes of course" and carried on. I LOVE working with her horses, it's like working with my own. Then taking them back to the field, 2 ropes in each hand and 4 17hh horses followed me puppy dogs, all waited while I took headcollars off, and went through the gate one by one without a hair out of place.
 
Out side my stable or in my stable, I am in a American Barn but just moved to the one next door. I have an empty stable on one side (Gingers side) and Chanter next to him. I seem to be at the yard at different times so when the horse oppersite is in I am not there.

In the old barn they tied up next to each other and horses just learnt to get along. never had any major issues in all the years I have been in barns or on yards
 
I've always tacked up in the stable. Before they were built I would tack up in their field. Joe and Storm were like two peas in a pod and it was never a problem for them to be side by side. Having said that, I did make sure it wasn't too close! When we were on a yard I always did it in the stable, mainly because I got flustered with people watching (novice alert) and it was just easier all round.
 
On the yard I wouldn't tie Raf up close to any horse, even one he knew, but if we go out in the box with a friend we tie our horses next to each other on the side of the box and they're fine. Only once did we have to shout at them (Raf and my friend's mare) because they looked like they were going to have an argument, but usually they behave amazingly well, considering they're both pretty dominant with other horses. I suppose if we're out there's stuff to distract them and take their mind off petty squabbling.
 
I usually tie up inside the American barn to tack up. I know all the horses on the yard, so know who I can get close to and who I can't (there's only one that's a definite no-no), most of our tie up points have a stable width in between them anyway,so it's not like they are all on top of each other. They are usually just dotted around the barn.
 
I've only ever tacked up in the stable. I am useless at tying knots - I got sacked from Brownies and was never a Girl Guide! - and sheepishly admit I am not 100% sure I do it right when tying horses up anyway!
 
On my new yard I tack up outside my stable, but I'm in a lovely courtyard area so there is loads of room.
On the old yard I always tacked up outside my stable too and would just move Belles bottom over if anyone wanted to come past, there was plenty of room either side though and Belle and my best yard friends horse used to stand bum to bum as she was in the stable opposite us but they got on well anyway.
The only time I tack up in the stable is if it's peeing down with rain and that's more to keep my saddle dry than anything else.
 
I've only ever tacked up in the stable. I am useless at tying knots - I got sacked from Brownies and was never a Girl Guide! - and sheepishly admit I am not 100% sure I do it right when tying horses up anyway!

Hahahhaaa I got sacked from Guides!:yellowcarded: I was too much of a giddy kipper apparently, and a bad influence on the other girls....:bounce:
 
Hahahhaaa I got sacked from Guides!:yellowcarded: I was too much of a giddy kipper apparently, and a bad influence on the other girls....:bounce:

Me too! Also the Brownie Guide Leader was my next door neighbour and brought her sons with her and my (very precocious) younger sister got caught kissing one of them in a tent!
 
Well, not in the field because the mares hassle us, which resulted in me getting a nasty bite not long ago.

Ziggy and I have a pretty relaxed approach to tacking up. Normally I pop him in the front garden and he grazes while I get the bits and bobs and bung them on him. I am too lazy to carry them over to the field every time :redface:
 
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